NEED TO CATCH up? TheJournal.ie brings you a round-up of today’s news.

IRELAND

Colm Reddy stands outside Government Buildings in support of whistleblowers today. Rollingnews.ie Rollingnews.ie

• In an explosive day in the Dáil, the Taoiseach confirmed there will be a public Tribunal into the alleged smear campaign against Maurice McCabe.
• Enda Kenny also appeared to perform a u-turn on what he’d previously said regarding his meetings with Children’s Minister Katherine Zappone.
• Another garda whistleblower issued a statement saying a Tusla investigation was also opened in his case.
• The former head of the garda press office said he was “delighted” to get back to work after a 22-month suspension.
• Striking Tesco workers said they were in it for “as long as it takes“.
• Shane Ross has got Cabinet approval to introduce an automatic ban on drivers caught drink driving in Ireland.
• The trial of Ibrahim Halawa was delayed for a 19th time.
• The news emerged that an Irish rugby fan was arrested in Italy after ‘trying to grab soldier’s machine gun’ last Friday.
• Bitter divisions persisted in the dispute over a border change between Waterford and Kilkenny.

INTERNATIONAL

Zoe Kapica, 4, from London, looks at a heart shaped balloon tied to a cannon on the historic city walls of Derry Brian Lawless PA Wire / PA Images Brian Lawless PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images

#LUXEMBOURG: At least one person died and many were injured after trains collided in Luxembourg.

#MANCHESTER: A man attended a job interview for Manchester Police smelling of alcohol and got arrested for drink driving. He did not get the job.

#KIM JONG-UN: The half-brother of the leader of North Korea was assassinated in Malaysia.

#IN THE NIP: After less than a year away, Playboy magazine announced plans to bring back pictures of naked women.

PARTING SHOT

A bit of good news to brighten up this February day, as An Garda Síochána tweeted this story of a bus driver stopping to help a stranded biker who’d broken down on the N2 last night.

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