LAST UPDATE | 5 Nov 2021

GOOD MORNING.

Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.

1. Transmission FactCheck

In our lead story this morning Brianna Parkins examines a claim in the Dáil this week about Covid transmission which led to the Minister for Health criticising the spread of ‘anti-vax information’ by politicians. 

Independent TD Verona Murphy said that “recent studies have shown that a vaccinated person is every bit as likely to transmit this virus as a non-vaccinated person.”

The Journal spoke to microbiologists and infectious disease experts to put the claim under the microscope.

“Someone who has been vaccinated is less of a risk of passing the virus on than someone who hasn’t been. Contact with someone who has been vaccinated is less likely to result in a transmission than someone who is not,” Dr Simon Clarke from the University of Reading said.

2. Covid across Europe

As Europe once again finds itself at the “epicentre” of the coronavirus pandemic, today’s Explainer looks at how the continent is coping with the latest Covid wave.

Official data from countries across the continent shows that cases of Covid-19 have been rising for nearly six consecutive weeks and the number of new deaths per day has been rising for just over seven weeks. 

This amounts to approximately 250,000 cases and 3,600 deaths per day. 

3. Rescue 116 helicopter crash

A report into the Rescue 116 helicopter crash in which four people died during a search and rescue mission is expected to be published today. 

Captain Dara Fitzpatrick, Captain Mark Duffy, winchman Ciarán Smith and winch operator Paul Ormsby all lost their lives after Irish Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 116 went down on 14 March 2017. 

Rescue 116 crashed after it struck Blackrock Island off the Mayo coast on its way to a refuelling stop at Blacksod. It was due to refuel before taking part in a rescue operation.

4. Climate Action Plan

The government has published its long-awaited revised Climate Action Plan, setting out how it intends to meet tight climate targets over the next nine years.

The plan, which has come a month later than expected, proposes how far each sector of society must reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to cut them in half overall by the end of the decade.

The new plan raises the target for renewable-sourced electricity from 70% to 80%, which will involve increased solar, onshore wind, and offshore wind power.

5. Migrant death

A migrant has died after attempting to cross the English Channel to get to the UK, French authorities have confirmed.

The Maritime Prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea said one person was found dead on the beach of Wissant, near Calais, yesterday morning after the discovery of a boat filled with water.

Two other people were found with them suffering from hypothermia.

6. Portuguese election

Portugal’s conservative President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has announced the dissolution of parliament and called early elections for 30 January following the rejection of the socialist government’s 2022 budget.

Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who split from the far-left parties that had supported him since 2015, has already promised to campaign for a “reinforced, stable and lasting majority”, while the right-wing opposition is plagued by internal divisions.

7. Climate protest

Youth activists are taking to the streets of Glasgow to demand action on climate change from leaders and politicians as the COP26 talks continue.

Campaigner Greta Thunberg, fellow activist Vanessa Nakate and other young campaigners, as well as local trade unionists will speak to crowds at the end of the march through the city where the UN summit is being held.

The climate strike organised by Fridays for Future Scotland, with participants marching at 11am from Kelvingrove Park to George Square, comes as the COP26 talks feature events highlighting the voice of young people and education in climate action.

8. Prince Andrew

A New York judge has set a date of 4 January for a hearing in which lawyers for Britain’s Prince Andrew will plead for dismissal of a case of sexual assault brought by a US woman.

“The Court will hear argument on defendant’s motion to dismiss the complaint on 4 January 2022, at 10am” wrote Judge Lewis Kaplan.

Andrew, 61, has been under increasing pressure since August when Virginia Giuffre, 38, filed a complaint in Manhattan federal court accusing Queen Elizabeth’s second son of sexual assault when she was a minor over 20 years ago.

9. CAO

The CAO will open its online facility for applications to third level education today. 

From noon, applications to higher education institutions can be made online for a reduced fee of €30 before 20 January at 5pm. A fee of €45 applies after this time and until the normal closing date of 1 February at 5pm.

 Applicants are being advised to familiarise themselves with the system and to use the demo application and the video guides explaining the process.