LAST UPDATE | 30 Jul 2021
GOOD MORNING. Here’s all the news that you need to know about as you start your day.
1. In our main story today, Niall O’Connor reports the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces has said climate change is the biggest threat to Ireland.
Vice Admiral Mark Mellett, who has served as the leader of Ireland’s military for six years and has a PhD in environmental and ecosystem governance, believes that climate breakdown is already creating conflict and destabilisation across the globe.
“There’s no doubt there’s a growing sense that we’re physically experiencing the impact of climate breakdown,” he told The Journal.
2. Some good news for Ireland. Aidan Walsh is guaranteed an Olympic medal after beating Mervin Clair of Mauritius in his welterweight quarter-final in Tokyo today.
The Belfast boxer delivered another commanding and controlled display at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan venue to advance to the semi-finals and secure himself at least a bronze medal.
3. A woman has been charged with the murder of a baby boy in north Belfast on Tuesday.
The incident happened at a house in Brompton Park in Ardoyne.
The woman has also been charged with the attempted murder of a young child.
4. In political news, leaders from Northern Ireland and the Republic will hold discussions on a range of issues at the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) today.
They will address their handling of Covid-19 on the island as well as the implementation of the New Decade, New Approach agreement.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will host the 26th plenary meeting of the NSMC, which will take place by video conference.
5. Two Oireachtas Committees are to hold an unscheduled meeting tomorrow following an “unprecedented” letter from President Michael D Higgins about the legislative process.
In a letter to the Oireachtas, Higgins expressed concerns about the volume of “complex” legislation he has been asked to consider in a short space of time and raised “concerns about a pattern that has emerged in recent years.”
The President said that since the beginning of July he has been asked to consider “19 separate bills. Nine were presented on the one day.”
6. Gardaí are investigating allegations of an assault following an incident in Temple Bar in Dublin earlier this week.
The incident took place on Monday night. Eyewitnesses said that at least two teenagers and four adults were involved in the incident, and videos of what occurred were shared on social media.
7. The ITV/Virgin Media Television adaptation of Graham Norton’s debut novel Holding has started filming in West Cork.
The four-part series directed by Kathy Burke stars some of Ireland’s best talent including Brenda Fricker, Conleth Hill, Siobhán McSweeney, Charlene McKenna, Helen Behan and Pauline McLynn.
Holding is set in the insular fictional village of ‘Duneen’. Conleth Hill plays a local sergeant PJ Collins, “a gentle man who hides from people and fills his days with comfort food and half-hearted police work”.
8. A Los Angeles judge has dismissed one of 11 sexual assault counts against Harvey Weinstein, giving the former film mogul and convicted rapist a minor and possibly temporary victory.
At a hearing with the 69-year-old in the courtroom, Judge Lisa B Lench agreed with his defence lawyers that a count alleging sexual battery by restraint in May 2010 was too old, and outside the statute of limitations.
But she gave the prosecution permission to refile the charge in a way that may be allowable, setting up an ongoing fight.
9. Japan’s government will extend a virus state of emergency in Tokyo and impose the measure in four more regions today, as cases surge a week into the pandemic-postponed Olympics.
The Japanese capital reported a record number of new infections yesterday as daily cases nationwide topped 10,000 for the first time.
Today, Tokyo 2020 organisers reported 27 new cases related to the event — the highest daily figure yet — although they insist there is nothing to suggest a link to rising infections in Japan.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say