IRELAND

A defaced mural of Greta Thunberg in Dublin. Rollingnews.ie Rollingnews.ie

• Ireland and the EU both strongly criticised the UK’s decision to unilaterally extend a grace period that was given to supermarkets in Great Britain exporting agri-foods to Northern Ireland.
• 25 deaths and 566 new Covid-19 cases were confirmed in Ireland. 
• The president of the University of Limerick (UL) said she would meet with gardaí after large groups of people were filmed drinking and gathering near the college’s campus.
• A protester accused of launching a firework at gardaí during an anti-lockdown demonstration in Dublin on Saturday was granted bail. 
• The HSE failed to hit the Government’s target of administering 100,000 vaccine doses last week due to delivery issues with the AstraZeneca dose. 
• The Taoiseach told the Dáil that there has “without question, been bumps along the way” with the vaccination roll out. 
• The Tánaiste said he expects more than 80% of people will be offered their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by the end of June.
• A teenage boy who was driving a car at a minimum speed of 119km/h in a 50km/h zone when he crashed in Cork city, causing the death of a 16-year-old girl and permanent injury to a 17-year-old boy, was detained for four years. 

INTERNATIONAL

Nicola Sturgeon giving evidence to a committee at Holyrod in Edinburgh. PA PA

#SCOTLAND: Nicola Sturgeon insisted “I would never have wanted to ‘get’ Alex Salmond”, as she told a Holyrood committee she had “no motive, intention, (or) desire” for such action against her predecessor

#SWEDEN: A man in his 20s attacked eight people with a “sharp object,” seriously injuring two, in the Swedish city of Vetlanda this afternoon, police have said. 

#ROYALS: Buckingham Palace is to investigate allegations of bullying made against Meghan Markle by former royal staff.

PARTING SHOT

Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine. @VUMChealth pic.twitter.com/38kJrDzLqC

— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) March 2, 2021

The beloved country music star Dolly Parton has received the Covid-19 vaccine she helped to fund.

The singer (75) posted a video of herself receiving the jab and broke into song inspired by her inoculation.  

To the tune of Jolene, Parton sang: “Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I’m begging of you, please don’t hesitate. Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, because once you’re dead, then that’s a bit too late.”