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

IRELAND

People walking past the Science Gallery in Dublin, which is due to close this week Sasko Lazarov Sasko Lazarov

• A review has found that a gathering at the Department of Foreign Affairs was a “serious breach” of Covid guidelines that has “caused offence”.
• The Women of Honour group has met with Taoiseach Micheál Martin who told them that there will be no change to the structure of the review into their allegations. 
• Lawyers for Lisa Smith have challenged the legality of her arrest when she returned to Ireland from Syria in 2019.  
• A judge has passed a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment for murder today for Alan Ward, who stabbed his wife Catherine Doyle to death.
• A man who was aged 13 when he began a six-year period of sexually abusing his younger adopted sister has been jailed for six years.
• Gardaí have launched an investigation following an alleged assault on a teenage girl this afternoon. 
• Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to come forward following a road collision in which a cyclist sustained serious injuries. 
• President Michael D Higgins has led tributes to Pavee Point co-director and traveller rights activist Ronnie Fay following her death.
• Public health officials have reported an additional 3,872 positive PCR cases of Covid-19 in Ireland in the past 24 hours. 

INTERNATIONAL

Police officers stand at a barricade on county road 22 about a kilometre from the scene where two police officers were killed by gunfire Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#GRAY REPORT: Gatherings held in Downing Street during Covid-19 restrictions showed “failures of leadership and judgement” by No 10 and the UK Cabinet Office, Sue Gray’s report has found. 

#GERMANY: German police have arrested two suspects in a major manhunt triggered by the fatal shooting of two police officers during a routine traffic stop.

#GREENWOOD: Mason Greenwood remains in police custody after detectives were granted additional time to question the Manchester United forward following his arrest on suspicion of rape and assault.

PARTING SHOT

Landmarks across the country are set to light up to mark St Brigid’s Day 2022.

The event, organised by the group Herstory, is a celebration of women who have contributed to Irish society and culture.

From next year St Brigid’s Day, which falls on 1 February, will be a public holiday, the first to be named after a woman.

Crowds look at a projections on the walls of Trinity College Dublin to mark St Brigid’s Day Niall Carson Niall Carson