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

IRELAND

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers at a press conference about Exchequer returns RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

• The family of Damien Conlon, an Irish man who was shot dead by his fiancée’s father in Australia in 2023, have welcomed the 31-year prison sentence imposed on the man who murdered him, RTÉ reports.
• Public Expenditure Minister Chambers has said the extent of the tariffs that were announced by the US President Donald Trump has not been seen for 100 years.
• Tánaiste Simon Harris has appealed to pharmacists, the HSE and the Department of Health to have a “bit of give and take” to get the rollout of the free HRT scheme over the line. 
• Bright orange coloured African hoopoes are visiting the south coast of Ireland in record numbers, according to Irish birdwatchers. 
• A bin lorry driver who struck a pedestrian, trapping her under the wheel of his truck and leaving her needing six months of hospital treatment, had his jail sentence overturned on appeal.
• Police in Northern Ireland have launched an appeal for potential victims of Chinese serial rapist Zhenhao Zou to come forward.
• A confidential Revenue paper said a massive loophole in pensions law meant some people could wipe out all of their tax liability by transferring huge sums into a retirement saving fund.
• The Road Safety Authority is planning on opening an additional driving test centre in South Dublin.

INTERNATIONAL

A young Palestinian girl who was injured in an Israeli airstrike is brought for a treatment at the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City Alamy Alamy

#NETANYANU Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Budapest this morning following an invitation from Hungary’s Premier Victor Orban, despite an outstanding arrest warrant for his arrest from the International Criminal Court.  

#TARIFFS ON PENGUINS Trump has announced new “reciprocal” tariffs of 10% on a small collection of Antarctic islands that are not inhabited by humans, as part of a sweeping announcement to “make America wealthy again”.

#ADOLESCENCE Counterterrorism police in London have urged parents in the UK’s capital city to be aware of signs their children may be vulnerable to radicalisation and violent extremism, after the acclaimed television series Adolescence sparked a debate on the subject in recent weeks.      

PARTING SHOT

Clare Keogh Clare Keogh

Pictured above is Cork International Choral Festival artistic director Peter Stobart with members of The Wilcollane Singers, a female voice choir under the direction of Anne Dunphy.

Today they attended the launch of Cork International Choral Festival’s 70th anniversary programme.

The city of Cork will come alive with song this May bank holiday weekend, as the Cork International Choral Festival returns from 30 April to 4 May 2025.

Choirs from across Ireland and the world will come to perform in over 90 venues throughout Cork city and county.