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

IRELAND

Aidan Collins, dressed as an Irish Volunteer, and Sarah Kinlen, dressed as a member of Cuman na MBán, at the opening of An Post’s new GPO Witness History Visitor Centre in Dublin. Maxwell Photography Maxwell Photography

• Acting Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe declined to comment on a new pay scale proposed by Luas management, ahead of strikes on Easter Sunday and Monday.
• Three people were arrested after cocaine and cannabis worth €120,000 was seized in Dublin.
• A taxi driver spoke about his miraculous escape after his car exploded in Dublin city centre.
• Police in Derry charged a 24-year-old man with a total of 31 offences, including two counts of attempted murder of police officers.
• A man in his early 40s died following an accident at a factory in Naas, Co Kildare last night.
• An Irish language group defaced a Dublin City Council banner featuring John Redmond on the Bank of Ireland building at College Green.
• Gardaí appealed for the public’s help identifying a woman whose body was discovered in Sandycove, Dublin yesterday.
• A fundraising campaign has been set up by the family and friends of an Irishman who was critically injured in Guatemala last week.
• An Irish charity donated €90,000 to help palliative care patients in Uganda.
• As pubs and off-licences closed for Good Friday, we hit the streets to ask people what they think about the alcohol ban.
• The weather is not looking too good for the Easter weekend.

INTERNATIONAL

Ruben Enaje is hoisted by volunteers after he was nailed to a wooden cross during a Good Friday ritual at Cutud, Pampanga province, northern Philippines. Linus Escandor II / AP/Press Association Images Linus Escandor II / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images

#BRUSSELS: Belgian police shot a terror suspect as part of anti-terrorist raids that resulted in several arrests today.

#SYRIA: The Pentagon said Islamic State’s second-in-command was killed by US forces in Syria.

#IRAQ:  At least 30 people were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up on a football pitch as trophies were being presented after a local tournament south of Baghdad.

#PHILIPPINES: A man was nailed to a cross for the 30th time in an annual Good Friday ritual, which he dedicated to peace in Belgium and other countries targeted by Islamic extremists.

INNOVATION

• One angry programmer almost broke the internet by deleting 11 lines of code.
• After numerous delays, Microsoft finally started shipping its $22k (€19,700) Surface Hub [TechCrunch].

PARTING SHOT

Some Irish mothers took extreme measures to ensure their kids didn’t eat meat today.

Facebook / Laura Martin Facebook / Laura Martin / Laura Martin

Originally published: 8pm