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

IRELAND

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaking to media ahead of today's meeting of the Cabinet in Government Buildings Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• The Chief Medical Officer has told parents to keep children with flu like symptoms home from school “if possible”.  
• A total of €83.1 billion in tax was collected by the Exchequer last year, new figures published by the Department of Finance show. 
• Ireland’s data protection watchdog has fined Facebook and Instagram holding company Meta €390 million.
• The latest report from property website Daft.ie found a ‘modest’ fall in house prices in the final quarter of last year.
• The body representing middle ranked gardaí has “heavily criticised” Garda Commissioner Drew Harris over declaring an official dispute with the group. 
• A stinger device was used on a car which had crossed the border into Northern Ireland after it had refused to stop for gardaí in Donegal.
• Two men have been arrested by gardaí investigating the murder of Mahamud Ilyas.
• A passenger died on board a flight which diverted to Shannon Airport in the early hours of this morning. 
• Construction of the new Liffey Street plaza is set to begin in Dublin city centre at the end of this month, the City Council has confirmed. 

INTERNATIONAL

Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a video conference today Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#CONGRESS: The US House of Representatives is engulfed in crisis for a second day running as fresh rounds of voting failed to produce a winner in the race for speaker.

#EUROPE: Recent unseasonably warm weather across Europe has been dubbed a ‘very unusual event’ by climate experts. 

#IRAN: A member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards was shot dead outside his home in Tehran.

#RUSSIA: Russia has said the use of mobile phones by soldiers on New Year’s Eve had led to the deadly strike on Makiivka in eastern Ukraine.

PARTING SHOT

While Ireland only gets to see heavy snow from time to time, other cities around the world don’t get off so lightly. 

With that in mind, here’s a quiz to see if you can tell which city this is against the backdrop of sleet, snow and icy conditions.

• Quiz: Which city is this? (Winter edition)

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