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

IRELAND

A blue tit on a garden wall in Dublin PA PA

• It was announced that a further 25 people diagnosed with Covid-19 in Ireland have died.
• A lorry driver from Northern Ireland pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 39 Vietnamese nationals who were found dead in the back of a truck in the UK last year.
• A threat against a journalist working for the Irish News by a dissident republican group was condemned as “disgraceful” and “disturbing”.
• New regulations giving gardaí powers to detain those who fail to abide by restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 came into effect.
• The government confirmed that 19,000 people have closed their pandemic unemployment payment because they’re still employed.
• A man was arrested in Northern Ireland in connection with the murder of Dublin criminal Robbie Lawlor.
• The charities regulator said that a statutory investigation would be carried out into Cabhru, a charity that provides older people’s housing facilities in Dublin.
• Three people were left in a serious condition in hospital after the car they were travelling in struck a house in Carlow.
• The government confirmed that higher and further education exams won’t take place in examination centres during the Covid-19 emergency.

INTERNATIONAL

Messages of support for key workers on a pavement in Cambridge in the UK PA PA

#UK A further 938 deaths from Covid-19 were recorded in the UK. 

#WHO PLEA The World Health Organization called on politicians around the world not to use the coronavirus for political point scoring.

#US ELECTION Bernie Sanders announced the suspension of his bid to become the next president of the United States.

#WUHAN Chinese authorities lifted months of restrictions in the city where the coronavirus first emerged last year.

#RIP The death of American folk singer John Prine from complications of coronavirus was announced.

PARTING SHOT

As mentioned above, US folk singer John Prine passed away following complications relating to the coronavirus yesterday.

The 73-year-old – once dubbed the “Mark Twain of American songwriting” – counted Bob Dylan, Bon Iver and Bruce Springsteen among his admirers, and had been in intensive care since last week.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.