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

Those who knew the late Tom O’Gorman, who stabbed to death at his home over the weekend, light candles for him at a memorial service for him at St Teresa’s Church in Dublin tonight. (Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)

IRELAND

• The Department of Education said the use of withdrawal rooms for autistic children is to be reviewed
• Irish Water appeared before an Oireachtas committee and said it will spend €86 million on consultants
• Questions were raised by Fianna Fáil over the transparency of Irish Water
• The government pledged €12.5 billion to agriculture over the next seven years
• Former Fine Gael junior minister Jim O’Keefe was appointed to the board of the Standards in Public Office Commission
• The HSE said that it will not meet growing demand this year
• 68 jobs were saved shoe retailer Carl Scarpa exited examinership – but two stores will close
• Gardaí seized €100,000 worth of cannabis at a house in County Clare
• Irish Rail and the NBRU both said that a strike is “not inevitable”
• A school in Dundrum, Dublin, called on the Department of Education to find it a home – just seven months before it is due to open
• A Monaghan dog pound called for help in saving nine dogs from being put to sleep

INTERNATIONAL

Coronation Street star Bill Roache leaves Preston Crown Court with his children James (far left), Linus (second left) and Verity (second right). (Martin Rickett/PA photo)

#CORRIE: Coronation Street actor William Roache appeared in court today, charged with sexual offences involving girls under the age of 16. 81-year-old Roache, who plays Ken Barlow on the soap, has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

#SWINE FLU: An elderly man has died of swine flu in Spain, officials in Zaragoza have confirmed. Another 43 people have tested positive for the disease, it was confirmed.

#REFUGEES: At least 200 people have drowned while attempting to flee South Sudan. The refugees were on board an overcrowded boat in the White Nile, attempting to flee fresh outbreaks of violence in the city of Malakal.

#YEWTREE: Rolf Harris today denied a host of allegations of indecent assault in a court appearance. The 83-year-old entertainer is due to go on trial on 30 April, but entered not guilty pleas at a preliminary hearing in London.

INNOVATION

• Late last night, Google announced they were shelling out $3.2 billion on Nest Labs, a smart devices company. But why? [TheJournal.ie]
• It’s important to know who your neighbours are. Which is why these amazing images taken by the Hubble Telescope of a nebula in a neighbouring galaxy are so impressive. [Geek.com]
• This is a real innovation. No longer will elastic bands rule the world. Make way for elastic cubes. [Gizmodo]

PARTING SHOT

A farmer works on a field as Mount Sinabung erupts in Perteguhan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. The volcano has sporadically erupted since September, forcing thousands of people who live around it slopes to flee their homes. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)

Can’t see the photo? Click here.

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