LAST UPDATE | 21 hrs ago
GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
1. The Taoiseach has said Israel must stop firing on UN peacekeepers, as he outlined plans to call for an immediate ceasefire at next week’s meeting of the European Council.
It comes after Israeli troops fired on UN headquarters in southern Lebanon, injuring two peacekeepers for the second time in as many days.
Yesterday evening, Irish Defence Forces Chief of Staff Sean Clancy also spoke out about the attacks – he said he believes the firing at a UNIFIL peacekeeping position in Lebanon by the Israeli military was “not an accidental act”.
2. Although Simon Harris is still keeping us in the dark on a polling date, this hasn’t deterred the main political parties from gearing up their election machines.
The Journal’s political correspondent Jane Matthews caught up with each of the main parties to see how they are set.
3. A Roman Catholic diocese in the south-east has been strongly criticised amid heightened concern it’s been “mainstreaming conspiracy theories” in the region.
Observers also believe that the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore has become a “test case” for hardline factions in the Church in Ireland, allowing them to network with and “mainstream” international fringe groups.
4. Following a busy week for those fearing interference in Irish affairs, multiple sources have told us that Ireland is far from immune to proxies pushing foreign Government influence.
News correspondent Niall O’Connor takes us behind the scenes of suspicious approaches to Irish politicians, taking in chocolates, vodka and whether certain members have been compromised.
5. A woman has given a harrowing account of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex, former Garda Paul Moody.
Nicola Hanney joined Patrick Kielty on The Late Late Show to discuss her book detailing the abuse she went through during the relationship.
6. The government will raise fears that fraudulent imported biofuel could be passed off as sustainable fuel at a meeting of EU energy ministers next week.
Hundreds of millions of litres of biofuel are used in Ireland but there is a risk that some may not be what is claimed.
7. Hurricane Milton has killed at least 16 people after the natural disaster smashed into Florida, sending tornados spinning across the state and flooded swaths of the Tampa Bay area.
8. A US federal appeals court judge has ruled to keep Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in jail while he makes a third bid for bail in his sex trafficking case, which is slated to go to trial in May.
9. It was a mixed night on the sporting front, with Ireland beat USA 26-14 in their final women’s rugby clash in Vancouver.
Scott Bemand’s side trailed for a significant period but finished strongly amid a second half where the ill-disciplined Americans lost three players to the sin bin.
Elsewhere, a controversial last-gasp goal for Norway denied Ireland men’s U21s a guaranteed European championship play-off spot in Turner’s Cross.
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