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

Rob Heffernan got a warm welcome home at Dublin airport today after becoming Ireland’s third ever World Athletics Championships gold medal winner in the 50km walk. (Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)

IRISH

• Two unions that represent Dublin bus drivers have rejected the Labour Court proposals.
• Waterford Regional Hospital has been criticised for poor hygiene standards by the health watchdog.
• The High Court has ruled against a pregnant woman who wanted to have a home birth, but was denied by the HSE.
• The planned strike by Aer Arann pilots has been cancelled
• Clerys has laid off 86 staff for least four weeks as the department store remains closed.
• Fifty Leaving Cert exam scripts have been held back because of cheating suspicions.
• A meat trader is taking legal action against ABP over the horsemeat scandal.
• Michaella McCollum Connolly’s preliminary court hearing took place today.
• The head of the CIA is in Roscommon tonight to attend a gathering event.
• Ireland is giving €700,000 to help refugees in Mali.

People look at the Costa Concordia cruise ship. (Gregorio Borgia/AP)

INTERNATIONAL

#EGYPT More than 60 people have been killed today as violence continues.

#NEW ZEALAND An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 hit the country’s south island.

#ITALY The Costa Concordia cruise ship is to be raised in September.

INNOVATION

• Scientists say that as climates get warmer we should expect to be eating softer, sweeter apples and seeing the flowers much earlier. [Scientific Reports]
• Are you a gym-bunny and love catching some rays? Well, pumping iron and sunbathing could be making you a smarter person. [Quartz]

PARTING SHOT

Professional and amateur colourists have injected colour into these well-known black and white photos. [Twistedsifter]

Read: And here is what happened yesterday…