Your Friday morning news round up

Polling stations have opened across the country for the marriage equality and presidential age referendums, and eight year-old Cork boy has received high praise from Golf number one Rory McIlroy, the Sterling saga is set to roll on for the summer, and a magnitude 4.2 earthquake has struck the UK, east of London. These are some of the latest and most read news stories on irishexaminer.com this morning.

Fri, 22 May, 2015 - 01:00

Greg Murphy

TOP STORY

Referendums 2015: Voting gets underway

Polling is underway for the referendums on same sex marriage and the lowering the age at which citizens are eligible to be President.

IRELAND

VIDEO: Eight-year-old Cork golf prodigy gets high praise from Rory McIlroy

As the world’s top golfer, Rory McIlroy isn’t short a few euro — but he may have made his shrewdest investment yet in getting a promising young Cork golfer’s autograph.

MOST READ: Hundreds of children neglected as ‘urgent’ files found

At least 127 children have been identified as requiring “urgent attention” following an emergency review by the Child and Family Agency of case files recently discovered in Laois and Offaly.

SPORT

Sterling saga set to rumble on

The saga over Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling’s future is likely to rumble on well into the summer after the club turned the tables on his agent.

MOST READ: Roy Hodgson: ‘Jack knows we’d be happy to have him’

England manager Roy Hodgson believes Jack Grealish, the Aston Villa player who has six Under 21 caps for the Republic of Ireland, will make a final decision by this autumn over whether he wants to play for England or Ireland at senior level.

WORLD

Buildings rattle as 4.2 quake hits England

A magnitude 4.2 earthquake has been felt in parts of Kent, England, about 100kms east of London.

MOST READ: Letterman signs off after 33 years

David Letterman has been ushered into retirement by four US presidents declaring “our long national nightmare is over” and a succession of stars delivering a final top 10 list of things they always wanted to say to the late-night TV host.

BUSINESS

Large fall Irish in jobless rate may stall, experts warn

Unemployment may slip below 8% just ahead of the next general election, but the dramatic improvement is likely to stall because the huge numbers on Government activation programmes will likely keep the jobless rate at an elevated level, experts have warned.

MOST READ: Irish Government accused of missed opportunity

The Government has been accused of not using funds arising from the sale of shares in the country’s pillar banks to invest in long-term projects and help stimulate employment growth.

VIEWPOINTS

Age referendum is a good way to involve younger people in politics

The fear is that if we are to vote a majority yes today ... we could end up with a mere child in the Áras, writes Alison O’ Connor

LIFESTYLE

Nathan Kirwan’s amazing walk right back to happiness

Ellie O’Byrne meets a young man who is pushing the boundaries of disability by fundraising for an exoskeleton which allows wheelchair users to walk again — with and without support.

EXAMVIRAL

WATCH: Paddle boarder has incredible close encounter with killer whale

This guy had a heartstoppingly close encounter with a killer whale off the coast of New Zealand, earlier this week.

MOST READ: Doh! Kid has tantrum at the White House in front of Obama

You probably don’t want to see your child or niece throwing a tantrum when in company.

TECHNOW

Need for Speed teaser hints at Underground 3 reveal | http://t.co/CMtsN0rg7q (GM) pic.twitter.com/4mZnTod67x
— Irish Examiner Lifestyle (@IELifestyle_) May 22, 2015