GOOD MORNING. Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your week.
1. New methods to buy tickets and pay fares on public transport could be rolled out within the next three years, the National Transport Authority has revealed.
Lauren Boland writes in this morning’s lead story that digital payment options that would allow passengers to pay with contactless bank cards, smartphones and QR codes could be available by 2023 or 2024, several years earlier than expected but still behind other countries which have already introduced such options.
The National Transport Authority is said to be in the process of appointing a supplier to develop its “next generation ticketing” system.
2. Every adult aged 18 or over can register to receive a Covid-19 mRNA vaccine from today.
Those who register now will still be offered a Moderna or Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine if it is available, but will be offered an AstraZeneca vaccine if it is available earlier than an mRNA jab.
3. Cabinet meets this morning to discuss the reopening of indoor dining after final draft guidelines were agreed between government officials, publicans and restaurateurs yesterday.
Despite calls from the sector for normal trading hours to resume, the 11.30pm closing is set to remain, but will be reviewed down the line.
4. A number of holidaymakers who have arrived in Malta are being told they must complete mandatory quarantine due to entry requirements into the Mediterranean country.
Minister of State Ossian Smyth said he will do everything he can to ensure new certs are sent to individuals affected.
5. UK ministers are preparing to outline their proposals to Westminster for solving the “serious challenges” caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Reports have suggested Brexit minister David Frost will call for most goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain to be exempt from checks
6. At least 12 people died and five others were injured in a subway flood, according to city authorities, as water coursed below ground yesterday evening in Zhengzhou in central China’s Henan province.
Social media platform Weibo and local media outlets carried video posts of chest-high and rising water inside carriages as lights went out on the city’s ‘Line Five’ during the commuter rush hour.
7. Over one million children worldwide experienced the death of one or both parents in the first 14 months of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A new study from The Lancet medical journal estimates that a further half a million children have lost a grandparent or caregiver living in their home in what is described as “a hidden pandemic of orphanhood”.
8. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos attracted more criticism over workplace conditions at the company that made his brief space venture possible.
“I want to thank every Amazon employee, and every Amazon customer because you guys paid for all this,” the 57-year-old said during a news conference after becoming the second billionaire in just over a week to ride in his own spacecraft.
Bezos built Amazon into a shopping and entertainment behemoth but has faced increasing activism within his own workforce and rising pressure from critics to improve working conditions.
9. Warm weather is to continue as the week goes on, with temperatures of up to 30 degrees expected today.
Met Éireann has a number of high temperature warnings in place since yesterday.
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