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

IRELAND

The crime scene in Darndale where two people were stabbed this morning Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• Talks on government formation continued as Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party worked towards agreeing a programme for government this weekend.
• Health officials announced a further 5 deaths as a result of Covid-19, as well as 46 new cases of the virus.
• Two people were hospitalised after an early morning stabbing in Dublin.
• Citizenship campaigner Emma DeSouza expressed her interest in a possible Seanad seat.
• A man in his 20s was killed in a “tragic accident” while working on a car in Westmeath.
• Five Fine Gael MEPs called on the EU’s High Representative on Foreign Affairs to publicly condemn the excessive use of force against US citizens.
• Two people were arrested after cocaine with an estimated street value of €440,000 was seized in Clare.

INTERNATIONAL

A man approaches mounted police during a protest in London Aaron Chown / PA Aaron Chown / PA / PA

#LONDON: Five UK police officers were injured during protests held to ‘protect’ statues from anti-fascist protesters in London.

#TRUMP: US President Donald Trump said he would like to see an end to the police use of chokeholds, except in certain circumstances.

#EXPLOSION: At least ten people were killed and more than a hundred injured after an oil tanker truck exploded on a highway in China.

#LOCKDOWN: Parts of Beijing were locked down following the emergence of a new cluster of Covid-19 cases linked to a wholesale food market in the Chinese capital.

PARTING SHOT

It’s three months since Leo Varadkar’s announcement that schools, colleges and other community facilities would have to close as a result of Covid-19.

In the preceding days, Ireland looked on in mounting horror as the death toll in Italy climbed higher and higher, travel advice constantly changed, and St Patrick’s Day parades across the country were cancelled.

With the introduction of lockdowns in other European countries, it was expected that similar measures would be announced for Ireland. But no-one was sure when.

It almost seems like an age ago, but to remind you just what was happening at the time, we composed an oral history of the 24 hours that changed everything in Ireland, 12 March 2020. You can read the full thing here.