Five things you need to know today

Trump fires attorney general, Government to discuss pre-clearance, superbug at Tallaght hospital

Ghostly figures emerge from heavy mist and fog on Killiney Hill, in South County Dublin. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times
Ghostly figures emerge from heavy mist and fog on Killiney Hill, in South County Dublin. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times

1. Donald Trump fires acting attorney general for defying travel ban

US President Donald Trump fired the country’s top legal adviser accusing her of betrayal for refusing to enforce his order banning nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the country.

Acting attorney general Sally Yates, an Obama administration appointee who remained on in her role pending the Senate's confirmation of Mr Trump's nominee Jeff Sessions, ordered justice department lawyers not to defend the new president's executive order in court on the basis that it may be unlawful.

The Trump administration fired Ms Yates in a note hand-delivered by the White House on Monday evening, replacing her with Dana Boente, the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia who will serve until Mr Sessions, the Alabama senator, is confirmed by the Senate.

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2. Theresa May: ‘I know what is at stake for Ireland in Brexit’

I am in Dublin this week with a very clear message: that the UK government is committed to preserving and enhancing the unique relationship between our countries and our peoples.

Geography, history and the close family ties and bonds of affection that unite the UK and Ireland mean that there will always be a special and unique relationship between us.

Indeed, there are about 700,000 Irish nationals living in the UK and an estimated 250,000 UK nationals living in Ireland. Irish citizens have a unique status in UK law unlike other EU nationals.

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Over 2,000 people exposed to superbug at Opens in new window ]

More than 2,000 people at Tallaght Hospital have come into contact with a potentially lethal superbug since an outbreak began 18 months ago.

Although most would have tested negative for the antibiotic-resistant bug, 142 patients were found to be carriers, according to internal figures seen by The Irish Times.

Three people were found to have an invasive form of carbapenem resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE), which has a mortality rate of up to 50 per cent among vulnerable patients.

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Metro North construction may be brought forwardOpens in new window ]

Speeding up the construction of the Metro North rail link between Dublin Airport and the city centre by up to two years is under consideration by the Government as part of its revised capital plan.

Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe will today tell his Cabinet colleagues the approach the Government will take in reviewing its five-year programme for capital investment.

Mr Donohoe will tell Ministers there is an additional €2.6 billion available up to 2021 that has yet to be allocated to any specific projects, as he sets out a mid-term review of the initial plan announced two years ago.

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Government to discuss pre-clearance with US authoritiesOpens in new window ]

The Government is to undertake a "complete review" of US immigration facilities at Dublin and Shannon airports in the wake of US president Donald Trump's ban on refugees from Syria and nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries entering the US.

"I've asked for a complete review of the pre-clearance facilities in Ireland," Mr Kenny said last night at a joint press conference in Dublin with British prime minister Theresa May.

US immigration officers are based at both airports, allowing passengers to avoid immigration and customs when they arrive in the US.

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