LAST UPDATE | 28 Nov 2024

GOOD MORNING.

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

New poll shows tight election race ahead

1. On the last day of campaigning before the country goes to the ballot boxes tomorrow, a new opinion poll shows Fianna Fáil, marginally, out in front ahead of Fine Gael and Sinn Féin who are neck-and-neck.

The Business Post has released the figures, conducted by Red C conducted between 20 and 26 November, showing Sinn Féin and Fine Gael receiving 20% of first-preference votes. Fianna Fáil sits just ahead of the other two on 21%.

Messy call with Trump and Mexico

2. The Mexican president was forced to clarify her remarks about migration during a phone call with Donald Trump after he claimed she was going to ‘close’ the border between their countries.

Claudia Sheinbaum last night had a call with Trump to discuss migration, just days after the US President-Elect threatened to issue major tariffs on the country when in office.

Final day of campaigning

3. It’s the final countdown. In less than 24 hours the polls will open and political parties will no longer be able to ask for your vote.

Find out how, and when, the parties will give their final pitch and what to expect today in our election ‘at a glance’ piece.

Emigrants’ take on the election

4. We asked readers living abroad to let us know what a new government would have to do to bring them back to Ireland.

Was there anything in the manifestos or campaigns so far in this election that stood out for them, and if a new government is formed in the coming weeks, what would it have to do to make them reconsider their move abroad?

Data centres investigation

5. Conor O’Carroll, of The Journal Investigates, has today published his long-term investigation into data centres – finding the buildings are turning to fossil fuels after maxing out country’s electricity grid.

Their backup and emergency generators in Ireland are releasing huge quantities of carbon dioxide emissions, a new investigation has revealed.

Taoiseach to call Lebanon

6. Taoiseach Simon Harris will speak later by phone to the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati.

Speaking ahead of the call, Harris said it will be an opportunity to “welcome the entry into force of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah and to call on all sides to implement it fully”.

US urges Ukraine to lower draft age

7. US President Joe Biden’s administration has pushed Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilisation laws to allow for the conscription of troops as young as 18.

A senior Biden administration official said that the outgoing Democratic administration wants Ukraine to lower the mobilisation age from 25 to help expand the military to help a badly outmanned Ukraine in the war with Russia.

The Journal wins big at the Book Awards

8. Authors from The Journal won a top prize at this year’s An Post Irish Book Awards last night. 

The Last Disco – written by Deputy Editor Christine Bohan, Senior Media Producer Nicky Ryan, and Sean Murray of the Irish Examiner (and formerly of this parish) – won The Last Word Listeners’ Choice Award.

Massive attack on Ukraine

9. Overnight missile strikes from Russia left hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians without power, after Kyiv had warned of a “massive” Russian attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Authorities said 280,000 were cut off in the western Rivne region and another 215,000 in the Volyn region, as temperatures dropped to freezing across the country.