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

IRELAND

Fishing trawlers protesting about Brexit cuts to fishing quotas on the River Liffey in Dublin today. PA PA

• Garda Commissioner Drew Harris apologised to hundreds of domestic abuse victims who had their 999 calls erroneously cancelled.
• 304 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Ireland.
• The Tánaiste told Dáil the government has not given examination to alternative sites for the National Maternity Hospital.
• The Government expects to ‘stick with the plan’ of opening up foreign travel on 19 July.
• A couple who settled court actions in a wrongful termination case will send a letter to health officials to “progress matters” around a report involving their case. 
• CervicalCheck is reassuring women that people are not automatically removed from its register after cervical cancer screening errors in Scotland.
• First high-frequency ‘spine’ of the Dublin BusConnects plan is set to begin this weekend.
• A court heard that a teenager killed a dog by kicking it so hard it went above the head of their owner.

INTERNATIONAL

Bambi the reindeer sits on a bed at the pet-friendly Days Inn hotel at Roadchef Norton Canes, UK. PA PA

#HUNGARY: Prime Minister Viktor Orban defended Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ law as the leaders of 16 EU countries, including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, signed a letter defending the rights of LGBTQ people.

#CORONAVIRUS: A 72-year-old UK man tested positive for Covid-19 for 305 days, becoming what is thought to be the world’s longest ever Covid patient.

#OH RUDY: An appeals court suspended Rudy Giuliani from practising law in New York because he made false statements while trying to get courts to overturn Donald Trump’s loss in the presidential race.

PARTING SHOT

The Delta variant of the virus that causes Covid-19 is on the march globally and is threatening to force officials to slam the brakes on Ireland’s reopening plans.

With the situation developing rapidly, the latest episode of The Explainer podcast digs into what we know right now.

The episode features insights from Dr Kim Roberts, leader of the Virology research group in Trinity College Dublin, and senior reporter with The Journal Michelle Hennessy.