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

People had to brave some heavy rain in Dublin city centre today Rollingnews Rollingnews

IRELAND

• People are travelling north across the border to buy fuel due to the rising costs brought on by the US-Israeli war against Iran. 
• A woman died and three people were seriously injured following a second fatal road traffic collision in Co Meath this morning.
• Irish households have experienced the sharpest increase in home heating oil prices anywhere in the EU in recent weeks, new figures showed.
• Status Yellow warnings for rain and strong winds were in place across much of the country.
• Kneecap hit back at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer after he said what the Irish language rap trio stand for and say is “completely intolerable” during a visit to Ireland today.
• Gerry Adams was the “de facto leader” of the IRA, a police intelligence officer told the UK High Court.
• A man was charged with the murder of a young woman in Co Fermanagh.

A ship on fire in the Strait of Hormuz PA PA

INTERNATIONAL

#AYATOLLAH: Iran’s new supreme leader issued his first statement since the US and Israel began the war, but he did not appear in public or on television. 

#USA: A gunman was killed by security guards when after ramming a car into a synagogue in Michigan, USA.

PARTING SHOT

ST PATRICK’S DAY is fast approaching and comes with it a time to take a short reprieve from busy modern life and celebrate one’s Irishness or love of the place and it’s culture, through attending the local parade, morning mass and for some visiting their local pub, or as we like to term it, have some craic.

It can be argued, a grouping who looks forward to the celebrations more than most, is the political class, and more specifically the cabinet members of government.

During this period, you find the lights off at Leinster house with Government ministers instead priority queueing, (or if not better) at Dublin Airport, waiting to be flown far and wide across the globe, all under the banner of promoting Ireland abroad.

You can read Jason O’Sullivan’s full Voices article here.