Dublin Bus is set to make an apology today for service issues in recent months, with the company citing “network expansion” placing pressure on services. 

Unison members working in the NHS in Northern Ireland took strike action yesterday in the ongoing battle for a pay rise. Strikes took place since just after midnight and saw seen nurses, ambulance staff and other health workers walking out and standing with placards in temperatures as low as -4C. Nurses in Northern Ireland only received confirmation of their 2022-23 pay award last week, following an eight-month delay.

A number of hospital and HSE staff, including Fórsa members, were also at a protest organised by the ‘Safeguard Drogheda A&E Campaign’ demanding more resources at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. More patients are expected to be brought by ambulance to this hospital instead of to Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan. 

Meanwhile, a €10m fund to help struggling families and individuals on pay-as-you-go energy tariffs is to be signed off by Government as part of a new energy poverty action plan. Environment Minister Eamon Ryan will seek Cabinet approval for the new action plan which will include the establishment of financial support fund.

This op-ed in the Guardian explains why a strong Labour movement raises everyone’s living standards.

In tech, Elon Musk’s Twitter has dissolved its Trust and Safety Council, the advisory group of nearly 100 independent civil, human rights and other organisations. The company formed the council in 2016 to address hate speech, child exploitation, suicide, self-harm and other problems on the platform.

And New Zealand today passed into law a unique plan to phase out tobacco smoking by imposing a lifetime ban on young people buying cigarettes. The law says that tobacco cannot ever be sold to anybody born on or after January 1, 2009. This makes the minimum age for buying cigarettes keep going up and up.

Finally, the Banshees of Inisherin has topped this year's Golden Globes' nominations list with eight entries. Here’s a look at everyone in the running.

Have a good day folks!