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

IRELAND

Women for Election (WfE) confirms that the upcoming general election will see 248 women running. This is the largest ever number of women contesting for seats and is a 53% increase on the number of women who ran in the 2020 general election. Pictured are female candidates in the upcoming General Election outside the Dáil in Dublin today. Paul Sharp SHARPPIX Paul Sharp SHARPPIX

• Fine Gael is to slash taxes by €7 billion over its five years while vastly spending funds on housing, childcare and permanent cost-of-living measures, the party’s manifesto today revealed.
• An Post to begin an immediate investigation after a large number of election leaflets were found thrown into a residential bin in Cabra.
• Fine Gael leader and Taoiseach Simon Harris and Justice Minister Helen McEntee have defended Louth general election candidate John McGahon, saying he has the support of the party, after images emerged of the injuries sustained by a man he was involved in an altercation with in 2018.
• The funeral details for the much-loved comedian and actor Jon Kenny, known for his role in comedy duo D’Unbelievables among other roles, have been announced. 
• Labour has promised to introduce pay-related maternity leave in its general election manifesto launched earlier today, which seeks to use the wealth in Ireland to tackle ongoing issues around the country.
• Tributes are being paid to a man (21) who was fatally injured following a two-car crash in Cork on Friday evening.
• Support has risen for Sinn Féin since the general election campaign kicked off, with Fianna Fáil also rising slightly and Fine Gael dropping slightly, according to a new opinion poll.

INTERNATIONAL

President Joe Biden arrives on Air Force One at Manaus-Eduardo Gomes International Airport in Manaus, Brazil, today. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#UKRAINE: US President Joe Biden has authorised Ukraine to use long-range American missiles against military targets inside Russia, according to US media reports.

#LEBANON: A UNIFIL patrol involving French and Finnish peacekeepers in Lebanon faced a denial of freedom of movement from a group of individuals, with at least one of them armed, UNIFIL said today.

#BEIRUT: An Israeli air strike on central Beirut has killed Hezbollah’s chief spokesman, an official with the militant group said.

PARTING SHOT

Gerry Hutch speaking to the Crime World with Nicola Tallant podcast. The Sunday World The Sunday World

AMID THE POST-MORTEM engulfing Democrats in the United States to their defeat in the presidential election, one name has been consistently repeated: Joe Rogan.

The debate has fluctuated between ‘where is the liberal Joe Rogan?’ to ‘Why didn’t Kamala Harris just go on Joe Rogan?’. 

There seems to be little debate that the podcast, which is by many measures the most popular in the United States, played a role in Donald Trump’s decisive victory. 

If the recent US presidential election has in some places been called the ‘influencer election’, there is evidence that Irish politicians have been paying attention.  

You can read more about election candidates’ – including (but not limited to) Simon Harris, Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch, and Holly Cairns – flock to podcasts in the run-up to the election here.