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

IRELAND

The Poolbeg Chimneys in the background today as people enjoy the late winter sunshine at lunchtime in Dublin's Grand Canal Dock Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

• Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said Dara Calleary “paid a high price” in resigning from Cabinet in the wake of the Golfgate controversy but has suggested there may be “a way back” for the Mayo TD. 
• The Taoiseach has also said “no one party” should have a veto on the Northern Ireland Assembly being operational amid DUP threats not to support power sharing. 
• A man has died and three others have been hospitalised following a collision in Co Westmeath this morning. 
• The owners of Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin have decided to discontinue a commemorative wall marking all those who died in the revolutionary period, including members of British forces. 
• Simon Coveney will face questions from an Oireachtas committee next week about a June 2020 champagne celebration in his department.
• A High Court judge in Belfast has suspended DUP Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots’ order to stop Brexit agri-food checks at Northern Ireland ports.
• Health officials have reported an additional 6,697 positive PCR cases of Covid-19 in Ireland today. In addition, there were 5,639 cases reported via antigen test through the HSE portal.

INTERNATIONAL

United States President Joe Biden delivers remarks and signs an Executive Order on Project Labour Agreements Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#BOJO: A fifth adviser to Boris Johnson has reportedly quit less than 24 hours after a raft of departures that UK newspapers dubbed the “meltdown in Downing Street”.

#RUSSIA: The Pentagon has been pushed to supply evidence of a plan by Moscow to film a fake Ukrainian attack on Russians to justify a real assault on its pro-West neighbor.

#VACCINES: Austria’s president has signed a law making Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for all adults, a first in the European Union.

PARTING SHOT

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics have begun. 

🔥✨The Olympic flame has been lit inside the beautiful snowflake at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games #OpeningCeremony.
💓💪Such an innovative and inspiring moment to see!#Beijing2022 #Olympics #OpeningCeremony#TogetherForASharedFuture
📸: GettyImages pic.twitter.com/L1zhAB1BOw

— Beijing 2022 (@Beijing2022) February 4, 2022

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More