LAST UPDATE | 9 May 2022
GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
Irish Water
1. In our lead story this morning, Emer Moreau reports that over half of Irish households admit to wasting water, even though nearly 80% of them know that conserving it is important, according to new research.
The research, commissioned by Irish Water, found that less than one in five respondents actively conserve water in their homes, but two in five said they were interested in future water services initiatives.
Irish Water has developed a new online tool to assist households in assessing their water usage habits and finding out how they can save water.
Ukraine
2. Russian forces have pushed forward in their assault on Ukraine, seeking to capture the crucial southern port city of Mariupol as Moscow prepared to celebrate its national Victory Day holiday.
Determined to show a success in a war now in its 11th week, Russian troops have targeted a sprawling seaside steel mill where an estimated 2,000 Ukrainian fighters were making what appeared to be their last stand to save Mariupol from falling.
The mill is the only part of the city not overtaken by the invaders, and its defeat would deprive Ukraine of a vital port and allow Russia to establish a land corridor to the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine in 2014.
EU-reka
3. Nearly nine in ten people in Ireland believe that the country should remain an EU member, but support for being part of an increased joint defence effort “remains uncertain”, according to new polling.
88% of respondents agreed that Ireland should remain a member state, while only 7% disagreed and 5% did not know.
It’s the highest level of support in the last three years, compared to 84% in both 2021 and 2020, but lower than the 92% and 93% recorded in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
Northern Ireland
4. A major business group has expressed concern at the uncertainty over the return of fully functioning government at Stormont.
The new 90 MLAs elected are set to have their first day in Parliament Buildings today.
However, the DUP says it will not nominate ministers until the UK government has acted over issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Middle East
5. Two Palestinians have been killed in separate incidents in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, hours after police apprehended two Palestinian men suspected of killing three Israelis last week.
It was the latest episode of violence during weeks of Palestinian attacks in Israel, and Israeli military raids in the occupied West Bank that have left at least 18 Israelis and some 30 Palestinians dead.
Philippines
6. Millions of Filipinos have thronged polling stations to elect a new president, with the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos the favourite to win the high-stakes election.
Nearly 40 years after the patriarch was deposed by a popular revolt and the family chased into exile, Ferdinand Marcos Junior looks set to complete their remarkable comeback from pariahs to the peak of political power.
Fare play
7. Students and people under 24 will be entitled to half-price fares on public transport from today.
The reduced fares were announced as part of Budget 2022 and apply to journeys on Dublin Bus, Iarnrod Éireann, Bus Éireann, Luas, Go-Ahead and Local Link.
U2
8. Bono and The Edge travelled to Kyiv yesterday to perform in an underground metro station which is being used as a bomb shelter.
In a tweet, the U2 band members said they were invited to perform by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a “show of solidarity” with the Ukrainian people.
Weather
9. The recent sunny spell is set to come to an end today, with Met Éireann forecasting a breezy day with rain across the country.
Temperatures are set to drop to between 13 and 17 degrees, closer to the May average than the past weekend.
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