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

IRELAND

Sculpture Dublin Programme Director Karen Downey with Artist Alan Butler and Lord Mayor of Dublin Alison Gilliland in Smithfield Dublin to reveal Alan Butler’s ‘Smithfield Utah’. Sasko Lazarov Sasko Lazarov

• Health officials confirmed 1,578 new cases of Covid here.
• Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the Government is considering extending the use of the Covid pass, mask wearing and social distancing beyond the 22 October.
• A former garda has been jailed for three months for attacking his partner while high on cocaine.
• Gardaí received approximately 43,500 calls to respond to domestic abuse incidents in 2020, a 17% increase on the previous year, according to the force’s annual report for last year.
• The INTO called for the immediate reintroduction of student Covid testing as school was closed after an outbreak.
• Tributes were paid to to poets Máire Mhac an tSaoi and Brendan Kennelly who passed away on Sunday.
• A litter survey has shown that the majority of the country’s towns have cleaned up their act over the past 12 months but litter in cities has worsened to levels “not seen in ten years”.

THE WORLD

Colin Powell died aged 84 of Covid-19 complications. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#UK: The trial of a man charged with endangering the safety of an aircraft which crashed and killed Argentinian footballer Emiliano Sala began today.

#USA: One person was killed and another seven injured at a US university shooting early yesterday, just days after another firearm incident at the same school left one dead.

#RIP: Elvis drummer Ronnie Tutt died aged 83.

PARTING SHOT 

There’s not much else to say except for this: Ah, here! (Click here if the tweet is not showing below)

Roy Ferris went to view a two-bed apartment in the Griffith Wood development in Dublin city and was told he had to pay "PET RENT" for his two cats.

He was told he would have to pay €75 per animal per month. #Liveline @joeliveline (Image: Getty) pic.twitter.com/HJ6I6yfYI9

— Liveline (@rteliveline) October 18, 2021