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

IRELAND

Mario Bros. characters pictured today at the Dublin Comic Con at the Convention Centre. RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

• Around 17,000 people applied for emergency social welfare payments last month to cover basic necessities amid cost-of-living crisis. 
• The Government has been called on to implement a “robust strategy” to tackle monkeypox.
• The HSE has recorded an uptick in mumps in recent weeks and has advised an MMR vaccine for anyone for anyone without two doses.
• Foster carers have said they should be eligible for Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance – the allowance paid to foster parents has not increased since 2009.
• A farming group claimed a proposal to set up a citizens’ assembly on agriculture and food production is “ill thought-out” and “the wrong model”.
• Tributes have been paid to a doctor who died following an incident on his bike during a road race last weekend.
• Police in the North launched a murder investigation and arrested a 50-year-old man following the disappearance of a man from Co Tyrone.
• An 18-year-old man was arrested after reports a young teenage girl was sexually assaulted in Co Antrim.

INTERNATIONAL 

A Ukrainian serviceman stands in front of headquarters of the Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration building destroyed by a Russian attack.

#ARCHIEBATTERSBEE A London hospital on withdrew life support for 12-year-old British boy after his parents lost a long, emotive and divisive legal battle.

#ABORTION The White House assailed Indiana lawmakers for passing sweeping curbs on abortion access, calling it “devastating” step for the Midwestern state.

#UKRAINE Russian forces have begun an assault on two key cities in the eastern Donetsk region and kept up rocket and shelling attacks on other Ukrainian cities.

#GAZA Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney says he is “deeply concerned” about escalations in Gaza and impact of Israeli strikes on civilians.

#AMNESTY The Head of Amnesty International’s Ukraine office resigned, accusing the organisation of parroting Kremlin propaganda in a controversial report that criticised the war-torn country’s military response to Russia’s invasion.

#BIDEN The US president tested negative for Covid-19, days after coming down with a second bout of the illness.

#TORYPARTY Rishi Sunak bragging about working to divert funding from “deprived urban areas” towards more prosperous towns has divided Tory figures.

PARTING SHOT

Dillon Quirke, pictured in action for the Tipperary senior hurlers last year. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

“A smashing person.” Tributes have been paid after the sudden passing of Tipperary hurler Dillon Quirke. A vigil in his memory will be held tonight at 8.15pm in Clonoulty-Rossmore’s club grounds.