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

Ireland

Kayakers take to the water to celebrate the lifting of restrictions Source: RollingNews.ie

• Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney is set to speak with the Russian ambassador over concerns around the testing of missiles of the south-west coast of Ireland. 
• Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said that there are currently no plans to disband the National Public Health Emergency Team, following the removal of almost all Covid-19 restrictions.
• There were 8,126 new cases of Covid-19 reported in Ireland today, with 845 people in hospital and 79 in ICU.
• Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has called for a public inquiry into the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Gardaí have appealed for witnesses following alleged sexual assaults that occurred near Sligo Town yesterday.
• A body was discovered on Bunmahon beach in Co Waterford this morning.
• Cocaine with an estimated value of €1.4 million was seized at Dublin Port yesterday.
• Gardaí are appealing for witnesses following a serious injury road traffic collision in Tallaght last night.
• A bio-pharma employee who sent a female employee a “seriously ill-advised” Facebook ‘Family Guy’ message containing inappropriate language of a possible sexual innuendo nature has been awarded €40,380 for his unfair dismissal.

International

Thich Nhat Hanh passed away aged 95 Source: Alamy Stock Photo

#THITCH NHAT HANH A Buddhist monk and peace activist, who is credited with bringing mindfulness to the West, passed away yesterday, with thousands of mourners packing into a pagoda in Vietnam’s Buddhist heartlands to pay their respects.

#NUSRAT GHANI Boris Johnson is under mounting pressure to hold an inquiry into claims a junior minister was sacked because of her “Muslimness” after a second Cabinet minister called for an investigation.

#STORMY DANIELS The porn star, Stormy Daniels, who was catapulted to fame with her lawsuits against former US President Donald Trump, has brought her former lawyer to court over claims he cheated her out of $300,000 (about €260,000) in book proceeds.

#PANDEMIC ENDGAME A World Health Organisation director has said that the Omicron variant has moved the pandemic into a new phase and that it could bring it to an end in Europe.

#UKRAINE UK Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has said that there is a “very significant” risk that Russia will mount an invasion of Ukraine, as the country accused Vladimir Putin of planing to install a pro-Russia leader in the country.

Parting Shot

Earlier today, we asked you have you bought any cryptocurrency.

Over half of readers who responded said that they had not bought cryptocurrency and did not intend to.

The next biggest portion was 13.9%, who say that they have spent thousands of Euro on cryptocurrency.

It comes as Ireland’s advertising watchdog has said that it is monitoring developments in other countries, following British authorities unveiling new regulations aimed at curbing misleading advertising for cryptocurrencies.

Source: The Journal