EVERY WEEKDAY EVENING, The Journal brings you five of the biggest stories of the day. 

1. #UKRAINE: A former member of the Irish Defence Forces who died in combat in Ukraine last week was a former member of the elite Army Ranger Wing, The Journal has learned.

Robert Deegan served with distinction in the elite special forces unit before later leaving the Defence Forces. 

2. #LEBANON: The death toll from Israeli strikes on Lebanon today has risen to 274 people, by far the worst death toll on a single day of any in the past year of hostilities near the border.

The victims include 21 children, according to Lebanon’s ministry for health. 

3. #HOMELESSNESS: President Michael D Higgins Higgins has disagreed with comments made by Taoiseach Simon Harris today in which he linked Ireland’s record level of homelessness with migration.

4. #UNITED IRELAND: Mary Lou McDonald is attending the Labour conference in the UK and this morning told Sky News that Irish unity would be “right for the British people and the Irish people”.

The Labour conference in Liverpool is Keir Starmer’s first since becoming UK Prime Minister and McDonald yesterday spoke at a conference fringe event. 

5. #SAFE AND WELL: A young baby has been found safe and well after Gardaí issued a Child Rescue Alert earlier this afternoon.

A Garda Spokesperson thanked the public and the media for their assistance during the alert, adding that no other information was available at this time.