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

IRELAND

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• “Lessons have to be learned”, according to Taoiseach Micheál Martin, after the controversy surrounding Dr. Tony Holohan’s secondment to a new role in TCD, which the Chief Medical Officer subsequently stood down from, as well as his CMO role. 

• Two people have been arrested in relation to the seizure of approximately €160,000 worth of suspected cocaine in Co Wexford on Friday.

• The number of refugees requiring state-provided accommodation is increasing, and some may need to be housed in larger institution buildings such as military barracks and former convents in the coming months, according to Integration Minister Roderick O’Gorman. 
• A plan launched last September promising a resurgence of nightlife in Ireland has been delayed. A spokesperson for the Department of Culture has blamed Covid-19. 
• Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that the war in Ukraine is a stark reminder that peace and democracy cannot be taken for granted, in a statement to mark the 24th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
• Ireland’s first mother and baby mental health unit is slated for completion by the end of 2024; the first time the development has been given a specific date since its proposal five years ago. 

INTERNATIONAL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking during an interview yesterday. AP / PA Images AP / PA Images / PA Images

#UKRAINE The airport in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro has been badly damaged in fresh Russian shelling, a local official said today. The country is also investigating the alleged culpability of 500 Russian leaders for thousands of war crimes, including President Vladimir Putin. 

#FRANCE French President Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen are set to battle for the presidency of France in a run-off later this month, according to exit polls. 

#RUSSIA EU foreign ministers are tomorrow to discuss a sixth round of sanctions on Moscow for its war in Ukraine but the bloc remains divided over a ban on Russian gas and oil imports.

#FINLAND Finland is preparing for a potentially historic decision “before midsummer” on whether to apply to join NATO as a deterrent against Russian aggression.

#PAKISTAN Embattled politician Imran Khan has been dismissed as Pakistan’s prime minister after losing a no-confidence vote, paving the way for an unlikely opposition alliance.

PARTING SHOT

And finally, if you’re finding it tough to turn up the heat these days, you’re not alone. With energy prices soaring in recent weeks, we asked our readers last week for stories about how they’re managing the increasing prices of oil and gas. If you want to hear how others around the country are coping in these tough times, take a look at our piece on the day-to-day reality of rising energy costs.

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