GOOD MORNING!

Here’s a rundown of the news you need to catch up on at the start of the weekend.

Ukraine Latest

1. Russian forces are inching towards Kyiv and pounded civilian areas in other Ukrainian cities as concerns grew over the besieged southern port of Mariupol, where officials said more than 1,500 people had been killed.

Prisoners Of War 

2. There was widepsread condemnation earlier this week following the emergence of multiple videos which showed captured Russian prisoners of war (POWs) giving statements denouncing their country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Here’s the law surrounding POWs.

Mayor Kidnap

3. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of kidnapping the mayor of the southern port city of Melitopol, equating it to the actions of so-called Islamic State “terrorists”.

Refugee Crisis

4. Our reporter Niall O’Connor is on the Poland/Ukraine border. Here, he has spoken with those fleeing the war and the serious refugee crisis which is growing by the day.

Oil Crisis

5. Trade union Siptu has called on the government to turn away a cargo ship carrying Russian oil that is due to land in Dublin Port tomorrow.

The union is asking Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and Dublin Port’s chief executive Eamonn O’Reilly to prevent the STI Clapham from landing.

Misinformation

6. A Ukrainian woman  living in Co Waterford has said her family has been ripped apart by the war, as relatives in Russia “refuse to believe” the war is even taking place.

Olena Pidoprygora said it has brought “pain” on her family, as she said propaganda has resulted in them being at a standoff over whether “explosions we see reported are even real – they don’t believe any of it could really be happening and think it’s all lies”.

Trump

7. Donald Trump’s legal moves aimed at delaying a rape accuser’s defamation claims from reaching trial are in bad faith and, so far, succeeding, a judge said in a decision released as he rejected an attempt by Trump to counter-sue.

Drugs

8. Revenue seized cannabis worth €157,600 today as part of investigations into organised crime in Artane.

The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, the Divisional Drugs Unit at Coolock Garda Station, and Revenue Customs Service conducted a joint intelligence-led operation yesterday.

Weather

9. Sunny spells and well-scattered showers this morning, these mainly affecting Ulster. Southeasterly winds will strengthen across the country in the afternoon whilst outbreaks of rain develop in southern counties around lunchtime. Maximum temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees in strengthening southeast winds.

Full forecast here.