Author Archives: Bodger

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Leo Varadkar (left) with Deputy Government Press Secretary Nick Miller at Dublin Castle this morning

This morning.

Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.

Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

This morning.

Further to the exclusion by the Dublin International Piano Competition of nine Russian pianists because of the war in Ukraine…

…via Irish Times Letters:

The Dublin Piano Competition has cancelled its Russian competitors (“Dublin piano competition’s move to ban Russian competitors faces criticism”). Do these people know the histories and opinions of the pianists concerned?

Our culture is obsessed with individual choice and a refusal to apply stereotypes. Until, it seems, we decide to tar entire nations with one brush. How ridiculous we are going to look in a few years.

Kevin O’Connell, Carlow.

Irish Times Letters

Last night.

Washington DC, USA

“You know, we are at an inflection point, I believe, in the world economy — not just the world economy, in the world. It occurs every three or four generations.

“As one of — as one of the top military people said to me in a secure meeting the other day, 60 — 60 million people died between 1900 and 1946. And since then, we’ve established a liberal world order, and that hadn’t happened in a long while. A lot of people dying, but nowhere near the chaos.

“And now is a time when things are shifting. We’re going to — there’s going to be a new world order out there, and we’ve got to lead it. And we’ve got to unite the rest of the free world in doing it.”

US President Joe Biden

Gulp.

Remarks by President Biden Before Business Roundtable’s CEO Quarterly Meeting (The White House)

Getty

 

‘G’wan Ireland‘.

Now showing.

At Hen’s Teeth’s Blackpitts Gallery, Merchant’s Quay, Dublin 8.

Lily Finlay writes:

Hen’s Teeth selected more than 40 new works from over 350 submissions via an open call for emerging Irish and Irish-based artists. Artists across contemporary art, graphic design, illustration and photography were invited to submit an A3/A2 piece for consideration

Previous artists who have appeared in Hen’s Teeth’s Gwan Ireland series include Robyn Carey, Fatti Burke and Karl Magee….

Greg Spring, founder & creative director, Hen’s Teeth.

“We wanted to discover some new local talent. The brief was open, we asked artists to just do their thing and we were absolutely blown away by the response – the breadth and quality of work that was submitted is incredible .” –

Hen’s Teeth

Indian Wells, California, USA yesterday

Yesterday.

Indian Wells, California, USA.

Via Metro:

Rafael Nadal says he suffered from ‘worrying’ breathing difficulties during his straight-sets defeat by Taylor Fritz in the Indian Wells final.

Nadal, who became the most successful male tennis player in history when he won the Australian Open in January, suffered a 6-3 7-6 (7-5) defeat to American Fritz.

The Spaniard left the court for treatment at 4-0 down in the first set and said afterwards he was experiencing difficulties breathing.

He will prioritise finding out what the problem is, saying:

“When I’m breathing, when I’m moving, it’s like a needle all the time inside. I get dizzy a little bit because it’s painful. It’s a kind of pain that limits me a lot. It’s not only about pain, I don’t feel very well because it affects my breathing.”

Novak Djokovic was forced out of the same competition over his unvaccinated status.

Rafael Nadal experienced ‘worrying’ breathing difficulties during Indian Wells final defeat (Metro)

Meanwhile…

This afternoon.

Collins Place, Finglas East, Dublin 11.

Via RTÉ News:

A man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of 36-year-old Sandra Boyd, who was shot dead at her parent’s home in Dublin on Saturday night

Gardaí suspect that someone in the house had access to an illegal firearm and that Ms Boyd may have intervened before she was shot.

A number of people were in the house at the time of the shooting and gardaí had been looking to speak to one person in particular who knew Ms Boyd and who left the house after the shooting.

Gardaí are also investigating if shots fired at a nearby house in a separate shooting incident last Tuesday were intended for the house where the firearm was found.

Man held after woman shot dead in Dublin (RTE)

Sasko Lazarov/Rollingnews

 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

This afternoon

Further to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s weekend move to ban 11 left wing opposition parties…

…Via The Spectator:

The news that Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has banned eleven opposition parties – including the pro-Russian ‘Opposition – Platform For Life’ which holds 44 seats in the 450-member Ukrainian parliament and has spoken out against the Russian invasion – may be the embattled leader’s first major mistake in the month since Putin launched his brutal invasion.

…For Ukraine’s strongest card – the unique selling point that has drawn such sympathy and support from almost the entire democratic world – has been the fact that, in stark contrast to Putin’s repressive Russian state, it is – or was – a free country.

That means that it holds real elections, has a diverse media, and allows politicians critical of the government to get their views heard. All things that we take for granted but which have already disappeared or are fast vanishing in Putin’s prison state.

That difference drew a dramatic line between the society that the majority of Ukrainians wished to live in, and the big bad neighbour from hell next door. Tragically, Zelensky’s two moves fatally blur that line.

…The danger for Ukraine following these martial law moves is that, however well grounded the decisions are for reasons of its own security, they risk making the country resemble the Russian invader who cracks down on opposition and stifles critical voices. And the western nations that have so far been so solid in their support may start to ask themselves whether Ukraine is now treading a dangerous path.

…So is the suppression of opposition by Zelensky a sign of strength – a confident government acting ruthlessly to crackdown on the enemy within? Or is it a confession of weakness, an admission that beneath the veneer of unity and resistance there are many Ukrainians prepared to compromise or even collude and collaborate with the invader who is devastating their country? Either way, it is not a good look for a man who has been seen as the heroic symbol of freedom against tyranny.

Is Zelensky’s party crackdown his first mistake? (The Spectator)

Getty

This morning/afternoon.

Via RTÉ News:

The European Medicines Agency said the new drug – Wegovy – has been approved for patient use in all EU countries, for adults with obesity who have at least one weight-related health issue.

The drug is administered through a weekly injections. Clinical trials found that Wegovy was found to affect weight loss of 17% in patients who took it every week for a year.

However, the weight loss was only sustained if the drug is continued long-term.

Finally.

*wobble*

New obesity drug approved for use in Ireland (RTE)

This morning.

The 96FM Opinion Line with PJ Coogan

Fiona Corcoran writes:

Melanie Gillespie, daughter of the late Brendan Grace, is trying to track down a Cork couple who she met at the Galway Clinic in July 2019, shortly before the death of her beloved father.

She had taken a photograph of them (above), but never got to send it to them and she’s hoping to find them now and pass it on.

Anyone?