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

Ireland

People entering Dublin Airport this morning RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

• 21,302 cases of Covid-19 were reported, as 884 people are in hospital and 90 in ICU.
• The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) and a company that makes antigen tests are to investigate claims that some of their tests return false positives.
• Pressure due to rising hospitalisations may lead to the cancellation of elective procedures, says HSE Chief Executive Paul Reid.
• Schools are to reopen on Thursday after safety measures are deemed “effective and appropriate” following a meeting between Education Minister Norma Foley and education stakeholders.
• Free antigen tests can be provided to symptomatic under-40s under a new scheme from the HSE.
• Developers have scaled back the plans for a hotel over the Cobblestone pub in Dublin to ensure that the pub’s important cultural offering remains intact.
• Union officials have hit out at the term ‘absenteeism’ being used to describe workers who are out of work due to Covid-19.
• Over €40,000 has been raised in two days for a teenager who was attacked in Ballyfermot last Thursday, as Gardaí issue an additional appeal for witnesses.

International

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, is seen driving near Windsor Castle. November 2021. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#PRINCE ANDREW Lawyers representing the royal have pressed a New York judge to dismiss a sexual assault lawsuit brought against Andrew, saying that he was protected by a previous confidential settlement that his accuser signed in 2009.

#NEVERMIND A California judge has dismissed a case by Spencer Elden, the man photographed as a baby for Nirvana’s Nevermind album, after he sued the band for sexual exploitation

#NEW YEARS BABIES Twins who were born as the New Year rang in in California share the same parents but have different years of birth due to being born 15 minutes apart, with one baby being born as the clock struck midnight.

Parting Shot

It’s starting to get a bit cold, isn’t it?

Forecasts from Met Éireann show that the weather is set to get colder over the next few nights, with lows going all the way down to -3 degrees.

The forecaster has also issued a Status Yellow low temperature and ice warning, which kicked in at 7pm tonight and is set to last until 10am tomorrow