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

IRELAND

An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar was present at the ceremony to mark the 175th Anniversary of the first raising of the Tricolour in Waterford. Noel Browne Noel Browne

• Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told a ceremony in Waterford today to commemorate the first flying of the tricolour 175 years ago that the flag continues to inspire peace and hope for a shared island.
• Governance in Northern Ireland would probably involve a joint arrangement between the UK and Irish governments if powersharing is not restored at Stormont, Michelle O’Neill has said.
• Extending the ban on evictions would give the Government time to “get their act together” on the housing crisis, a Sinn Fein TD has said.
• A man in his 20s is in a “critical but stable” condition following a serious assault in Dublin this morning.
• Support for the Social Democrats has more than doubled in a month, following the election of Holly Cairns as its new leader, a new opinion poll suggests.
• Several politicians have hit out at Transport Minister Eamon Ryan’s handling of recent drone disruptions at Dublin Airport, with one TD saying that Ryan was “found sleeping at the wheel”.
• A Fianna Fáil senator has amended his declaration of interests after admitting that he had “erred” by failing to include his ownership of a bar in Galway city and a majority shareholding in an associated company.

INTERNATIONAL 

People hold candles to mourn victims of a train crash in Syntagma Square in Athens, Greece, on Friday. Xinhua News Agency / PA Images Xinhua News Agency / PA Images / PA Images

#VIGIL Greece’s prime minister today asked for forgiveness from the families of the 57 dead in the nation’s worst rail disaster as thousands of furious protesters rallied in Athens and clashed with police.

#UKRAINE Kyiv have said that it was holding off attacks from Russian troops still attempting to surround Bakhmut, a now-destroyed eastern Ukrainian city that Moscow has been trying to capture for months.

#OCEANS The United Nations members have agreed on a unified treaty to protect biodiversity in the high seas – nearly half the planet’s surface.

#MI5 The father of the youngest victim of a 2017 terrorist attack at an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena has said he intends to sue MI5 as it has “most of the blame” for the attack.

#BORIS JOHNSON Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has said Boris Johnson did not knowingly mislead Parliament over ‘partygate’.

PARTING SHOT 

Devotees seen in different moods of celebration at the Radharani Temple of Nandgaon during the Holi festival. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Celebrations for the Holi Festival in India have begun taking place.

At the beginning of spring, the festival celebrates the divine love of Radha and Krishna and represents the victory of good over evil.

The festival, which involves celebrants throwing coloured powder, is one of the most popular festivals in Hinduism.

Holi officially takes place on Wednesday but powder-throwing events have already taken place across India and around the world.

A worker packs natural color powder at factory. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo