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News Fix

Here's What Happened Today: Wednesday

Here’s what made the headlines today.

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

IRELAND

2521 Leo Varadkar Leo Varadkar speaking to press earlier today at Government Buildings Leah Farrell / Rollingnews.ie Leah Farrell / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

INTERNATIONAL

tower-block-fire-in-london The Grenfell Tower in west London on the day the first report from the public inquiry into the fire which claimed 72 lives is published. Steve Parsons / PA Images Steve Parsons / PA Images / PA Images

#REPORT: The Grenfell Tower cladding did not comply with building regulations and was the “principal” reason for the fire’s rapid and “profoundly shocking” spread, the inquiry report said.

#TAX: A court ruled Australia’s ‘backpacker tax’ illegally targets foreigners but Irish emigrants might be out of luck.

#ARMENIA: What were the Armenian massacres and why is it controversial to describe them as a ‘genocide’? Here’s our explainer.

PARTING SHOT

South Africa take on England in the Rugby World Cup Final this weekend.

They’ll be led out by Siya Kolisi and the Springbok’s first black captain has a remarkable story.

In this piece by the BBC’s Tom Fordyce, it delves how Kolisi rose from the township of Zwide to leading his country into a world final.

“When you are from Zwide you step into this other world when the chance comes, but you never leave your old life behind. Kolisi’s mother died when he was 15, his grandmother shortly afterwards. When Smit’s team was beating England in that World Cup final of 2007, the 16-year-old Kolisi was watching it in a township tavern because there was no television at home.”