GOOD MORNING.

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

Climate crisis at the Ploughing

1. In our lead story this morning, Lauren Boland reports on how the future of farming amid the climate crisis materialised at the Ploughing Championships this week.

From questions to politicians and trade stands with a focus on sustainable agriculture to interest in getting emissions – and resentment among others.

In some minds, it remains a concept that feels distant to daily life, but for many, it has become increasingly clear that it is not something that can be ignored.

As the three days of the Championships played out, a picture grew of farmers’ feelings towards climate action – quite literally, in the case of one project at the event.

Budget analysis

2. Economist Victor Duggan has some advice for the finance minister ahead of Tuesday’s budget.

“There is scope for both a multi-billion, once-off cost-of-living package and the squirrelling away of several billion more for a rainy day while still running a surplus for 2022. Heading into 2023, Ireland’s fiscal position is the envy of Europe,” Duggan writes.

Here are Duggan’s 10 ’dos and don’ts’ ahead of Budget 2023.

Italy votes

3. Italians are today voting in an election expected to usher in the country’s first government led by the far-right since World War II, bringing eurosceptic populists to the heart of Europe.

The Brothers of Italy party, led by one-time Mussolini supporter Giorgia Meloni, is leading opinion polls and looks set to take office in a coalition with the far-right League and Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia parties.

Meloni, 45, who has campaigned on a motto of “God, country and family”, is hoping to become Italy’s first female prime minister.

The Journal’s Niall O’Connor will be reporting on the election from Rome.

Driver arrested in Fermoy

4. A man is his 20s has been arrested after hitting a pedestrian and damaging a number of vehicles while driving in Fermoy, Co Cork.

The incident took place on McCurtain Street in the town at approximately 3:30pm yesterday afternoon.

 Video footage shows the man driving erratically, including hitting several parked cars and reversing down the street and crashing into another vehicle.

Cost of living protest

5. Thousands of people marched across Dublin city centre yesterday to protest against the spiralling cost of living.

The demonstration organised by the ‘Cost of Living Coalition’ gathered on Parnell Square and went across the capital to Leinster House.

Addressing the crowd, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said: “People are rising up in kindness, compassion and hope.

“Today we say that every worker, every family, every young person, every older person deserves a good and secure life. We will not settle for anything less.”

Russian invasion

6. Russia has toughened penalties for soldiers voluntarily surrendering or refusing to fight, with up to 10 years imprisonment, and it replaced its top logistics general after a series of setbacks to its seven-month war in Ukraine.

Those developments come days after Russia instigated a partial mobilisation affecting up to 300,000 additional troops, at a time when Kyiv has taken back more and more territory in a stunning counter-offensive.

Seemingly in response to the new Russian penalties, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy directly addressed Russian citizens, telling them that their president was knowingly “sending citizens to their death.”

Iran protests

7. Protests flared again in Iran last night over the death of a woman in morality police custody, despite a crackdown by security forces in which at least 41 people have died, according to official figures.

The main reformist party inside Iran called for the repeal of the mandatory Islamic dress code that Mahsa Amini had been accused of breaching as the protests over her death entered their ninth night.

Egypt bids for Olympics

8. Egypt is planning to apply to host the 2036 Olympic Games, the country’s sports minister Ashraf Sobhi said.

During a reception for IOC president Thomas Bach in Cairo, Sobhi said: “President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi has given his permission for Egypt to put itself forward as host for the 2036 Olympics.”

If successful with its bid, Egypt would become the first African or Arab nation to host the Olympics.

Ireland lose to Scotland

9. Stephen Kenny’s Ireland can now finish no higher than third in their Nations League group after losing to 2-1 to Scotland in Hampden yesterday.

“Ireland took a lead to the dressing room at half-time but returned there with nothing, John Egan’ opening goal made moot by Jack Hendry’s header and Ryan Christie’s vexed penalty,” Gavin Cooney writes.

“This was a whirring, splenetic clash, filled with sound and fury, but Ireland and Troy Parrott faltered when the music stopped.”