Today is the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. The Irish Times has a stark piece on the practice.

Highland Radio features the upcoming industrial action by CE supervisors and assistant supervisors in Donegal. Fórsa members are due to strike on Monday February 18th

The main representative body for psychologists is highlighting what it says are, serious gaps within HSE services ranging from children's services all the way to the over-65s. A spokesperson for the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) said current resource gaps were being exacerbated by issues in recruitment, contributing to long waiting times for families to access services.

Also in health news family doctors are due to stage a national protest in Dublin today calling for better investment in the GP care system. The National Association of GPs who has approximately 2,000 members said it expected around 500 GPs to attend the event outside the Dáil.

The Psychiatric Nurses Association is escalating its industrial action from today. Yesterday, PNA members staged a daytime overtime ban, and today and tomorrow the overtime ban will run through the night as well.

In Brexit news British Prime Minister Theresa May is due to hold talks on Brexit with Northern Ireland's main political parties today. She is expected to meet the DUP and Sinn Féin among others. Yesterday, Mrs May said her commitment to avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland is "unshakeable". The Guardian features an interesting opinion piece from an anonymous civil servant who worrying states: "I'm a civil servant. Trust me, we're nowhere near ready for no-deal Brexit".

Finally this morning our zen is an ode to the 80s. Rick Astley,the singer who had the 1987 UK & US No.1 single 'Never Gonna Give You Up' was born on this day in 1966.