Highlights from Newstalk Breakfast

Thousands of visitors are set to descend on Merrion Square from this morning for the return of Taste of Dublin.Among the foods that can be sampled is that of Eva Pau, TV Chef and Managing Director of Asia Market who joined Anton live from the festival to tell us all about it.

Irish children became less accomplished in reading and mathematics after the Covid-19 pandemic, with children from poorer backgrounds falling further behind their better-off peers.That is according to new research from UCD's Children's School Lives study.Professor Dympna Devine, Principal Investigator for Children's Student Lives at UCD and Professor of Education, Society and Critical Childhood Studies, joined Anton to discuss the findings.

Following threats from Donald Trump, U.S Central Command says American forces have begun attacking Iran. They called them "self-defence strikes" on multiple targets.Fawaz Gerges, Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science, joined Anton with the latest.

Following the stabbing of a man in the city on Monday, riots occurred in Belfast on Monday and Tuestday night. Hadi Alodid, a Sudanese national, with an address at Duncairn Avenue in the city, was charged with attempted murder on Wednesday. There have been calls to examine the open border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, with DUP Leader Gavin Robinson going so far as to say it needs to be “closed.” Sinn Féin's Matt Carthy and Gregory Campbell - DUP MP for East Londonderry and their Westminster Spokesperson on International Development - joined Anton to discuss the situation.

We take a closer look at some of the stories you may have missed in the news this morning. Joining Anton this morning was Former Tánaiste, Currently a Member of G7 Equality Advisory Council and Ambassador for Anti-Trafficking Organisation ‘Ruhama'

Yesterday the trial of fifty-two-year-old Riad Bouchaker, of no fixed abode, for the attempted murder of three children at Parnell Square East on 23rd November 2023, got underway following jury selection on Monday. Our reporter Emily Keegan was at the Central Criminal Court and joined Anton to bring us up to date on day one of proceedings

The Just Transition Commission says Budget 2027 must cut Ireland's reliance on fossil fuels while protecting households facing rising energy and transport costs.The advisory body is calling for investment in retrofitting, renewable energy and public transport to ensure a fair transition to a climate-neutral economy.For more on this, Anton was joined by Oisin Coghlan of the JTC.

While no major protests developed in Belfast city, police used water cannons on a group of protestors who were throwing bricks just outside the city at a "flash point" on the Antrim Road.Barry Whyte, Chief Newstalk Reporter has been in Belfast since yesterday afternoon and he joined Anton with the latest from the city.

A Sligo representative is calling for targeted tax breaks to help businesses hire students, as young people are struggling to find part time work.She says the proposal is based on a simple principle — support companies that give our young people work opportunities.The calls are being made by Fianna Fáil Sligo County Councillor, Edel McSharry, who joined Anton to explain her proposal.

The jury at the trial of Jeffrey Donaldson has heard the final segment of his police interview from March 2024 and four interviews with Eleanor Donaldson. We get the latest from the trial with Jamie O'Hara who was at Newry Crown Court.

Nasa names the four astronauts who will blast off as part of the Artemis III mission in 2027. This is the next step for humans to return to the Moon. Speaking to Anton with more on this was Helen Sharman, first British astronaut.

Ireland must shift from monitoring coastal erosion as a physical process to establishing the urgent legal and financial mechanisms required to relocate homes and infrastructure. That's according to new research from the University of Galway, authored by Associate Professor Dr Eugene Farrell.

Public spending is growing faster than the sustainable growth rate of the economy, according to the latest assessment by the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council. To discuss the assessment findings was Niall Conroy, Senior Economist, IFAC.

Several homes across Belfast have been set on fire and a bus lit ablaze in protests after a man was charged with attempted murder following a serious incident in the north of the city on Monday night. Speaking to Anton was Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Alex Burghart.

We take a closer look at some of the stories you may have missed in the news this morning. Joining Anton this morning was Jennifer Keane, founder of paygap.ie.

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food meet today to discuss the impacts of greenways, railways and roadways on agriculture. The Irish Farmer's Association has called the compulsory purchase of farmland for the development of this infrastructure as ‘fundamentally inappropriate.' Anton discusses this further with Paul O'Brien, Chair of the IFA Infrastructure Project Team.

An Post is bringing back its hugely popular ‘Letter to My Future Self' campaign after more than 40,000 people took part last year. Head of Marketing Communications at An Post, Richard Miley explains the details about the campaign.

It has been 6 months since Australia introduced its world-first social media ban for under-16s. Dr Danielle Einstein, Sydney Based Clinical Psychologist, Researcher and Author of the Einstein Report which laid out evidence for the ban joined Anton with an update on the progress it has made.

The US military has said it has "completed" its retaliatory strikes against Iran over the downing of an attack helicopter. The day's developments have thrown precarity onto the truce in the Gulf, which was originally announced on the 8th of April. We get the latest from Borzou Daragahi, Long time Foreign Correspondent and Founder of the Badlands Newsletter.

Several homes across Belfast have been set on fire and a bus lit ablaze in protests after a man was charged with attempted murder following a serious incident in the north of the city on Monday night. Anton get the latest from James McCarthy, Political Reporter with Belfast Live and the Daily Mirror in Northern Ireland. Also Anton spoke to Deirdre Hargey, Sinn Féin MLA for South Belfast.

