Catch-up with what you've missed with our morning briefing

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

Thu, 31 Mar, 2016 - 01:00

IRELAND

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny looks set to defer the vote for taoiseach in the Dáil which was due to take place next Wednesday, it has emerged. Meanwhile, Fianna Fáil has decided to hold round-table talks with Independent TDs next week - just hours before the Dáil meets to attempt to elect a Taoiseach.

An Irishman has died in Spain, it has emerged. The Department of Foreign Affairs is providing consular assistance to the family of the man who died yesterday.

New figures from Focus Ireland show that 83 families became homeless in February. A breakdown of the charity's numbers reveals that children are being hardest hit, with 363 losing their homes in the first two months of the year.

Teachers who entered employment in the last four years are on a "severely reduced level of pay", according to the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI).

A law expert claimed Ireland could be hit with “daily” EU penalty fines of at least €5,000 if it chooses to scrap water charges, despite EU sources suggesting deferring the fee system could be allowed and Fianna Fáil insisting there is nothing illegal about cancelling the payments.

An Irishman and his husband stranded in Mexico with their newborn “triplings” have appealed for the public’s help to bring their new family home.

Dog owners and breeders must comply with new laws to have all dogs microchipped and registered by tomorrow.

WORLD

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump said yesterday that women who get abortions should receive “some form of punishment” if abortion is banned, once again sparking controversy with days to go before Wisconsin’s primary.

A Cyprus court has ordered the detention for eight days of an Egyptian man who admitted hijacking a domestic EgyptAir flight and diverting it to the island by threatening to blow it up with a fake explosives belt.

At least seven people have been injured in severe storms in Oklahoma that included several tornados.

SPORT

Martin O’Neill wants Wes Hoolahan to put any thought of international retirement out of his mind. Meanhile, Liam Brady writes in his column that Ireland can make Euro 2016 journey to France with confidence and nothing to fear.

Conor Murray has lamented the lack of hunger and passion in Munster’s performances this season but believes both qualities will be fully on show for Saturday’s Aviva Stadium showdown with Leinster.

BUSINESS

Irish retail sales remained impressively strong amid a darkening European outlook last month with annual growth surging 11% in February.

Google chief executive Sundar Pichai received a $100.5 million (€88.9m) pay package in 2015, according to a filing from parent company Alphabet yesterday.

VIEWPOINTS

Why we are attempting to lionise a woman because she could be as brutal as male soldiers, asks Victoria White

LIFESTYLE

Mother-of-three and self-confessed messer, Esther N McCarthy, invites professional declutterers into her home to help tackle the dump room. The results will be on RTÉ’s Nationwide tomorrow night

VIRAL

In 2015 Yvonne Cahalane and her son two-year-old son, Tristan, relocated to Colorado to begin treatment for his epilepsy which uses cannabis oil. Briona Gallagher caught up with Yvonne, who still cannot believe the treatment isn't legal in Ireland.

Beans means…losing weight, according to researchers investigating the slimming potential of pulses.

TECHNOW

GAMING: Uncharted 4 A Thief's End is set to be the ultimate finale of one of the biggest game series of all time, and that's a lot of pressure for the team behind it at Naughty Dog.

MOVIES: Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice is a huge film, with almost two and a half hours of gorgeous visuals, crazy characters and story hints for the future of the Justice League.

TECH: Brazilian football superstar Pelé has just filed a lawsuit against Koren tech giants Samsung over the unauthorised use of his image.

SHOWBIZ

Wolf of Wall Street star Jonah Hill is poised to step behind the camera to make his first foray into directing. He will helm the coming-of-age film Mid 90s, based on his own script.