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

IRELAND 

Department of Taoiseach Department of Taoiseach

• Tributes were paid to Irish actor Pat Laffan, who passed away, aged 79. 
• A man was charged with burglary over the theft of a mummified head of an 800-year-old “Crusader” knight from a church in Dublin.
• Gardaí renewed their appeal for the public’s help in finding missing 19 year-old Julianna Moore Gita.
• It was announced that one former British Army soldier is to be charged with murder over the killing of civilians in Derry on 30 January 1972.
• US President Donald Trump said he hopes to visit Ireland this year while meeting Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office in the White House.
• Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and his partner Matt Barrett were hosted by US vice president Mike Pence this morning at his residence.
• Tributes were paid to those who lost their lives in the Rescue 116 crash two years ago today.
• A man was due to appear in court after being arrested following the seizure of €2,000 worth of drugs and the discovery of more than €150,000 worth of cash in Dublin. 
• Figures showed that there has been a 17% increase in the numbers of arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs in the first two months of 2018 compared to the same period last year.
• CSO figures showed that residential property prices have risen by 5.6% nationally over the 12 months to January. 
• Gardaí arrested two people in Lisbon, Portugal in connection with the seizure of €187,000 worth of cannabis in Dunmanway. 
• An Post announced that it is to offer people who are homeless an address so they can avail of services such as making medical appointments or apply for jobs.

WORLD

Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters react outside the Houses of Parliament in London earlier after lawmakers voted to delay Brexit. Matt Dunham / PA Matt Dunham / PA / PA

#BREXIT: The House of Commons voted to back a short extension to Article 50, to push the UK’s date to exit the EU out by three months.

#TRUMP: The US Senate delivered a strong rebuke of President Donald Trump as several Republicans joined opposition Democrats in voting to terminate his declared emergency on the southern border.

#MALAYSIA: A Vietnamese woman suspected of assassinating the North Korean leader’s half-brother lost her bid for immediate release.

PARTING SHOT

Tributes have been paid to Irish actor Pat Laffan, who has passed away at the age of 79. Laffan was a well-known theatre, television and film actor who had a wide and varied career on the stage and the screen.

He is perhaps best known by the wider public for his portrayal of the milkman Pat Mustard on Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted.

And for the evening that’s in it, here he is as the milkman showing up at Craggy Island Parochial House. 

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