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

IRELAND

Leo Varadkar walks down the steps of Government Buildings Dublin before addressing the public Leon Farrell / RollingNews.ie Leon Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• The Taoiseach has announced that restrictions on the public’s movement and gatherings to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 will remain in place for several weeks.
• The government also published a road-map outlining how it intends to lift restrictions between now and August. 
• Earlier, health officials confirmed a further 34 more deaths from Covid-19 in Ireland, and 221 new confirmed cases of the virus.
• Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed confirmed that there are six coronavirus clusters at meat processing plants across the country.
• Aer Lingus announced it would seek to cut up to 20% of its workforce. Ryanair also said it could cut up to 3,000 jobs.
• A war of words between the deputy leaders of the Green Party and Fine Gael erupted over the Greens’ demand for a 7% annual reduction in carbon tax as a condition for entering government.
• A third person died after being found in a critical condition at a Tullamore hostel earlier this week.
• A man in his 40s died in a suspected stabbing in Co Wexford.
• RTÉ received dozens of pieces of negative feedback from members of the public over the broadcast of the new TV show Normal People.

INTERNATIONAL

Coronavirus related graffiti on a wall in Glasgow PA PA

#ALLEGATION US Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden denied a former staffer’s allegation of sexual assault, saying the accusation is “not true”.

#ROYAL LAWSUIT The publisher of the Mail on Sunday won the first High Court skirmish in Meghan Markle’s claim against it over publication of a “private and confidential” letter to her estranged father

#STABBING Five people have reportedly been taken to hospital today after a stabbing spree at a shopping centre Australia’s northwestern Pilbara region.

#CORONAVIRUS UN Secretary General António Guterres has said that the Covid-19 pandemic was worsened by a lack of cooperation between countries.

PARTING SHOT

The UK might have Captain Tom Moore, but Ireland now has its own version.

Step forward Kathleen Lynch from Blackrock, who’s also been marking a milestone birthday by attempting to raise money for charity: