Newstalk Breakfast

The most popular emoji last year was the traditional crying emoji, according to a New York Times analysis of 665 million emojis used by people worldwide.  

However, not everyone uses emojis the same, as analysis shows the differences between generations when it comes to the charming little faces.  

Keith Broni, Editor in Chief of Emojipedia joined Anton to talk all things emojis.

Italy is set to fine pedestrians €75 or more for using phones or other electronic devices while crossing roads, under an updated highway code expected by mid-October.  

The aim is to improve road safety, reducing accidents caused when distracted pedestrians leave drivers too little time to react.  

Senioru reporter with the Daily Mail who is currently in Italy, Nick Pisa joined Anton to discuss.

The world’s oceans were hotter than ever this past Saturday with an average surface temperature of twenty one point one degrees. 

Hotter oceans exacerbate the sea level rise and extreme storms that threaten billions of people, as well as driving marine heatwaves that decimate sea life and undermine coastal livelihoods, scientists warned. 

Marine Biologist with MarineCreatures.com Rowan Byrne joined Anton to discuss this.  

The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council warns that the actual budget package is likely to be much larger than what is announced on Budget Day. 

Spending overruns have become routine and have repeatedly pushed spending above budget-day plans. Over the past decade, spending overruns have averaged more than €2 billion per year in today's terms. The last time spending was at, or below, budgeted levels was in 2013. 

Anton was joined by Niall Conroy, acting chief economist at IFAC to discuss further.  

Foreign nationals seeking Irish citizenship could face language proficiency tests, enhanced background checks. With stricter good-character requirements under proposals being considered by the Government. 

We get reaction to this with John Lannon, CEO, Doras. 

Last week TikTok dominated headlines for its actions in the aftermath of the crash on the M9 that left 5 teenagers dead. The company came under scrutiny over the lack of action in terms of removing videos of criminality on the platform.  

In recent days it agreed to pay a $400 million settlement in a lawsuit with the US Department of Justice.

 We get the latest on this with Newstalk's Technology Correspondent Jess Kelly.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney did something over the weekend something few world leaders have done so far, stand up to Trump. That has resulted in fifty percent tariffs on some Canadian products and Canada has retaliated with tariffs of its own.

To discuss further with Anton was Dr Emma Howard is a Lecturer in Economics at TU Dublin. 

Friedreich’s Ataxia campaigners demonstrated yesterday for the reimbursement of Skyclarys ahead of a HSE decision on funding the drug tomorrow.

Speaking to Anton this morning was Niamh Ní Hoireabhard a journalist from Kildare who was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia when she was 13.

Dublin rents are still going up, the average rent for a two-bed is now €2,634 a month, up 6.5% on this time last year.  

Across the country, rents jumped another 1.4% between March and June. That’s according to the latest Daft.ie Rental Report. To discuss the finding with Anton was Economist at Trinity College Dublin & Author of the report, Ronan Lyons.

TikTok last week declined an invitation to appear before the Oireachtas Media Committee. This comes following criticism of the company in the aftermath of this month’s motorway crashes and joyriding content on their platform.

Is it time for a ban to potentially be considered at EU level? Anton asked Barry Andrews, Fianna Fáil MEP for Dublin and Chair of the Development Committee in the European Parliament.