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

IRELAND

Fences erected on the Grand Canal are reportedly costing Waterways Ireland €30,000 a week. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

• Mary Lou McDonald has called for the government to “move beyond condemnation” and engage with Coolock residents, following what she called constructive meetings with people from the area.
• One man was arrested in Dublin after Gardaí seized over €8 million worth of suspected illegal drugs and over €1 million in cash.
• A prominent Irish-Somali anti-female genital mutilation (FGM) activist has said care and supports for victims of female genital mutilation in Ireland are not currently adequate.
• Tánaiste Mícheál Martin has said that his “focus is on becoming Taoiseach” in response to questioning on whether he is considering an Áras bid.There has been speculation in recent weeks that Martin may run for President and he was asked today about any potential presidential aspirations.
• Two men have been arrested in Dundalk after the discharging of a firearm on Friday evening.
• Taoiseach Simon Harris has said that he “takes gender equality extremely seriously” and that Ireland isn’t being “disrespectful” in only nominating Michael McGrath as European Commissioner. His comments come after newly-relected European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, asked all member states to nominate a man and a woman as their candidate for European commissioner.
• The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has said that adding the shingles vaccine to the routine vaccination schedule people aged 50 years and older would not be an efficient use of HSE resources. Shingles vaccines are available in Ireland, but the HSE does not currently provide them for free.
• In her first public appearance since her resignation as chairperson of the RTÉ board, Siún Ní Raghalliagh said there is “political inertia or, more likely, wilful neglect” of public service media in Ireland among TDs.
• Waterways Ireland have said that fencing on the Grand Canal is costing them €30,000 a week to maintain. The fencing was erected after a multi-agency operation was conducted at the canal site in Dublin to remove a number of tents where people who were seeking international protection, and who had not been offered State accommodation, were residing.

INTERNATIONAL

The Yemeni port of Hodeidah following a series Israeli airstrikes. X / Twitter X / Twitter / Twitter

#US/UKRAINE Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump has vowed that he will end the war in Ukraine following a telephone conversation with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

#INTERNET WIPEOUT Experts have warned that the fallout from the global tech outages could continue for weeks, as firms worldwide are still in recovery.

#DEFENCE FORCES Thirty Irish Army vehicles are now being used on the Ukrainian frontlines, acting as ambulances and carrying supplies, after being transported 3,600km across Europe in an operation dubbed Operation Carousel. The Journal met with the team’s commanding officer, Commandant Niall Buckley, to discuss it.

#BRIDGE COLLAPSE A bridge in northern China has collapsed, killing 12 people, with a further 30 reported as missing.

#OLYMPICS French authorities have recalled a line of Olympic Games-branded reusable children’s water bottles, after they were found to contain a chemical linked to increased risk of breast cancer and infertility.

#UNION Workers at Bethesda Game Studios, the company behind the popular Fallout and Elder Scrolls series, have announced they are unionising.

#US PRESIDENTIAL RACE Donald Trump has returned to the campaign trail for the first time since an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. He will joined by his recently announced running-mate, JD Vance, at a rally in Michigan.

#YEMEN Israeli fighter jets have struck the Yemeni port of Hodeidha, a day after Houthis confirmed that one of their drones hit the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.

PARTING SHOT

Cork twins Liam and Rosie McCarthy were expected to be born on 4 July, but instead arrived two days earlier. This means they will be 19 days old on 21 July, 19 years since Cork last won an All-Ireland hurling final.

Only tomorrow will tell if the twins turn out to be the Rebels’ lucky charm.