GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news you need to know as you start your day.
1. Russian forces have taken control of Europe’s largest nuclear plant in the battle for control of a crucial energy-producing city. Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned it will be the “end for Europe” if an explosion occurs at the plant due to Russian forces shelling it.
During a second round of talks yesterday, Ukraine and Russia agreed to create humanitarian corridors to evacuate civilians from as-yet unspecified locations.
You can follow all the latest updates in our liveblog here.
2. The European Union has decided to grant temporary protection to refugees from Ukraine that will enable them to live, work and study in EU countries.
The decision will allow people fleeing the war in Ukraine to obtain a residence permit in the EU, which will also give them access to education and the labour market.
The temporary protection directive uses a mechanism that was drawn up in the early 2000s in response to wars in former Yugoslavia, but which has not been implemented before.
3. Charities in Ireland are encouraging people interested in supporting Ukraine to donate money rather than physical items.
There are concerns that a deluge of physical donations could put further pressure on transport links and be difficult for humanitarian groups on the ground to distribute.
Speaking to The Journal, Irish Red Cross’ Head of Fundraising Charlie Lamson said that “the best way for people to donate is to give funds right now. There is no facility there, because it’s such a fluid situation, to give [physical items]“.
4. Russia’s media watchdog says it has restricted access to several independent media websites, tightening controls over the internet more than one week after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Access to websites of the BBC, the independent news website Meduza, German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, and the Russian-language website of the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Svoboda, were “limited” by Roskomnadzor, it said, following a request from prosecutors.
5. French President Emmanuel Macron has formally announced that he will run for a second term in April’s presidential election, ahead of which he is already leading in the polls.
In a “letter to the French” published on domestic media websites, Macron said: “I am seeking your trust again. I am a candidate to invent with you, faced with the century’s challenges, a French and European singular response.”
Macron, 44, had long indicated that he wanted to run in the election, scheduled to be held in two rounds on 10 April 10 and 24 April, without formally announcing it until now.
6. The Irish Independent reports that 10,000 calendars produced for Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae were binned after it was found that a hyphen was missing.
Darragh McDonagh reports that the typo was only found after the calendars had been printed.
7. A man in his sixties has died in an accident on a farm in west Cork.
RTÉ reports that it is believed the man may have fallen into a slurry pit at his farm in Drimoleague. Gardaí and the Health and Safety Authority are investigating.
8. The RTÉ Choice Music Prize for best Irish album has been won by For Those I Love. The singer took home the award for the best Irish album of 2021 at the ceremony in Vicar Street last night.
Dermot Kennedy took home the prize for Irish Song of the Year for his song Better Days.
9. It’s been a frosty, sunny start for today across the most of the country, according to Met Éireann. Expect to see some isolated showers this afternoon, with highest temperatures of 7 to 9 degrees.
Temperatures will dip tonight to as low as -3, leading to some ice in parts of the country.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say