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

IRELAND

Zookeeper Tara O’Broin at Dublin Zoo’s penguin habitat. From 28 March to 12 April, Dublin Zoo is inviting visitors to take part in the Great Penguin Eggventure Trail for a chance to win a lifetime pass. Patrick Bolger Photography Patrick Bolger Photography

• Cuts to excise duty on petrol and diesel will come into effect from midnight after the Dáil voted through the Government’s €250m package of emergency measures.
• A man who died following a house fire at a property in Edenderry this morning has been named locally as the brother of Mary Holt, who was killed alongside her four-year-old grandnephew Tadhg Farrell in a fatal fire at the same property in December.
• Gardaí this morning arrested three men on suspicion of the attempted murder of a woman in her 40s who was set on fire at a house in Clondalkin last November.
• Thousands of sleep and respiratory care devices were recalled in Ireland due to a defect related to foam inside them, The Journal Investigates revealed.
• Gardaí seized €110,000 of cannabis in a “controlled delivery” to an employee at the offices of Bauer Media in Dublin city centre – the company which runs Newstalk and Today FM.
• A man who subjected his six children to “terrible cruelty”, which included repeatedly locking one of them in a chest freezer, was jailed for nine years and two months.
• A man in his 70s died in a road incident in Ballinrush, Kilworth, Co. Cork yesterday morning. 
• In the latest figures published by Revenue, it was confirmed that 1.9 million properties have made their Local Property Tax returns and payments, while around 390,000 properties have their returns outstanding.
• The Supreme Court heard that asylum seekers are a “uniquely vulnerable class of people” whose rights the State has an obligation to meet upon their arrival to Ireland.
• Leitrim was found to have the highest level of vacant residential properties at the end of 2024, with a rate over eight times higher than that of south county Dublin.
• Smyths Toys issued recall notices for various “Dig” products due to concerns that sand within the toy may contain asbestos.
• Graham Norton and Philippa Dunne are among the Irish nominees at this year’s Bafta television awards.
• Over half of Irish drivers saw their insurance premiums increase in the last year, according to a new report.
• The number of illegal or fake weight-loss drugs seized by the Health Products Regulatory Authority last year increased by 30%.
• ‘You live for these moments’: Irish fans descended on Dublin Airport to begin pilgrimage to Prague for the World Cup play-off with Czechia.

INTERNATIONAL

A residential apartment damaged in an Israeli airstrike is seen in Bchamoun, about 10 kilometers southeast of Beirut. Alamy Live News. Alamy Live News.

#MIDDLE EAST: Pakistan’s prime minister Shehbaz Sharif said Islamabad is prepared to host negotiations to stop the US-Israeli war with Iran, after mounting speculation it could act as a mediator.

#DAMAGES: Bill Cosby was found liable for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in 1972 by a civil jury, who have awarded the woman $19.25m in damages.

#AUSTRALIA: The EU and Australia struck a long-awaited free-trade deal, while also agreeing to boost defence cooperation and access to rare earth minerals.

#RIP: Married at First Sight relationship coach Mel Schilling died aged 54, weeks after announcing that doctors could no longer treat her cancer.

PARTING SHOT

Mohamed Salah. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Liverpool confirmed Mohamed Salah will depart the club at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old arrived at Anfield from Roma in 2017 and has made 435 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 255 goals.

A statement on the official Liverpool website said Salah had “reached an agreement with the Reds that will see him close a remarkable nine-year chapter at Anfield”.

“Salah expressed his wish to make this announcement to the supporters at the earliest possible opportunity to provide transparency about his future due to his respect and gratitude for them.”

In a video featuring highlights of his time with Liverpool posted on X, Salah said: “Hello everyone. Unfortunately, the day has come.

“This is the first part of my farewell. I will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

“Leaving is never easy. You gave me the best time of my life. I will be always one of you. This club will always be my home, to me and to my family.

“Thank you for everything. Because of all of you, I will never walk alone.”