GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
Fatal assault
1. Police in Northern Ireland have charged a man with the murder of a woman in Limerick on Tuesday.
The woman has been formally identified as 26-year-old Geila Ibram from Romania.
Eviction ban
2. Property and housing experts have questioned the resourcing and “lack of detail” around a heavily-promoted scheme to prevent tenants losing their homes.
A number of local authorities have told The Journal that they’ve seen an “exponential increase” in the number of queries from tenants since the lifting of the eviction ban was announced by the Government, with some flagging that they need more staff to manage the scheme.
Inspections
3. Inspections on permanent asylum seeker accommodation centres will be carried out by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) before the end of the year, the Integration Minister has said.
The inspections are to ensure that centres are adhering to the National Standards, which require accommodation centres to be safe, with adequate facilities for residents.
Tensions
4. China has launched military drills around Taiwan in what it called a “stern warning” to the self-ruled island’s government following a meeting between its president and the US House speaker.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen Tsai immediately denounced the drills, pledging to work with “the US and other like-minded countries” in the face of “continued authoritarian expansionism”.
Near escape
5. Three trees by the seventeenth tee at Augusta National were felled amid a thunderstorm that forced the suspension of play on the second day of the Masters golf tournament.
The Masters confirmed that nobody was injured and play was suspended for the rest of the day, with the second round due to be completed this morning.
25 years on
6. Commemoration events to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement took place across the island of Ireland yesterday.
Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams were among those to address a ceremony at Stormont.
Murder investigation
7. Gardaí have issued an appeal for information following a fatal assault on a 69-year-old man in Cork.
A murder investigation has been launched following the results of a post mortem.
Russia
8. Moscow has formally charged US journalist Evan Gershkovich with espionage, Russian news agencies reported today, noting that he had denied the accusations.
The arrest of Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal correspondent, prompted an outcry from media outlets and rights groups, as well as government officials in Washington.
RIP
9. S Club 7 singer Paul Cattermole has died “unexpectedly” at the age of 46, his family and the pop group announced.
The singer, who weeks ago was confirmed to be part of an upcoming 25th anniversary tour, was found dead on Thursday afternoon at this home in Dorset.
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