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

Jennifer Gilbert from Walkinstown, Dublin, winner of the women's Liffey Swim race. Jason Clarke Photography Jason Clarke Photography

IRISH

• Olympic boxer Michael O’Reilly has formally lodged an appeal against his provisional suspension for failing a doping test before the Rio Games.
• The number of passport applications from people living in the UK increased 73% in July, compared to the previous year.
• Two men have been charged in connection with an armed raid on a post office in Kerry earlier this week.
• Most complaints made to Met Éireann are about inaccurate weather forecasts, according to Freedom of Information documents released to the TheJournal.ie.
• The 97th annual Liffey swim also took place, with Brian Murray winning the men’s race.

WORLD

Court sketch of Zakaria Bulhan (right) at Westminster Magistrates Court in London, where he is accused of murdering retired teacher Darlene Horton, 64, in a knife rampage. PA PA

#KNIFE RAMPAGE: A 19-YEAR-OLD Somali-Norwegian man accused of carrying out a stabbing rampage in London’s Russell Square was remanded into custody after a court appearance today.

#OLYMPICS: Two people have been shot dead outside Olympics venues, while a controlled explosion was carried out on a suspect package near the finish line of the men’s cycling road race.

#MIDDLE EAST: Syrian rebels say they have broken a three-week siege of the country’s second city Aleppo, turning the tables on Russian and Assad regime forces who are now on the defensive.

#BLAZE: At least 13 people have been killed accidentally and six injured in a fire during a birthday party at a bar in the northern French city of Rouen.

INNOVATION

• It’s been weeks since Pokémon Go was released and the game is still going strong, but the makers have had a very tough week.
• Ireland’s researchers are delivering among the best returns in Europe on money put into their projects – despite “below-average public investment” in the sector.
  

PARTING SHOT

Chris Bangle quit his job as a BMW design executive and, upon moving to an Italian village, decided to concentrate on making massive park benches that make adults feel like children.

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