A senior figure in the Kinahan organised crime gang has been sentenced to 24 years in prison by the Special Criminal Court. Forty-year-old Sean McGovern pleaded guilty to two counts of directing the activities of a criminal organisation during the Hutch-Kinahan feud, in which he was also shot. We get reaction from Former Garda Commissioner, Michael O'Sullivan.

The National Transport Authority has revealed it is spending nearly €20,000 a week on the storage of 98 electric buses that have still not been deployed to the national fleet due to a lack of charging infrastructure in Galway and Dublin depots. We get the details from Aisling Moloney Political Reporter, Irish Independent.

14 cardiac surgeries, including two pediatric ones, have been cancelled due to a strike by 25 perfusionists.Fórsa have said this is due to ongoing disputes over pay links between them and medical scientists. Speaking to Anton was Linda Kelly, Fórsa National Secretary.

Anton was joined by Author and Travel Writer, Nicola Brady to talk about her brand-new book ‘Great Irish Road Trips' and give us some inspiration for our summer travel.

Sinn Féin is introducing a motion today calling on the Government to stop the Republic of Ireland's Nations League games against Israel scheduled for later this year. To debate this further Anton was joined by Mark Ward, Sinn Fein TD for Dublin Mid-West and Alan Shatter, Former Minister of Justice and board member of the Israel Council on Foreign Relations.

We take a closer look at some of the stories you may have missed in the news this morning. Joining Anton this morning was Valerie Cox, Author and Journalist.

New ESRI research has revealed a sharp divide between public opinion and experts on what's driving the obesity epidemic. While many blame personal choices, experts are pointing to the environment we live in. To discuss this more Anton was joined by Lead GP for obesity at the Irish College of General Practitioners, Dr Mick Crotty.

The cabinet set to discuss the future of the triple lock today, Mark Price, Co-Chair of the Irish Anti War Movement and founding member of the Irish Neutrality League joined Anton to discuss the importance of the triple lock.

Jurors in the trial of Jeffrey Donaldson have heard him deny claims by a woman that he raped her as a child, with the former DUP leader insisting the alleged incident “absolutely categorically did not happen”. Our Reporter Emily Keegan brought us the latest from Newry Crown Court.

 EU foreign policy chief visits Dublin to discuss upcoming Irish Presidency and potential sanctions on Aughinish Alumina. To look ahead to the visit was Seán Defoe, Newstalk's Political Correspondent.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has warned parents that pillows marketed as sleeping aids for babies can cause death through suffocation or overheating. Grainne Griffin, Director of Communications, Consumer Information and Financial Education at the CCPC explained the warning with Anton.

The head of the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation in the UK has expressed concerns around smart glasses and earpieces for GCSEs and A level exams. Newstalk's Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly brought us the details.

Censuses are not just for us humans because today marks the beginning of the Great Big All-Ireland Hedgehog Count with people being asked to look around this week to try find and document hedgehogs. Elaine O'Riordan is a researcher at the School of Natural Sciences in the University of Galway and the Lead Research on the Irish Hedgehog Survery.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will make an official visit to Ireland this week in what will be the first bilateral visit to Ireland by a Canadian Prime Minister in nearly a decade. We get the details of the visit with Sean Defoe, Newstalk Political Correspondent.

Today is the deadline for the Rotunda Hospital to provide the HSE with an audit of all private work being carried out by consultants on public only contracts in the hospital. It follows revelations at an Oireachtas committee last week that this practice is continuing despite a direction it was to stop. Anton discusses further with Joe Neville, Fine Gael TD for Kildare North.

More than half of Gen Z have delayed major life decisions due to their financial situation. That's according to a new survey by Deloitte out this morning that shows how the housing and cost of living crises are shaping the lives of Irish young people. Newstalk's Sarah Madden has been looking into this research.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky received the backing of the leaders of the UK, France and Germany in calling for direct ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine It comes after Russian forces deliberately struck a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel near Ukraine's Chornobyl power plant, according to Zelensky. Speaking to Anton was Sean Bell, Former Fighter pilot and now Military Analyst and Co-Host of the Red Matrix podcast.

Loyalty cards are they becoming more of a necessity rather than a choice when we see the price difference having one makes. And does that bring up issues when it comes to GDPR and supermarkets processing our data off loyalty cards? Anton discussed further with Olga Cronin, Senior Policy Officer with the Irish Council of Civil Liberties.

Children as young as ten years old are developing unhealthy obsessions with having what they perceive to be ‘perfect skin', leading to complex daily cosmetic routines using numerous products. That has led researchers to coin a new term cosmeticorexia to define this obsession. Professor Giovanni Damiana is an Associate Professor of Dermatology at the University of Milan explains more.

A gangland criminal found dead in garda custody was the chief suspect in the knife attack on Thomas Griffin last weekend who died while trying to escape across the River Liffey. For more on this Anton was joined by Robin Schiller, Senior Journalist, Irish Independent .

We take a closer look at some of the stories you may have missed in the news this morning. Joining Anton this morning was Patti Shields   Vice Chair Democrats Abroad in Ireland.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky received the backing of the leaders of the UK, France and Germany in calling for direct ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine It comes after Russian forces deliberately struck a storage facility for spent nuclear fuel near Ukraine's Chornobyl power plant, according to Zelensky. For the latest on this we heard from Emmanuelle Chaze, Ukraine Correspondent for France 24.