LAST UPDATE | 27 Apr 2020

EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you all the news you need to know as you start the day.

1. #COVID-19: Health officials have confirmed that a further 26 patients have died as a result of Covid-19 in Ireland and announced 701 new cases. 

2. #RESTRICTIONS: A survey of 35,000 people has found that 50% of people back the lifting of the 2km restriction on movement. 

3. #CYCLING: The first part of our Noteworthy colleagues’ investigation reveals high risk areas for cyclists in its analysis of 12 years of collision data. 

4. #SCAM: People have been warned not to fall for online scams amid a recent increase in reports of extortion attempts.

5. #NEW ZEALAND: The country is preparing to ease rules on a strict lockdown put in place to limit the spread of Covid-19. 

6. #ITALY: Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has set out plans to ease Europe’s longest lockdown after Italy recorded its lowest daily death toll since mid-March. 

7. #KIM JONG-UN: The North Korean leader is “alive and well”, a top security adviser to the South’s President Moon Jae-in has said, downplaying rumours over Kim’s health following his absence from a key anniversary.

8. #DOWNING STREET: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will return to work today to take charge of the UK government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.

9. #INISHOWEN: A border community is “angry and frustrated” that Covid-19 restrictions cannot be enforced on day trippers from Northern Ireland, a public representative said.