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

1. #NOT QUITE FREEDOM: Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that any further easing of Covid-19 restrictions in September will be discussed throughout the month of August but said there would be no “Freedom Day” as it was framed in the UK.

2. #ALWAYS BELIEVE: Messages of congratulations have poured in for Paul O’Donovan and Fintan McCarthy who were crowned Olympic champions in Tokyo this morning after winning the men’s lightweight double sculls final. 

3. #KATHERINE ZAPPONE: Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said that despite “misgivings” with the way former minister Katherine Zappone was appointed as UN special envoy on freedom of opinion and expression, that she will make an “excellent” envoy.

4. #THE ALL-IRELAND: Capacity at Croke Park is set to be increased beyond the currently permitted 18,000 fans when the All-Ireland finals get underway next month. 

5. #HEP C: People born between 1965 and 1985 in Ireland should be offered once-off testing for the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) has recommended.