Ukraine talks
Further talks between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators to ease the crisis are expected today, as Ukrainian media reported two powerful explosions in the capital Kyiv.
The Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland Larysa Gerasko has said that while talks continue in the hope of finding a peaceful solution “we will never forget, and we will never forgive”.
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe meanwhile said he expected to see further sanctions by the European Union against Russia in the coming days.
In regional newspapers across Ireland, locals have shared their stories of fleeing the war-torn country.
It comes as a Ukrainian man who visited Ireland as part of the Chernobyl Project has reunited with his Irish "family" after nearly two decades.
Covid hospitalisations
Public health officials in Ireland are planning to “reboot” messaging around Covid-19 protection in response to rapidly rising hospitalisations with the virus.
There were 1,047 people in hospital with Covid-19 as of Tuesday morning, after hospitalisations surpassed 1,000 patients for the third time during the pandemic on Monday.
Over 30 per cent of Covid-19 cases currently in hospital are unvaccinated, though this group represents less than five per cent of the overall population.
It comes as the positivity rate of PCR testing has increased to 36.3 per cent, while antigen tests are now identifying the bulk of new cases amid the scaling-back of the test and trace system.
Clare collision
A motorcyclist, aged in his late 30s, has died in a road traffic collision in Co Clare.
The incident occurred at approximately 4.05pm on the northbound carriageway of the N18, between the Bunratty and Sixmilebridge junctions.
It is understood the motorcycle collided with a car travelling in the same direction. The driver of the car and four passengers were uninjured and did not require medical attention, gardaí said.
Efforts to resuscitate the injured man were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
