LAST UPDATE | 25 Mar

GOOD MORNING.

Here’s all the news you need to know as you start your day.

On your bike

1. People whose bikes have been stolen in Dublin say that they have been left frustrated by the lack of garda response – even when the victims can pinpoint exactly where their stolen bikes are.

One man who spoke to The Journal’s Sophie Finn whose bike was stolen last week said he gave the location of his bike to gardaí, but still hasn’t gotten his bike back.

At the pumps

2. Fuel prices are expected to drop from today at forecourts across the country, as an excise duty cut on petrol and diesel comes into effect.

The cut – 20c per litre on diesel and 15c on petrol – came into effect at midnight. It does not apply to existing stock at forecourts but only to new fuel arriving to the consumer-facing stations from depots. 

Thorny issue

3. The Catholic Church in Africa said it will not baptise people in polygamous relationships and that polygamists will have to “commit to monogamous marriage before receiving baptism”.

Child of Prague

4. In an Irish pub in Prague, 77-year-old Frankie Murrin is one of many Irish people who has made his way over for tomorrow’s match.

Speaking to The 42‘s David Sneyd, Murrin laughed: “In Killybegs I’m known as the manager who first played Seamie Coleman in a game… but I’m also known as the man who didn’t pick him for the Under-12s.”

Middle East

5. The Trump administration has offered a 15-point ceasefire plan to Iran, according to a person briefed on the contours of the proposal, even as the US military is preparing to call up at least 1,000 more troops to supplement some 50,000 troops already in the region.

Liverpool

6. Liverpool confirmed that Mohamed Salah will depart the club at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old arrived at Anfield from Roma in 2017 and has made 435 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 255 goals.

LaGuardia Airport

7. US officials played down speculation that distracted air traffic controllers might have contributed to a deadly collision between an Air Canada jet and a fire truck at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

Two pilots were killed in the runway crash late Sunday, which crushed the cockpit of the Bombardier plane and heavily damaged the emergency vehicle.

Stormont

8. Northern Ireland is set to become the first part of the UK or Ireland to offer paid leave to parents affected by miscarriage.

The new entitlement will include the right to two weeks of paid leave and is set to come into effect from 6 April.

Bring them home

9. In the British Museum, there are 1,297 Irish artefacts and relics, and 6,445 Irish items including prints, letters, and coins.

Many of these artefacts were acquired legitimately – but calls for them to be returned to Ireland persist. Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe continued those calls today.