LAST UPDATE | 5 May 2023

GOOD MORNING.

Here’s all the news you need to know as you start your day.

Serbia

1. At least eight people have been shot dead and 13 injured in Serbia, just days after nine children were killed in a school shooting in the Balkan country.

A manhunt is ongoing with police combing the woods near the capital Belgrade, after state media reported that a shooting spree spread across three separate villages in the Mladenovac area, south of the capital Belgrade.

UK Coronation

2. President Michael D Higgins will meet the UK’s King Charles tonight night, ahead of becoming the first Irish head of state to attend a coronation.

President Higgins and his wife Sabina will be guests at a reception at Buckingham Palace on the eve of the coronation ceremony in London.

Anti-Monarchists

3. With the coronation of the UK’s King Charles set to take place tomorrow, Jamie McCarron spoke to several Britons who would prefer an elected head of state.

Critics have blasted the hefty price tag of the “publicity stunt” – £100 million – which is being picked up by the taxpayer.

The King and I

4. Meanwhile, Diarmuid Pepper has dived into Ireland’s relationship with the monarchy, from a historical symbol of British rule here to a fascination with our neighbours across the Irish Sea.

Job Fairy

5. American medical technology company Dexcom will launch its first European manufacturing site in Athenry, Galway and is expected to bring up to 1,000 jobs to the region in the next five years.

The company, which creates technology to monitor the blood glucose of people with diabetes, will invest €300 million in a new manufacturing facility on IDA-owned land.

Gardaí

6. A new Garda Síochána control centre for the Dublin Metropolitan Region, located at the National Train Control Centre at Heuston Station, is being opened today.

An Garda Síochána operate four regional communication control centres on a 24/7 basis, in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Waterford.

England Local Elections

7. Rishi Sunak’s Conservative party is on course for heavy losses in England’s local elections, in his first electoral test since becoming Prime Minister.

Around a quarter of councils have returned results as of this morning. So far, the Tories have lost control of five councils and have suffered a net loss of 102 councillors.

Housing

8. Market research should be carried out as to whether people would be open to buying or renting pared back properties without fitted kitchen and wardrobes, if it meant the price would be lower, according to a cost of construction report.

The review, which was carried out by construction economics consultant Mitchell McDermott, compared the cost of construction across a number of countries.

Julian Assange

9. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said there is “nothing to be served” by the ongoing incarceration of Julian Assange, as he expressed frustration at the United States’ continuing efforts to extradite the WikiLeaks founder and Australian citizen.