NEED TO CATCH up? TheJournal.ie brings you a round up of today’s news.

IRISH

Pictured are Branwen and Julie Kavanagh of Twin Headed Wolf, taking part in the Front Row Sessions. Dozens of free concerts will take place as part of TradFest Temple Bar starting this Thursday. Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

• Elaine O’Hara’s brother gave evidence at the trial of Graham Dwyer, accused of her murder.
• Michael Lowry said his ‘good looking girl’ recommendation to the Taoiseach was “unnecessary”.
• A protest over Aer Lingus pensions took place outside the Minister for Transport’s home.
• Fine Gael’s Michelle Mulherin confirmed she made €2,000 worth of calls to Kenya from Leinster House.
• A teenager arrested over a fatal hit-and-run was released without charge.
• Fiona Doyle said ‘there are women who facilitate the rape and abuse of their children‘ in Ireland.
• The Jurys Inn hotel group was bought for €910 million.
• Health Minister Leo Varadkar met with the husbands of two women who died after giving birth at Sligo Regional Hospital.
• Citizenship and visa applications reached an all-time high.
• Irish Rail announced plans to connect major cities to Dublin Airport.

WORLD

One of the three as yet unnamed Sumartran tiger cubs born at Chester Zoo to eight-year-old tigress Kirana. Peter Byrne / PA Wire Peter Byrne / PA Wire / PA Wire

#EARTH: A massive asteroid narrowly missed us.

#GREECE: Alexis Tsipra was named Prime Minister [link], and the IMF doesn’t seem too put out just yet.

#SYRIA: The Islamic State group were driven out of Kobane.

#SPAIN: Ten people died after a jet crashed at a military base.

#THAILAND: An Irish man was found dead in Buriram.

#UNITED STATES: Several states are facing a snow emergency. [BBC News]

INNOVATION

• More iPhones were sold in China than the US last year.
• NASA is working on a helicopter to use for future Mars missions. [Geek.com]
• Chemists figured out to unboil egg whites. [ScienceDaily]

PARTING SHOT

New York dumps a lot of old subway cars in the sea every year… but it isn’t harming wildlife. [ViralForest]