Advertisement

Morning top 5: Poll sees rise in support for Sinn Féin; Trump impeachment trial to begin; China confirms fourth virus death

The latest political opinion poll has seen a sharp rise in support for Sinn Féin. The party is ...
Michael Staines
Michael Staines

06.35 21 Jan 2020


Share this article


Morning top 5: Poll sees rise...

Morning top 5: Poll sees rise in support for Sinn Féin; Trump impeachment trial to begin; China confirms fourth virus death

Michael Staines
Michael Staines

06.35 21 Jan 2020


Share this article


The latest political opinion poll has seen a sharp rise in support for Sinn Féin.

The party is up 7 points to 21% support – boosting Mary Lou McDonald's calls to be included in tomorrow night's leaders' TV debate.

According to The Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll, Fine Gael has suffered a significant drop in support down six points to 23%.

Advertisement

It has Fianna Fáil as the most popular party on 25%, while Independents and others hold 14%.

***

The US President’s impeachment trial officially gets underway in Washington today.

Donald Trump is denying accusations that he abused his power by pressuring Ukraine to open up an investigation into Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden.

The trial will sit six days a week - but it's highly unlikely the Republican-dominated Senate will vote to remove him from office.

President Trump’s legal team will argue that abuse of power is not an impeachable offence and will claim there is no evidence the president threatened to withhold funds from Ukraine.

***

The inquest into the death of the man behind the abduction and killing of Jastine Valdez will be held today.

The 24-year-old accountancy student was kidnapped as she walked to her home in Enniskerry on May 19th, 2018.

Mark Hennessy from Wicklow grabbed her in broad daylight, and bundled her into his car - she died of asphyxia.

The 40-year-old was shot dead by Gardaí on May 20th, and Ms Valdez's body was found the next day in Rathmichael, Co. Dublin.

***

More than 28,000 people had inpatient stays in Irish hospitals because of Type 2 Diabetes in the past four years.

Between 6,000 and 8,000 people were admitted every year between 2015 and 2018.

The figures include 148 young adults and 31 children, according to Freedom of Information figures.

Professor Niall Moyna from the school of health and human performance in DCU said disease is directly linked to a bad diet and bad lifestyle.

***

A fourth person has died from a deadly virus that has infected more than 200 people in four countries.

The coronavirus was first directed in China’s Wuhan Province but has since spread to Thailand, Japan and South Korea.

Authorities have confirmed that the respiratory disease can be transmitted via human-to-human contact and airports around have introduced temperature screening.

Coronaviruses are known to cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).


Share this article


Read more about

Mary Lou McDonald SARS School Secretaries Sinn Fein Valdez Virus

Most Popular