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

IRELAND

Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien at the launch of Threshold's Own Your Rights 2023 campaign in central Dublin Peter Houlihan / RollingNews.ie Peter Houlihan / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• A man in his 50s has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Tina Satchwell, after human remains were found at her former home in Youghal, Co Cork. 
• A DUP MP has called on the GAA to “up their game” and for the Irish government to “pony up” around €35 million if Casement Park in Belfast is to be redeveloped.
• Former president Mary Robinson has said Israel is in “serious breach” of international law with its “indiscriminate” bombings of Gaza.
• A man who is reportedly from Ireland has told of his grief after finding out that his daughter was dead following Hamas attacks on the Beeri Kibbutz.
• RTÉ needs to get a government bailout and make significant cuts by spring or it will be insolvent, Director General Kevin Bakhurst has said.
• A man has been found guilty of the murder of 24-year-old father to be Conor Quinn who died after he sustained a stab wound to the chest in Co Cork in 2018. 
• Gardaí seized nine mobile phones during a search of the home of an Irish celebrity accused of engaging in sexual acts with a teenage girl, a court has heard.
• Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have information on the 1971 murders of Una Lynskey and Martin Kerrigan.
• The Charities Regulatory Authority has appointed inspectors to carry out an investigation into the Peter McVerry Trust.

INTERNATIONAL 

Palestinians inspect the rubble of buildings hit by an Israeli airstrike at Al Shati Refugee Camp Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#ISRAEL-HAMAS: At least 150 Israelis and foreigners – including soldiers, civilians, children and women – have been held hostage in the Gaza Strip since Hamas’s attack on Israel on Saturday.

#SYCAMORE: The famous Sycamore Gap tree in the UK that was wrongly chopped down two weeks ago is set to be removed from its site at Hadrian’s Wall.

#SINGAPORE: Ex-Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has been spared jail time after admitting to fraud to the UK government earlier today.

#CAPTAIN TOM: The daughter of Captain Tom Moore has admitted her family kept profits from three books he had written.

PARTING SHOT

In Budget 2024, we saw the biggest change to the USC in years, with the 4.5% rate cut to 4%.

In what’s dubbed the “much-hated USC”, the tax on income has been at the forefront of many debates on taxation in Ireland for a number of years.

In this week’s episode of The Explainer podcast, we talk to Barra Roantree, assistant professor of economics at Trinity College Dublin about the history of the USC and how it works in the broader taxation system in Ireland. He also gives us his first reactions to the new measures to Budget 2024.

https://soundcloud.com/the-explainer-podcast/irelands-usc