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

IRELAND

14-year-old disability campaigner Cara Darmody began a 50-hour protest outside Leinster House over the Government’s failure to deliver assessments of needs on time. RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

• A specialist search team from the Irish Army was called in to help gardaí hunt for clues in the Michael Gaine investigation.
• Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the HSE is “not in a position to fulfil the law right now” when it comes to meeting the statutory six-month timeline for providing assessments of needs for children with disabilities.
• RTÉ requested a breakdown of the public vote element of Saturday night’s Eurovision final.
• Gardaí couldn’t find the clothes Jozef Puska wore when he murdered Ashling Murphy because his sisters-in-law had burned them, the Central Criminal Court heard. 
• Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne likened the “out of control” housing market to ‘The Hunger Games’ such is the fierce competition for homes.
• Richard Satchwell‘s murder trial heard that his wife Tina’s cause of death could not be determined due to the skeletal nature of her remains after they were found buried beneath her Cork home. 
• HIQA flagged fault with multiple accommodation providers for international protection applicants after inspecting seven centres nationwide.
• Organisations can now submit projects to be included in a cross-country celebration of a millennium since the birth of William the Conqueror.
• Bam Civil, the construction firm that is currently building the National Children’s Hospital in Dublin, will secure a €456m contract to build Cork’s newest motorway this week.
• Dublin councillors will consider a proposal tomorrow to close another city centre lane over what has been described as “serious anti-social behaviour” and drug use.

INTERNATIONAL

Trucks loaded with humanitarian aid for Gaza are seen at the Kerem Shalom Crossing in southern Israel. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#GAZA: The United Nations said it received permission to send some 100 trucks of aid into Gaza, as humanitarian assistance trickled back into the territory.

#INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE: The Tánaiste welcomed a review of the EU’s trade ties with Israel amid the alleged human rights abuses in Gaza, while the UK suspended trade deal talks with Israel and summoned the country’s ambassador.

#SYRIA: The EU agreed to lift all their remaining economic sanctions on Syria in a bid to help the war-torn country recover after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad.

#DEATH PENALTY: A man was executed in Indiana for the murder of a police officer in 2000, one of three executions to be carried out in the United States this week.

PARTING SHOT

Billy Alexander makes it three in a row with gold medal at RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

An Irish horticulturalist won his third gold medal at the world famous Chelsea Flower Show in London.

Billy Alexander, the owner of Kells Bay Gardens in Co Kerry, was awarded a gold medal by the judging panel at the prestigious event for his fern collection.