GOOD MORNING.

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

Ukraine

1. Three and a half weeks since its invasion began, Russia says its soldiers have entered the centre of the besieged port city Mariupol as foreign intelligence suggests its forces are facing issues with food and fuel supply.

Britain’s defence ministry said Russia is struggling to provide its troops with food and fuel because of Ukrainian attacks on their supply lines.

The mayor of Mariupol confirmed that gun battles have reached the centre of the city. 

Live updates

2. To stay up-to-date on the developments in Ukraine, follow along with our liveblog, which will bring you updates throughout the day.

Climate crisis

3. New terms of reference for the Climate Action Delivery Board have removed a requirement for the board to report to Government every quarter.

The board, which is tasked with holding leaders to account on climate action, will no longer specifically need to report to the Government on the implementation of the Climate Action Plan every three months.

Now, after a decision at its first meeting in two years, it must still report to Government, but there is no reference to how often that must happen.

Visas

4. In Washington DC, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said programmes that allow people to travel between Ireland the US need to be expanded.

It is understood the Taoiseach raised the issue with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and as Congressman Richard Neal on his visit to the US capital this week.

“I believe we need to expand the range and level of programmes between the US and Ireland,” he said. 

Jim Kelly

5. In a loss for Irish diplomacy abroad, Ireland’s Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Jim Kelly has passed away suddenly.

President Michael D Higgins offered condolences to the ambassador’s wife Anne and his daughters Orla and Ciara.

He described the ambassador as a “hugely popular figure across both the UN and with his colleagues at the Department of Foreign Affairs”.

Missing teenager

6. Gardaí renewed an appeal for help to find a teenage boy missing from Bettystown, Co Meath.

Callum McGill (16) was last seen on Friday 4 March wearing a black jacket and black tracksuit bottoms.

He is around 5 foot 5 inches in height with short brown hair and blue eyes. 

Gaeilge

7. In Belfast, plans for a a new Irish-speaking scheme at Queen’s University met the fury of the Orange Order, which accused the institution of “cultural apartheid”. 

QUB Orange Society and the student and alumni lodge, Queen’s LOL 1845, claimed such a scheme would “create de facto ‘no-go’ areas” for Protestant students.

But Daniel Holder of the Committee on the Administration of Justice, a Belfast-based human rights NGO, says the resistance is symptomatic of a wider issue in political will to support Irish initiatives.

P&O Ferries

8. P&O Ferries abruptly fired more than 800 staff members this week and replaced them with agency workers in an effort to cut costs.

The UK prime minister’s office has warned the company that it is “looking very closely” at the legality of its decision.

Demonstrations were held at ports yesterday with unions calling for a boycott of the ferry company.

Coronavirus

9. Germany has decided to abolish most of its Covid-19 restrictions despite a surge in infections.

While the country recorded almost 300,000 new daily cases, its government passed an amendment to the pandemic rules that drops the requirement for face masks in most public settings, though public transport will likely be excluded.