LAST UPDATE | 28 Feb

GOOD MORNING.

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

Climate study

1. In our main story this morning, Lauren Boland reports that people in Ireland are becoming increasingly worried about the risk of extreme weather events due to climate change, with concerns about storms and heatwaves rising significantly in the last several years alone.

New research released today by the EPA has examined how well people in Ireland understand climate change and its causes and risks, as well as levels of support for climate action.

RTÉ controversy

2. Media Minister Catherimne Martin yesterday faced a three-hour grilling by TDs and Senators at the Oireachtas Media Committee this evening about the resignation of the former chair of the RTÉ board, Siún Ní Raghallaigh. 

During the committee, the Minister disclosed that the former chair had “indicated she might resign” if she received a letter ahead of Martin’s interview on Prime Time last Thursday. 

You can catch up on the proceedings in our liveblog from last night. 

Body found in Dublin

3. Gardaí are investigating after a man’s body was found in suspicious circumstances at a home in Dublin 8. 

The man, who was in his 60s, was pronounced dead at the scene after gardaí arrived at the residence on Herberton Park road yesterday afternoon.

Biden and Trump win primaries 

4. US President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump have won the Michigan primaries, further solidifying the all-but-certain rematch between the two.

Defeating Minnesota representative Dean Phillips, his one significant opponent left in the Democratic primary, Biden was dealt a stinging rebuke over the Gaza conflict in an Arab American-led protest. 

Tens of thousands of Democrats in the swing state crucial to Biden’s reelection hopes ticked the “uncommitted” box as part of a push by the “Listen to Michigan” campaign to jolt the president into backing off from his support of Israel.

Arson attacks

5. Politicians yesterday condemned recent arson attacks around the country during a Dáil debate as “violent extremism” and a form of “domestic terrorism”.

Equality Minister Roderic O’Gorman said that debating policy was a normal part of the democratic process, but that the recent attacks were “the very antithesis of the democratic process” as they attempted to derail “the normal functioning of this state”.

Ministers warned that arson attacks had put the lives of people at risk, including the lives of firefighters and other emergency workers who respond to blazes.

Claims of journalist surveillance

6. A tribunal of senior legal figures is to examine allegations that two investigative journalists were subject to covert surveillance by UK authorities.

The UK’s Investigatory Powers Tribunal is hearing a case brought by Northern Ireland based film makers Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney.

In 2018, McCaffrey and Birney rose to public prominence after they were controversially arrested as part of a police investigation into the alleged leaking of a confidential document that appeared in a documentary the men made on a Troubles massacre.

Troubles Bill

7. Judgement in a legal challenge to the UK government’s controversial Northern Ireland Troubles bill is set to be delivered later today.

The act includes a form of limited immunity for some perpetrators of crimes committed during the conflict and would also prevent future civil cases and inquests into Troubles offences.

High Court judge Justice Colton will rule in the case brought by a number of victims challenging the human rights compliance of the legislation which offers a conditional amnesty to people accused of Troubles-related crimes.

Gaza famine

8. The World Food Programme has warned that famine is “imminent” in northern Gaza as Israeli forces block aid to the area.

Humanitarian groups say they have not been able to provide aid to northern Gaza since 23 January and the aid coming in to the southern half is vastly insufficient. 

WFP Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau has told the UN Security Council that “if nothing changes, a famine is imminent in northern Gaza”.

Ireland vs Wales

9. Ireland’s women’s team suffered their first defeat under Eileen Gleeson as Wales ran out 2-0 winners in yesterday evening’s international soccer friendly in Tallaght Stadium.