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

IRELAND

GOAL’s ‘What on Earth’ project in CHQ Building Dublin: Top Irish artists from all corners of the country paint or decorate 100 resin globe sculptures. Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

• Simon Coveney said solidarity with Ireland on the backstop is “as strong as ever”
• A serving Dublin garda who was the victim of an acid attack is being intimidated
• A poll suggested that Fine Gael is maintaining a strong lead over other parties
• Gardaí are looking for two men in connection with a Dublin shooting
• A report recommended that a CervicalCheck tribunal be set up
• A DCU society was banned from hosting social events after reports of inappropriate conduct where members were reportedly asked to kiss and strip
• The woman who interrupted the Claire Byrne Live presidential debate said that she filled in a form accurately to secure a place in the audience.

WORLD

European Council President Donald Tusk. AP / PA Images AP / PA Images / PA Images

#CHEQUERS: British Prime Minister Theresa May asked her Cabinet to support her approach to Brexit the day before she gives a speech at a crucial Brussels summit.

#WASHINGTON POST: A high-level Turkish official says police have found “certain evidence” that shows Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi was killed there.

#STORMY TIMES: A federal judge has dismissed Stormy Daniels’ defamation lawsuit against President Donald Trump; Trump responded by saying he’d now “go after” her.

PARTING SHOT

DPA / PA Images DPA / PA Images / PA Images

This presidential election is difficult to predict (must like the last one).

There has been talk of horse-sized ducks, ex-boyfriends, golf balls and now… dog grooming.

During an RTÉ Radio One debate, Peter Casey claimed that Michael D Higgins used the Irish public pays for Higgins’ two dogs, Bród and Síoda, to be groomed. So we asked both sides to produce documents or evidence to prove or disprove the claim in our latest FactCheck (and we didn’t really get it).