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

IRELAND

Launch of Poetry Day Ireland which takes place next Thursday 28th April Mark Stedman Mark Stedman

• The senior civil servant in the Department of An Taoiseach said he did not have involvement in the details of the secondment arrangement of Dr Tony Holohan.
• A monthly payment of €400 for people who take Ukrainian refugees into their home is being considered by the Government. 
• An additional 2,278 cases of Covid-19 were reported in Ireland.
• Two men were arrested in connection with the fatal assault of Alan Bourke as the Limerick man was being laid to rest.
• Amazon secured the green light for a new data centre in County Meath despite opposition from An Taisce.
• Gardaí appealed for information on a serious assault of a young woman in a wooded area of west Dublin last month.
• The Court of Appeal ruled in favour of a journalist who had his phone seized by gardaí in 2018 during an investigation into an alleged violent incident at a repossessed house in Roscommon.
• The funeral of Kate Moran who died playing camogie heard she was a “beautiful young woman, blessed with so much talent and ability“.

INTERNATIONAL

A fireman carries books from the remains of a house following a Russian attack in Chernihiv, Ukraine Emilio Morenatti / AP Emilio Morenatti / AP / AP

#UKRAINE The country’s local officials accused Russia of burying up to 9,000 Ukrainian civilians to conceal the slaughter taking place in the ruined city of Mariupol.

#MADELINE MCCANN The parents of Madeline McCann said they “welcome the news” that a man has been declared an official suspect in Germany in connection with their daughter’s disappearance nearly 15 years ago.

#RWANDA The Rwandan president said the country was not “trading in human beings” when it agreed to a controversial deal allowing Britain to send migrants and asylum seekers to his country.

PARTING SHOT

With turf dominating political dealings lately, The Journal’s Explainer podcast took a look at how turf is formed, its history in Ireland, how burning it can impact the environment – and how turf can also be used to benefit the environment. 

Have a listen here.