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

IRELAND

Fianna Fail presidential candidate Jim Gavin with Maureen Hartnett, originally from Brooklyn, while canvassing in Supervalu in Palmerstown shopping centre. Eamonn Farrell / © RollingNews.ie Eamonn Farrell / © RollingNews.ie / © RollingNews.ie

• Asylum seekers’ payments under the voluntary return grant are to be increased under a new order signed by Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan.
• A pedestrian seriously injured in a road crash in Co Monaghan earlier this month has died in hospital.
• Sports Minister Patrick O’Donovan has said he was “disappointed that it took my intervention” for the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to attend a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Wednesday.
• Presidential candidate Catherine Connolly “understands the immense opportunity of Irish unity”, Mary Lou McDonald said today.
• Ireland’s three presidential hopefuls have spent thousands of Euro on social media ads in recent weeks, with Heather Humphreys spending more than both her opponents combined.

INTERNATIONAL

Rory McIlroy of Team Europe during the morning foursomes on day two of the Ryder Cup at the Bethpage Black Course, Farmingdale, New York. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#GAZA: Israeli strikes have killed at least 38 people across Gaza overnight, health officials said.

#DENMARK: Unidentified drones have been observed over Denmark’s biggest military base, the latest in a slew of sightings that officials have called a “hybrid attack”.

#UNITED KINGDOM: Steve Coogan is among a number of celebrities urging British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to say that Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza.

#UKRAINE: The Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has been off the grid for four days in a row, with Ukraine and Russia accusing each other of attacking power supply lines.

PARTING SHOT

WHEN NEWS AND sports reporter Andrew Stockey posted two photos to X yesterday, one of him in Dublin 28 years ago and one taken this week, he didn’t expect much of a reaction.

However, it’s gone on to attract a “whole lot of attention” as Stockey says – some 13,000 likes and counting.

The first photo, from 1997, is a picture of Stockey when he was covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for a pre-season game against the Chicago Bears in Croke Park.

The Journal sat down with Stockey to hear about the 1997 game, and what has changed since.