The Irish Times reports that more than 50 organisations representing civil society in the North, including the ICTU, have written to the First and Deputy First Ministers to express their “grave concerns” over the failure to progress a Bill of Rights in Northern Ireland.The same paper reports that an examination of pandemic support claims has found more than 9% of reviewed claims “were not eligible for the payments received on the dates tested", and Sinn Féin makes further poll progress.

Meanwhile, the public has been advised to avail of a booster vaccine should they wish to travel in the future, and truckers and hauliers are planning another mass demonstration on the streets of Dublin next week to protest escalating fuel prices.

The An Post book awards were broadcast on Wednesday night, and Fintan O'Toole won the overall book of the year for his mighty work We Don't Know Ourselves. I've only just finished reading it and it would make a fine addition to anyone's collection, along with a few other books of interest highlighted in today's bulletins, which includes a unique memoir by a member of Fórsa.

RTE's Will Goodbody reports that the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission has said employers should give serious consideration to employing people seeking asylum in Ireland to work in their businesses, and an EU proposal that could regulate up to 5.5m people working in the gig economy has been welcomed as providing a level-playing field by Irish trade unions, but some employers take a different view.

A couple of media reports circulated this week that Dáil staff have complained of “exhaustion” from overworking during the pandemic, an issue which has been raised by Fórsa with civil service management, and is also reported by Dublin Live.

Elsewhere, this excellent (if sobering) long read from the Atlantic by Barton Gellman illustrates what the 'Trump 2024' comeback plan might look like, and how we've already witnessed the dress rehearsal.

Zen

Your Zen this morning doffs its shabby pork-pie hat to Tom Waits, who celebrated his 72nd birthday this week. The gravel-voiced lounge lizard, post-modern troubadour and impish ivory-tinkling raconteur has been making music for a little over 50 years now, and manages to squeeze in a bit of rock solid character acting on the side (appearing most recently in Paul Thomas Anderson's latest, Licorice Pizza).

I first encountered him in this wonderful live performance on Channel 4's The Tube back in 1985 and was immediately smitten. I had to wait until 2008 before I got to see the live show in person, in a marquee in the Phoenix Park. It rained hammers and nails down on the July canvas while Waits bellowed Make It Rain to a rapt audience. An Aboriginal choir hailing from Cairns in Queensland, Spinifex Gum, perform this gorgeous version, sung partly in the traditional Aboriginal Yindjibarndi language. Happy birthday Tom. 

Have a lovely weekend.

Niall