LAST UPDATE | 16 Apr

GOOD MORNING.

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

Middle East

1. Lebanon is “not aware” of any upcoming contact with Israel, after US President Donald Trump said the leaders of the two countries would speak later today.

Under pressure

2. Taoiseach Micheál Martin is coming under renewed pressure after a number of Fianna Fáil TDs sent letters seeking meetings to discuss the direction of the party. 

Fuel protests

3. Last week’s fuel protests brought the nation to a standstill, but they came as part of a broader pattern of large-scale, fiery demonstrations by farmers and their supporters over a raft of issues – and it’s unlikely that the anger driving those actions is going away any time soon, writes Eoghan Dalton.

EU Presidency

4. Meanwhile, Martin is in Berlin today, where he will meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. It’s the latest foreign trip in a series that preceeds Ireland’s takeover of the EU presidency.

Fuel prices

5. Searches for Electric vehicles (EVs) on DoneDeal Cars have more than doubled since the outbreak of war in Iran.

World Cup

6. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said Iran will “for sure” participate in the 2026 World Cup despite the Middle East war.

Courts

7. A Westmeath man was caught in an online sting after sending sexualised messages to an undercover PSNI operative posing as a 13-year-old girl.

Hungary

8. Hungary’s incoming prime minister Peter Magyar has vowed to shut down his country’s public service broadcaster until he can “ensure it is impartial”.

Val Kilmer

9. The first images of late film star Val Kilmer returning to the big screen via artificial intelligence were unveiled yesterday. At one point, Kilmer’s character kneels down and tells a child: “Don’t fear the dead and don’t fear me.”