Apple tax ruling for Ireland shines light on global tax avoidance

We look at the Irish papers focusing on the random murder of a primary school teacher which has shaken the country and prompted debate on violence against women. Also, papers react to the deadly drone attack on Abu Dhabi which was claimed by Houthi rebels. Plus, find out why armpits are the focus of new beauty trends and finally, a long-running neighbourly dispute in Italy over a noisy toilet flush finally ends!

Northern Ireland's economy has been sluggish for years, with a quality of life that's lower than the rest of the United Kingdom. That's why many young people are leaving.

Just over a year after Brexit became a practical reality, the Northern Ireland Assembly is in crisis after its First Minister resigned in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit deal. Ireland's Europe Minister Thomas Byrne tells FRANCE 24 the departure of Paul Givan "has caused deep difficulties within the government system in Northern Ireland", and that the situation is "very very worrying".

European Union leaders are meeting with their counterparts from the African Union in Brussels this Thursday. Several major economic issues will be discussed, including the €150 billion investment plan promised by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Ahead of that gathering, French President Emmanuel Macron promised a deal on reallocating of up to $100 billion of International Monetary Fund finance to African countries. Also today, we bring you the latest on the fuel shortage crisis in Nigeria.

Switzerland's second-largest bank stands accused of handling funds for dictators, drug traffickers and torturers after a whistleblower leak led to a year-long investigation by a consortium of journalists. And the United States and Britain have raised the stakes for potential sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine. Finally, Italy's famed glassblowers are cracking under red-hot energy prices.

With the city of Kharkiv devastated and Kyiv braced for attack by an approaching Russian convoy, we are asking whether the US has made the right calls on Ukraine. The message of Biden's State of the Union address was one of solidarity with President Volodymyr Zelensky. But seen from Kyiv, will this feel like enough?

There is currently more trade with western and eastern countries than there is within the continent. Printing banknotes in Africa would boost profits on the continent and, at least theoretically, African countries could choose those with printing capabilities since there's likely some idle capacity.

We take a closer look at the bid by the world's richest man to buy Twitter for $43 billion. Elon Musk would need the backing of major investment firms for the hostile takeover. We explore what a potential purchase could mean for free speech on Twitter and find out why Musk's asking price may have a drug-related reference. Also on the show, we report on why the price of fertilisers is skyrocketing and we get the latest on a fuel shortage in Kenya.

Amazon records its first quarterly loss since 2015 as online sales drop, while Apple warns of an $8 billion hit from the war in Ukraine and Covid-19 lockdowns in China. Also, French growth hits zero as consumer spending falls, and the IMF warns of dangers for the economies of sub-Saharan Africa.

Northern Ireland voters go to the polls today (May 5) in what could be the most important election in a generation. They will elect the 90 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, from which a power-sharing executive should be formed. These institutions were created by the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement. According to opinion polls, Sinn Fein - representing mostly people of Catholic and Irish background - could become the largest party for the first time.

The British prime minister has faced calls to step down after breaking COVID lockdown rules. In Northern Ireland, polls suggest the Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein could win the largest number of seats.

Is it a sign that Northern Ireland is ready to overcome old divides, or of new troubles ahead? For the first time ever, Unionists could find themselves in the minority when ballots are counted in regional assembly elections. Under the Good Friday Agreement, the DUP would still share power with Sinn Fein, who could trigger a referendum on a united Ireland.