GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
1. Natalie was 15 weeks pregnant when she was fatally stabbed. The PSNI has released footage of a suspect in the murder case entering Silverwood Green, where Natalie lived, at 8.52pm, and leaving at 9.30pm that night.
Her brother Niall is asking everyone in the North and in the Republic of Ireland to study the CCTV footage and to make themselves aware of the PSNI appeal, as he believes there is a possibility the killer could flee across the border.
“The man in that video has a very specific walk – that is the kind of mannerism someone may recognise years later. It is crucial that everyone is on the lookout because the smallest thing could help,” Niall said.
2. Berlin is expected to announce a decision today on the export of powerful German-made Leopard battle tanks long sought by Kyiv, and encouraged allies to start training Ukrainian forces to use them.
Western nations have pledged ever-more sophisticated military hardware in recent weeks to help Ukraine repel Russia’s invasion, with all eyes in Kyiv on the battle tanks.
Washington is also now leaning toward sending a significant number of Abrams M1 tanks to Ukraine, US officials told the Wall Street Journal.
3. A family that challenged an intellectual disability charity over its services for their daughter said they have “no faith that the situation will not be repeated with other families”.
It comes as it has emerged that the charity has seen over 5,000 children added to its services over the last two years, while having 115 vacancies across its specialist teams.
The family made a complaint after a practitioner from the charity advised them that their struggles with their daughter – an infant who was suffering hourly seizures at the time – could be solved by watching reality television show Nanny 911 for advice.
4. Analysis by Noteworthy and European journalists has found that Ireland is among several member states who repackaged old promises in reform plans.
Ireland is one of a number of EU countries who have repackaged old promises as part of its pledged Covid recovery reforms, a new analysis has found.
The EU has set up a €700 billion fund to help economic recovery after the pandemic. What is unique about the programme is that payment is conditional on the achievement of pledged reforms to make the EU’s economy more resilient.
But upon closer inspection, several of these reforms are hardly revolutionary, with some measures already underway and others legally required by some countries regardless of the EU fund.
5. Pope Francis has branded laws criminalising homosexuality “unjust” – saying God loves his children just as they are – and called on Catholic bishops supporting the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church.
“Being homosexual isn’t a crime,” Francis said during an interview with the Associated Press on Tuesday.
He acknowledged Catholic bishops in some parts of the world support laws criminalising homosexuality or discriminate against the LGBTQ community – and referred to the issue in terms of “sin”.
But he attributed such attitudes to cultural backgrounds and said bishops in particular need to undergo a process of change to recognise the dignity of everyone.
6. Net-zero policies targeting the climate crisis will have the added benefit of saving lives by improving public health, a new study in the UK has shown.
Significant health benefits would come alongside policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation, transport, home energy, travel and food, according to the research published in the Lancet Journal.
In particular, it found that retrofitting homes with insulation – which serves to reduce energy consumption and therefore emissions – is the single largest contributor to health benefits of net-zero policies.
7. Tánaiste Micheál Martin is to travel to Lebanon today where he will visit Irish troops and place a wreath in memory of soldier Seán Rooney and other Defence Forces troops who have died while on duty.
The 23-year-old from Newtowncunningham in Co Donegal was killed in an attack on a convoy of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon in December.
Another soldier – 22-year-old Shane Kearney from Killeagh in Co Cork – was seriously injured in the incident.
Two other soldiers were injured in the incident, which took place when two armoured vehicles were travelling in a convoy and got separated.
8. Chris Hipkins has been sworn in as New Zealand’s 41st prime minister, following the unexpected resignation last week of Jacinda Ardern.
Hipkins, 44, has promised a back-to-basics approach focusing on the economy and what he described as the “pandemic of inflation”.
He will have less than nine months before contesting a tough general election, with opinion polls indicating his Labour Party is trailing its conservative opposition.
New Zealand governor-general Cindy Kiro officiated at the swearing-in ceremony after earlier accepting Ardern’s resignation.
9. Gardaí have demanded that a special taskforce be set up to protect members who are “routinely” getting injured while on duty.
This evening, a spokesperson for the Garda Representative Association said they had contacted the Taoiseach as well as Justice Minister Simon Harris regarding ongoing serious concerns they had for the welfare of gardaí.
The GRA demanded an urgent meeting to discuss and progress the creation and formation of a Special Taskforce to “discuss the many serious issues and concerns affecting our members of An Garda Síochána at this time,” a statement from the organisation read.
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