The 9 at 9: Wednesday

LAST UPDATE | 20 hrs ago

GOOD MORNING.

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

Climate change

1. Storm Éowyn was the most expensive storm-related insurance event in Irish history, with claims in excess of €301m – but these weather events are growing more frequent and Ireland is not prepared.

This is one of the conclusions of a new report by the Climate Change Advisory Council which looks at how Ireland can strengthen preparedness for climate impacts.

The White House

2. US President Donald Trump is to address the nation and provide an “important update” on the ongoing situation in Iran tonight.

The address is to take place at 9pm Eastern Time, which is 2am Thursday Irish time. The US is facing growing pressure to resolve its war in Iran.

Third-level education

3. Students have been urged to check whether they are eligible for SUSI grant support after the criteria was expanded in the last Budget.

Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) is Ireland’s national awarding authority for further and higher education grants.

War dead

4. In the centre of Kyiv, war veteran Oleg, his wife and his comrades maintain a poignant makeshift monument to thousands of troops killed fighting Russia – among whom are three Irish men.

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The Journal‘s correspondent Niall O’Connor reports from Ukraine.

America250

5. An all-island “American’s President’s Trail” is among the initiatives that will be undertaken by the Irish government to mark the 250-year anniversary of the United States.

Cabinet will today be briefed on Ireland’s national programme to mark the anniversary of the signing US Declaration of Independence on 4 July.

RIP

6. The Taoiseach led tributes to former ceann comhairle and government minister Dr Rory O’Hanlon after his death at the age of 92.

O’Hanlon, who served as a Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan-Monaghan for 34 years, has been remembered by parties across the spectrum as a pivotal figure in political and community life for the region.

Royal visit

7. Britain’s king and queen will not meet with survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during next month’s state visit to the US, it is understood.

US congressman Ro Khanna wrote to King Charles on Monday to call for him to meet survivors privately during the state visit, which will take place in late April.

Weather forecast

8. It’s set to turn colder tonight before a wet and blustery spell of weather moves in for the Easter weekend, according to Met Éireann.

The forecaster has said that today will start off mostly dry and cloudy, though a band of rain in the northwest is expected to move southwards across the country through the morning.

Marching on

9. Ireland’s conquerers, Czechia, qualified for the 2026 World Cup after another shootout win, over Denmark in Prague. 

Michal Sadilek’s penalty sent the Czechs to their first World Cup since 2006, where they will face Mexico, South Africa and South Korea in Group A of the tournament hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico in June and July.

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