NEED TO CATCH up? The Journal brings you a roundup of today’s news.

IRELAND 

Crowds at Dublin Pride today Nick Bradshaw / PA Nick Bradshaw / PA / PA

• Minister for Arts and Media Catherine Martin has announced an external review of governance and culture at RTÉ following the Ryan Tubridy payment scandal.
• Argos stores across Ireland will close for the final time this evening, ending the retailer’s 27 years of operation here.
• Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Dublin for a colourful celebration of the 40th anniversary of the city’s Pride parade.
• The Ireland U20s drew 34-34 with their English counterparts in a dramatic opening fixture of the World Rugby U20 Championship in Paarl on Saturday.
• The number of  drug poisoning deaths – commonly known as overdoses – has risen in recent years, the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs Use heard this morning, with chairperson and former HSE CEO Paul Reid describing the findings as “quite grim and quite stark”. 
• Cork beat Roscommon by 1-14 to 16 points in Páirc Uí Chaoimh today, propelling them into the All-Ireland senior hurling final eight next weekend. 
• Pilots at Emerald Airlines began industrial action today in response to an ongoing trade dispute. 

INTERNATIONAL

A woman poses for a photo at a Russian armoured vehicle, with writing reading ‘Siberia’, parked in a street in Rostov-on-Don AP AP

#RUSSIA COUP The head of the Wagner force said he has ordered his mercenaries to halt their march on Moscow and retreat to their field camps in Ukraine to avoid shedding Russian blood.

#TITAN A team of investigators have boarded the main support ship of the Titan submersible after it returned to the harbour following the deep-sea vessel’s fatal implosion.

#HEATWAVE Beijing and parts of northern China are experiencing record temperatures, with authorities urging people to limit their time outdoors.

#MEDITERRANEAN More than 40 people are missing after a migrant boat capsized off the Italian island of Lampedusa, the UN said.

PARTING SHOT

80s singer Rick Astley surprised crowds at Glastonbury music festival today by drumming and singing a cover of ACDC’s classic rock song ‘Highway to Hell’.

Rick Astley on drum duty covering AC/DC #Glastonbury pic.twitter.com/O0JI7zdSot

— Jay J (@JibbaJabb) June 24, 2023

The 57-year-old performer joked that he was no longer a ‘Glastonbury virgin’ after performing at the festival’s main Pyramid stage for the first time.

A full stream of the festival can be accessed here.

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