GOOD MORNING.

Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.

Diplomats to resume talks as Russian strikes widen in western Ukraine

1. Besieged Ukrainians are holding onto hope that renewed diplomatic talks with Russia might open the way for more civilians to evacuate, a day after Moscow escalated its offensive by shelling areas perilously close to the Polish border.

Russian missiles pounded a military base in western Ukraine yesterday, killing 35 people in an attack on a facility that served as a crucial hub for cooperation between Ukraine and the Nato countries supporting its defence. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it a “black day” and again urged Nato leaders to establish a no-fly zone over the country, a plea that the West has said could escalate the war to a nuclear confrontation.

Cost of living 

2. Some of the 372,000 households in receipt of the fuel allowance will be paid an additional €125 from today, as part of government efforts to tackle the rapidly rising cost of living.

The once-off payment is means-tested and is available to pensioners, widows, widowers, jobseekers, lone-parents and people with disabilities.

Mr Martin goes to Washington

3. Taoiseach Micheál Martin is to travel to the United States today to begin a week-long trip to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.

The Taoiseach’s itinerary will kick off tomorrow in the run-up to Thursday with various meetings where he will focus on economic links and the promotion of trade and investment between the US and Ireland. On St Patrick’s Day, the Taoiseach will have breakfast with Vice President Harris in her home, before attending the Capitol Hill luncheon and the traditional shamrock handover in the White House.

Maternity ward bombing

4. A pregnant woman and her baby died after Russian forces bombed the maternity hospital in Ukraine where she was meant to give birth, medics have revealed.

Images of the woman being rushed to an ambulance on a stretcher had circled the world, epitomising the horror of the attack.

Howth rescue

5. The RNLI yesterday came to the aid of a group of kayakers who got into difficulty on the water off the north Dublin coast.

The Howth inshore lifeboat was launched at midday when six kayakers began struggling near Malahide with one person capsizing.

China battles Covid spike

6. China placed all 17 million residents in one of its biggest cities under lockdown, as virus cases doubled nationwide to nearly 3,400 and anxiety mounted over the resilience of its ‘zero-Covid’ approach in the face of the worst outbreak in two years.

The southern tech hub of Shenzhen told all residents to stay at home as the city struggles to eradicate an Omicron flare-up linked to neighbouring virus-ravaged Hong Kong. The lockdown and a suspension of public transport will last until 20 March, a city government notice said, adding that it would launch three rounds of mass testing.

William Hurt

7. American actor William Hurt, known for much-loved films such as The Big Chill and A History of Violence, died yesterday at age 71.

The actor had been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer in May 2018, but the statement announcing his death did not specify whether the disease contributed to Hurt’s passing. Hurt was also nominated for Oscars as a teacher of deaf students in Children of a Lesser God (1986) and as a slow-witted television anchorman in Broadcast News (1987).

BAFTA winners

8. Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog won BAFTAs for best director and best film last night, beating Denis Villeneuve to the top prize although his sci-fi epic Dune won five other awards at the London ceremony.

Will Smith scooped the best actor prize for his portrayal of the Williams sisters’ father and tennis coach in King Richard, while Britain’s Joanna Scanlan won best actress for her widow’s role in drama After Love.

Evgeny Lebedev

9. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson must answer “serious questions” over his appointment of a Russian-born newspaper baron to the House of Lords, the opposition parties there have said.

Longstanding speculation about Johnson’s friendship with Evgeny Lebedev – whose father was a KGB officer – has revived since Russia invaded Ukraine.