GOOD MORNING.

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

Greece train collision

1. The Station Master involved in Greece’s worst-ever train disaster is due to appear in court today after mass protests broke out over the crash that killed at least 57 people.

Thousands of protesters have demonstrated across the country since Tuesday’s collision between a passenger train and a freight train, with public anger mounting over government failure to manage the rail network.

Philippines

2. A Provincial Governor in the central Philippines and five other people were shot dead by unknown gunmen today, his widow said, in the latest attack against local officials.

Local police said six suspects carrying rifles and dressed in uniforms similar to those worn by the armed services entered the governor’s home in Pamplona town and opened fire.

RIP

3. Tom Sizemore, a talented but troubled actor who made a career of playing tough guys, but struggled to stay on the right side of the law, has died at the age of 61.

He suffered a brain aneurysm in February and was removed from life support yesterday, days after doctors concluded no more could be done for him, Charles Lago said.

Climate change

4. UN members were working into the early hours of this morning to reach a long-awaited agreement to protect the high seas, a fragile and vital treasure that covers nearly half the planet.

After more than 15 years of informal and then formal talks, negotiators were reaching the end of two more weeks of discussions, the third “final” session in less than a year.

Omagh shooting

5. Police in the North were last night granted more time to question two men arrested in connection with the investigation into the attempted murder of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell last week. 

Caldwell was attacked on Wednesday, 22 February, shortly after 8pm at a coaching session for a youth football team.

Civil War

6. This weekend marks 100 years from the massacre of eight IRA anti-treaty men at Ballyseedy.

While eight were killed, one man survived, and our reporter Niall O’Connor has been speaking to the son of the sole survivor on how he is keeping his father’s name alive. 

Ukraine

7. The US yesterday announced a new $400 million military aid package for Ukraine that for the first time includes armoured vehicles that can launch bridges.

The equipment will allow troops to cross rivers or other gaps as Russian and Ukrainian forces remain entrenched on opposite sides of the Dnieper River.

English Channel

8. Three lifeboats from England and a French tug were deployed in the English Channel yesterday evening after a fire started on an Irish Ferries vessel with nearly 200 people on board.

HM Coastguard has said it was alerted to a blaze in the engine room of the Isle of Innisfree just after 5.30pm.

Irish Ferries, the boat’s operator, said there were 94 passengers and 89 crew members on board, who are all “safe and accounted for”.

Thai cave rescue

9. The cremated ashes of one of the 12 boys rescued from a flooded cave in 2018 have arrived in Chiang Rai, Thailand, where the final Buddhist rites for his funeral will be held over the next few days following his death in the UK.

Duangphet “Dom” Phromthep, 17, was found unconscious in his room on 12 February at the Brooke House College Football Academy in Leicestershire that he had been attending.