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

IRELAND

Fota Whildlife Park has welcomed five new baby ring-tailed lemurs Darragh Kane Photography Darragh Kane Photography

• The number of children under 17 receiving support under a Tusla-led programme for sexually harmful behaviour has increased by more than 40% in the last year, The Journal Investigates found. 
• A whistleblower in the ‘Grace’ case said he told Simon Harris to shut down the Farrelly Commission in 2019, stating that in his view, it was a “complete waste of time”.
• Pharmacists told The Journal that they will not be able to sign up to the scheme making Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) products free for women in June because it is not sustainable for them. 
• Property prices in Ireland are nearly 20% higher than at the peak of the pre-crash bubble in 2007, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
• The new interconnector linking electricity between Ireland and Wales began operations today in Co Wexford.
• Finance Minister Jack Chambers said there is “too much tolerance” for housing objections based on the “character” of an area.
• Commissions of inquiry are “not suitable” for investigating safeguarding concerns due to significant thresholds relating to evidence, the Irish Association for Social Workers said.
• Irish special forces soldiers carried out an exercise in a shopping centre in Kildare. 

INTERNATIONAL

Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Putrajaya, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#EU: The European Union published a list of seven countries it considers “safe”, in a bid to speed up migrant returns by making it harder for citizens of those nations to claim asylum in Europe.

#PALESTINE The Israeli military announced today that it has taken over 30% of the Gaza Strip in Palestine, calling the seized territory a “buffer zone” and promising to keep troops there indefinitely. 

#UK: The terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act do not include transgender women, the UK’s Supreme Court ruled.

#GERMANY: Berlin prosecutors said today that they had charged a local palliative care doctor with the murder of 15 patients, saying that in some cases he had set fire to victims’ apartments to cover his tracks.

#HASHTAG: A top Chinese economic official said that US tariffs are putting “pressure” on the country’s economy and trade, even as Beijing unveiled forecast-beating first quarter growth.

PARTING SHOT

FOTA WILDLIFE PARK has invited the public to help name their five new ring-tailed lemurs, whose genders are unknown, for a chance to win one of five family day passes.

Fota said that name suggestions can be submitted here and should either be inspired by the lemurs’ natural home of Madagascar or carry a meaningful connection to the species.