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

IRELAND

Nuala Gillick and Aideen Byrne in Dublin City centre today, as the first in-person Daffodil Day since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic takes place to raise funds for the Irish Cancer Society. Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

• Dr Tony Holohan is stepping down as the country’s Chief Medical Officer to take up a new role at Trinity College Dublin.
• The PSNI are investigating whether the UVF was behind today’s security threat in Belfast that caused Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney to be evacuated to safety.
• Over 6,000 people who have fled Ukraine have been accommodated in Ireland since February. 
• Britain’s Prince Charles told a gathering in Tipperary that the name of murdered school teacher Ashling Murphy will not be forgotten after meeting her family.
• A Condition Orange forest fire warning was issued by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine as warm weather is expected this weekend.
• A hospital consultants group warned that hospitals across the country are facing increasing pressure as 19,886 new cases of Covid-19 were reported. 
• A prominent barrister who was remanded in custody when he was charged with the murder of a father of four in a fatal shooting on farmland last month appealed a decision by the High Court not to grant him bail.
• There were over 9,000 people accessing emergency accommodation in February, as homeless charities say rising rents and inflation are pushing people into homelessness.
• Energia announced that both electricity and gas customers will face increases in their bills from next month. 
• Hundreds of people gathered for protests across the island of Ireland today as part of a global climate strike.

INTERNATIONAL

A woman sweeps in front of her house, fragments of a Russian rocket in the foreground, following a Russian attack in Kharkiv. Efrem Lukatsky / PA Efrem Lukatsky / PA / PA

#UKRAINE: Russia declared the ‘first stage’ of its military campaign to be over as US President Joe Biden met US troops of the 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Jasionka near the Polish-Ukrainian border.

#OLD BAILEY: An alleged terrorist told police MP David Amess suspected a Brass Eye-style “sting” before he launched a frenzied knife attack.

#SAUDI ARABIA: A fire raged at an oil depot in the Saudi city of Jiddah ahead of a Formula One race there.

PARTING SHOT

Over 200 young people will tackle a wide range of issues under the theme of equality at Ireland’s Dáil na nÓg at Dublin’s Convention Centre tomorrow.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the biennial event which aims to platform the voices of young people on the issues which matter most to them.

Pictured are Jessica Moffitt, Sophie Mullett, Prachi Agrawal, Shannon NiFhalluin, Marliatou Bah, Adam Foley, Jack Leahy. Picture by Jason Clarke Picture by Jason Clarke