LAST UPDATE | 17 Feb 2022

GOOD MORNING.

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

1. #DIRECT PROVISION: In our lead story this morning, Brianna Parkins reports that National Gallery of Ireland staff have expressed “deep distress” over management awarding catering services to a company which also manages Direct Provision centres.

Aramark, an American corporation, operates three Direct Provision centres for the State in Cork, Clare and Westmeath and has commercial interests in the US prison system.

2. #STORM: Severe winds will hit tonight as Storm Eunice sweeps across Ireland. Met Éireann is forecasting challenging and disruptive conditions tomorrow due to very strong winds, heavy rain and snow.

3. #UKRAINE: Russia has added as many as 7,000 troops near the Ukraine border in recent days, contrary to claims by President Vladimir Putin that troops would be pulled back from the region, a senior US administration official has claimed.

4. #NPHET: Public health experts are meeting today to discuss mask wearing, “the most appropriate use of testing going forward” as well as the rules relating to self-isolation and restricted movements. 

5. #LIMERICK: The funeral of a boy who died in a head-on collision while driving alone in his mother’s car will take place today.

Wiktor Chojecki (12) from Newcastle West, Co Limerick, died when the Nissan Qashqai he was driving collided head-on with a lorry just outside the village of Adare around 2am last Friday.

6. #INDIA: Thirteen women and girls died after accidentally falling down a well during marriage celebrations in northern India, police said today.

The victims were sitting on an iron slab covering the well yesterday when it gave way, senior police officer Akhil Kumar told reporters in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh state.

7. #GERMANY: Germany’s leaders have announced plans to end most of the country’s coronavirus restrictions by 20 March, a decision that coincided with moves by neighbouring Austria and Switzerland to drop many of their curbs sooner.

8. #MISSING PERSON: An appeal has been made to help find a missing teenager from Co Kildare. Chloe Daly (17) went missing from Newbridge, Co. Kildare on Tuesday night.

9. #CANADA: Canadian rescuers have ended a search for survivors from a Spanish fishing trawler that sank off Canada’s east coast in bad weather, after pulling three out of 24 crew from the Atlantic ocean.