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

IRELAND

Protesters outside Scientology’s European base Victory Centre in Firhouse. TheJournal.ie revealed that the Victory Centre in Firhouse was to become Scientology’s European base after it was bought by the international group last year. RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

• Gardaí gave details of a seizure of drugs worth an estimated €27,000 as part on an ongoing operation in Dublin.
• Met Éireann issued a Status Red weather warning for west counties as Storm Ophelia is set to hit Ireland on Monday.
• Gardaí renewed their appeal for information about the murder of a woman whose body was found in woods in Blanchardstown in July.
• The Fianna Fáil Ard Fhéis voted overwhelmingly to support a motion which calls for the party to oppose “any attempt to diminish the constitutional rights of the unborn”.
• Special needs assistants voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action over the delay in assigning allocations for the 2018 school year.
• Leo Varadkar said that Ireland and Northern Ireland could have a “unique” solution in the result of a hard Brexit.
• Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said he was concerned about Scientology setting up in Ireland, as protests were held outside of its new European base in Firehouse.
• Gardaí appealed for information following a shooting incident in the Coolock area of Dublin.

WORLD

Somalis gather and search for survivors by destroyed buildings at the scene of a blast in the capital Mogadishu, Somalia, today. AP Photo / Farah Abdi Warsameh AP Photo / Farah Abdi Warsameh / Farah Abdi Warsameh

#SOMALIA: A truck bomb exploded outside a hotel at a busy junction in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu causing widespread devastation that left at least 20 dead, with the toll likely to rise.

#ISIS: Dozens of Islamic State group fighters surrendered in their former Syrian stronghold of Raqa, the US-led coalition said, as the fall of the one-time jihadist bastion nears.

#UNITED STATES: The death toll from California’s wildfires rose to 33 as firefighters made some progress in containing the infernos but said intensifying winds were a concern.

PARTING SHOT

American football may not have widespread popularity in Ireland, but one player has come to national attention here because of his unusual training techniques.

Alex Collins – a running back for the Baltimore Ravens – uses Irish dancing to sharpen up his footwork. And here’s the video to prove it. (via DailyEdge)

(If you can’t view the video – click here)