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

IRELAND

Waves in Doolin in Co Clare today Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

• Wind and rain warnings are in place as Storm Franklin hits Ireland.
• A number of surrogate babies born in Ukraine came back to Ireland today, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney confirmed.
• A 19-year-old man was killed in a single-vehicle crash in Co Cork this morning.
• Revenue is set to purchase two new patrol boats which will be used, in part, to expand the service’s ability to tackle drug smuggling and other seaborne criminal activities.
• Tributes were paid to DUP MLA Christopher Stalford, who passed away suddenly aged 39.
• The HSE renewed its appeal to parents to register children aged 5 to 11 years for a Covid-19 vaccine as it opened up online booking for this age cohort.
• The bad weather forced the abandonment of GAA games and racing fixtures due to take place today.

WORLD

Over 40,000 residents of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republic have arrived in Russia's Rostov-on-Don Region Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#UKRAINE: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russia remains “on the brink” of invading Ukraine, but promised that President Joe Biden was ready to talk to Putin and that Washington would seek a diplomatic solution until Russian “tanks are actually rolling”.

#BRITAIN: Queen Elizabeth has contracted Covid-19, Buckingham Palace confirmed.

#AUSTRALIA: Australia is set to open international borders to all vaccinated tourists tomorrow, nearly two years after the island nation first imposed some of the world’s strictest Covid-19 travel restrictions.

#UK: Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he “can’t comment about a process that is under way” when asked if he would resign if he is found to have broken lockdown laws.

PARTING SHOT

To mark the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, here are flagbearer Thomas Maloney Westgaard and Bubba Newby at today’s closing ceremony. Well done, Team Ireland!

Representing our small and fabulous team in the closing ceremony are two #TeamIreland athletes - flagbearer Thomas Maloney Westgaard, and Bubba Newby who was the flagbearer in the #Pyeongchang2018 closing ceremony four years ago 🇮🇪 #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/8jBmuOOsVp

— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) February 20, 2022