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

IRELAND

Gardaí do checks as part of Operation Fanacht in Longford Lorraine O'Sullivan / Sharppix Lorraine O'Sullivan / Sharppix / Sharppix

• Health officials confirmed another 31 deaths and 376 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
• Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that Ireland’s response to the Covid-19 crisis is “not there yet” and that the number of patients in ICU is not low enough to ease restrictions on 5 May.
• Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael responded to correspondence from the Green Party about the possible formation of a new government.
• The government announced that plans to hold a school-based version of the Junior Cert have been cancelled.
• The Department of Health published the full governance structure of the National Public Health Emergency Team following concerns last week around its transparency and accountability.
• Debenhams workers staged protests in ten locations around the country ahead of the Irish branch’s liquidation hearing in the High Court tomorrow.
• A report from the Garda Ombusman revealed that a member of the force was sanctioned after they failed to investigate a complaint over the sexual assault of a minor in a timely fashion.
• A 40-year-old man facing extradition to the UK relating to the deaths of 39 Vietnamese migrants last year was described in court as the “ringleader” of a criminal gang.
• Gardaí said that a file will be sent to the DPP over alleged breaches of Covid-19 regulations by supporters of a legal challenge at the Four Courts in Dublin yesterday and at a hearing last week.

INTERNATIONAL

Maggie the giraffe stands with a sign showing support for the NHS in London Zoo Dominic Lipinski / PA Images Dominic Lipinski / PA Images / PA Images

#UNMASKED US Vice President Mike Pence drew criticism for not wearing a face mask during a tour of the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, despite the facility’s policy requiring them.

#NO FLY ZONE Airbus’ chief executive said the company was being hit by “the gravest crisis the aerospace industry has ever known”.

#NEW ARRIVAL Boris Johnson’s fiancée Carrie Symonds gave birth to a baby boy, it was announced.

#CLOSE ENCOUNTER An asteroid more than a mile wide passed by Earth.

PARTING SHOT

You don’t need to be reminded that we’re going through some trying times at the moment. It isn’t easy being cooped up at home, not able to see our friends and loved ones.

However, one Dublin-based photographer has been looking to make the most of it and documenting what’s happening.

Every night, Ruth Medjber heads out with her camera and visits neighbours in her area to capture them standing in their front windows at twilight. The results are pretty stunning: