Here's What Happened Today: Friday

Here’s your round-up of what happened today.

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

IRELAND

stand 02_90698334 People walking on the Great South wall this morning. Sam Boal / RollingNews Sam Boal / RollingNews / RollingNews

Tributes are continuing to be paid to the three young people who died in a road traffic collision in Co Carlow on Wednesday night.
Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill is set to be the First Minister as the DUP gave the green light for the recall of the Stormont Assembly tomorrow.
A motocyclist died following a road traffic collision in Co Limerick this afternoon.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Breda Smyth is set to leave her role 18 months in the position.
Dublin City Council cited the ongoing housing crisis as grounds for refusing planning permission for a new 111-bedroom hotel for Dublin city centre.
Two men were arrested after gardaí seized €3.1 million worth of cocaine and €213,000 in cash during a day of action yesterday.
Passengers at Dublin Airport have been told they “should be prepared” to remove hoodies or loose jumpers when passing through security screenings.
Aslan announced they will begin performing with a new singer, Lee Tomkins, following the death of frontman Christy Dignam last year.

INTERNATIONAL

rocky-1976-carl-weathers Carl Weathers as Apollo Creed in Rocky (1976). Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#BRIANNA GHEY: Teenagers Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe have each been given a life sentence and ordered to serve a minimum term of 22 and 20 years respectively before parole for the murder of teenager Brianna Ghey.

#GAZA: More than 100 people were killed in Gaza overnight as Israel continued its bombardment in the wake of talks between both sides.

#NAIROBI: Three people died and 280 others were injured after a truck laden with gas canisters exploded in a densely populated area of the Kenyan capital.

#RIP: Carl Weathers, who starred as Apollo Creed in the Rocky films, has died at the age of 76.

#RED SEA: Australian welfare groups demand the release of thousands of sheep and cattle stuck aboard a ship after their trip to the Middle East was diverted by Yemen’s Huthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea.

#UKRAINE: The International Court of Justice said that it has jurisdiction to hear part of a case brought by Ukraine against Russia.

PARTING SHOT

groundhog-club-handler-a-j-dereume-holds-punxsutawney-phil-the-weather-prognosticating-groundhog-while-posing-for-a-photo-with-miss-pennsylvania-miranda-moore-during-the-138th-celebration-of-ground Groundhog Club handler A.J. Dereume holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, while posing for a photo with Miss Pennsylvania Miranda Moore Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

An early spring was predicted at the largest and best-known Groundhog Day celebration in the United States.

Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring this morning in Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania.

The annual event is held on 2 February and is a tongue-in-cheek ritual in which Phil’s handlers, members of a club with roots in the late 1800s, reveal whether the groundhog has seen his shadow.

The tradition dates back to the Pennsylvania Dutch belief that if a groundhog left its burrow and saw its shadow, it would scurry back inside and winter would go on for six more weeks.