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

IRELAND

Former professional rugby player Damian Browne arrives in Galway after becoming the first person to row from New York to Galway at sea Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

• Taoiseach Micheál Martin has dismissed concerns raised by the Social Democrats about an investment fund buying a three-bed, end-of-terrace house in Swords for €1.7 million.
• Cabinet has signed off on the plan for three €200 energy credits for householders over the next few months. 
• An Bord Pleanála is in need of “urgent reform”, according to the first phase of a review of the planning body by the Office of the Planning Regulator.
• Ulster Bank is to extend the deadline for customers whose accounts are due to become non-operational this week by an extra month. 
• Lisa Smith was at the “lowest level” of the terrorist organisation and her sentence of 15 months was “excessive”, her lawyers have told the Court of Appeal. 
• A retired Garda Superintendent caught holding cannabis resin worth nearly €260,000 has been jailed for six and a half years.
• Jailed teacher Enoch Burke has formally lodged an appeal against a High Court injunction preventing him from attending or teaching at the school he is employed at.
• Police investigating the murder of Sean Fox in Belfast have released CCTV footage of two suspects at the scene of the shooting.
• The Court of Appeal has refused to consider an argument of “implied consent” made by lawyers representing an ex-RTÉ journalist who sexually assaulted a woman while she slept.
• Over 800 applications have been made to the Adoption Authority of Ireland following the opening yesterday morning of access to birth information for adopted people. 

INTERNATIONAL

British Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#TWITTER: The New York Stock Exchange this afternoon suspended trading of Twitter shares following a Bloomberg report on a possible new takeover offer for the social network by Elon Musk, at the original offer price of $54.20 a share. 

#KWARTENG: Queen Elizabeth’s death added to the “high-pressure” environment around the preparation of the mini-budget last month, the British Chancellor has said.

#WAGATHA CHRISTIE: Rebekah Vardy will have to pay about £1.5 million towards Coleen Rooney’s legal costs after losing the “Wagatha Christie” High Court case she brought against her fellow footballer’s wife.

PARTING SHOT

Former professional rugby player Damian Browne has completed his gruelling challenge of rowing from New York to Galway, becoming the first person ever to do so.

He arrived in Galway for an official homecoming this afternoon, with hundreds of spectators waiting at the port to cheer him on.

Browne waved a flare as he was driven into the port to a hero’s welcome after 112 days at sea.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Damian Browne (@auld_stock)

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