NEED TO CATCH up? TheJournal.ie brings you a roundup of today’s news.

The scene of a gas main explosion that killed two people in in Hounslow, West London during storm St.Jude. Pic: (Jeff Moore/Empics Entertainment)

IRISH

• Donal Drohan, originally from Waterford, was one of four people who died in a violent storm that swept across the south of Britain this morning. Four others died in northern Europe.
• Courses in Chinese and computer coding are among two of the additions to the Junior Cert as part of a major overhaul of the programme cycle.
• A woman died following a house fire in Portadown Co. Armagh early this morning.
• A man is in a serious condition in hospital after collapsing at the finish line of today’s Dublin marathon.
• Six months after the problem emerged, some residents in Roscommon are still waiting for a solution to their contaminated water supply.
• A 19-year-old was killed on the roads in Co. Louth.
• Environmental group An Taisce are not happy with Ireland scrapping the Air Travel Tax.
• Being Irish is great for your business life. Apparently.

WORLD

#UK: The phone hacking trial of former News of the World editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson got underway at the Old Bailey in London today.

#NSA: As the US spying scandal spreads throughout Europe, there are reports that the NSA monitored 60 million telephone calls in Spain in a month. [BBC]

#CHINA: Five people died after a jeep plowed into a crowded part of Tiananmen Square and caught fire. [CNN]

INNOVATION

• Ever find yourself gazing up at the stars wondering what’s out there? Our guide to the best amateur astronomy apps should help you find what your looking for.
• The Dublin Web Summit have added another A-lister to their line-up this week, billionaire PayPal co-founder and general visionary Elon Musk.

PARTING SHOT

Pic: James Crosbie/Inpho

Sean Hehir celebrating breaking the tape as he became the first Irishman to win the Dublin marathon for 20 years. Maria McCambridge made it a double win for Ireland.