LAST UPDATE | 16 May 2023

GOOD MORNING.

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

Women in journalism

1. In our lead story this morning, Lauren Boland details some of the experiences faced by women in journalism that are revealed in a new study published today by DCU.

The 62-page report has identified a broad range of types of online hostility encountered by women journalists in Ireland through in-depth interviews, finding that the “overarching feeling was that social media was a ‘double-edged sword’”. 

Participants identified that women faced not only criticism of their work but also personal attacks on their background, expertise, and appearance; were subject to coarser and more sexualised language and content; were held to more difficult standards than men; and that the majority of such negative engagement came from men. 

Fresh assault on Ukrainian capital

2. Russia launched an intense air attack on Kyiv early this morning using a combination of drones, cruise missiles and possible ballistic missiles.

The assault on Kyiv was “exceptional in its density – the maximum number of attacking missiles in the shortest period of time”, said Serhiy Popko, the head of the Kyiv military administration.

It comes as President Volodymyr Zelenksy concludes a whirlwind European tour to greet Ukraine’s key wartime allies, which spurred an additional tranche of pledged military aid. 

Varadkar at Council of Europe summit

3. That air raid comes as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar visits the Icelandic capital of Reykjavik for a Council of Europe Summit, where he has lent his support to a “register of damages” for those who have suffered from the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Russia was suspended from the Council of Europe last year and the upcoming Summit will heavily focus on the organisations response to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Established in 1949 in the wake of World War II, the Council of Europe has the aim of promoting stability and increasing cooperation on the continent.

Clare protest

4. Protests are underway in Clare against the moving of asylum seekers into a rural location in the county.

The dispute centres around Magowna House in Inch, where around 34 asylum seekers arrived yesterday evening. 

Disposable cup ban 

5. Disposable cups, plates and cutlery will no longer be used in public sector canteens under a new climate action mandate set to be brought before Cabinet today.

Minister for Climate and the Environment Eamon Ryan is set to seek Cabinet approval for the ‘Public Sector Climate Action Mandate 2023’.

The mandate highlights the main climate action objectives for public sector bodies and outlines a range of actions to be taken to help reduce Ireland’s emissions by 51% by 2030, as set out in the Climate Action Plan. 

Paramilitaries provide report into 1974 murder

6. The Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) has provided a report to the family of a man who the group killed almost 50 years ago.

John Crawford was killed returning home from work as his family prepared to celebrate his daughter’s fourth birthday, with his family having faced years of misinformation since in their quest to find out what happened to John. 

But a remarkable process unusual to Northern Ireland has seen a full disclosure of what happened. 

It took 40 meetings and countless telephone conversations across seven years, but John Crawford’s son Paul has received a report from the UVF, printed on UVF headed paper, with all the collated information he had been given on his father’s murder. 

Roscommon crash

7. A female pedestrian has been killed after being struck by a car in Co Roscommon.

The incident happened on the N5 at Tibohine near Ballaghaderreen in Co Roscommon at around 10.40am yesterday morning.

The woman, aged in her late 50s, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Peter Brook

8. Tributes have been paid to the former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Brooke, who has died aged 89.

In his lifetime, he was chairman of the Conservative Party and served as Britain’s national heritage secretary in his lifetime.

Tánaiste Micheál Martin said that he was “sorry to hear” about Brooke’s passing.

“Peter played a pivotal role in the emerging Northern Ireland peace process, helping pave the way for an end to violence,” Martin said in a tweet. 

Bertie goes to the Seanad

9. Former taoiseach Bertie Ahern is to address the Seanad next week.

As part of a series of keynote addresses, Ahern will speak to senators about the Good Friday Agreement for its 25th anniversary.

The Seanad’s Cross-Party Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight has made the recommendation that Ahern speak, but it will be confirmed when senators vote to approve the motion tomorrow.