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

Finalist Susanne Horsch, who graduated from Ulster University, Belfast School of Art in 2025, pictured with their artwork ‘Swimming In Space’ at the RDS Visual Art Awards Exhibition in the RHA Gallery. photocall Ireland photocall Ireland

 IRELAND

• Funerals were held today for two young people who were killed in a car crash in Drogheda.
• A man was sentenced to 24 years in prison for the manslaughter of Irish woman Sarah McNally in New York. 
• Taoiseach Micheál Martin met with world leaders today at the G20 summit in South Africa.
• Businessman Dennis O’Brien and his spokesperson have to pay two solicitors more than €400,000 each after a jury found they had defamed them. 
• Met Éireann issued a Status Yellow fog warning for eleven counties from 5am to 10am tomorrow morning.
• Former RTE broadcaster, writer and well-known Morning Ireland presenter David Hanly died at the age of 82.
• The carcass of an Arctic whale that has never before been recorded in Irish waters washed up on a beach in Co Donegal last weekend. 

INTERNATIONAL

Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the G20 summit in South Africa today. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#UKRAINE: Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned he will not “betray” his country as he pushed back on a US plan to end the war on terms favourable to Moscow, acknowledging he risked losing Washington as an ally.

#USA: Rapper Prakazrel “Pras” Michel of the Fugees was sentenced to 14 years in prison after being convicted of illegally funnelling millions of dollars in foreign contributions to former president Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.

#SOUTH AFRICA: A row between the Trump administration and South Africa flared up again on the eve of the first ever G20 summit being hosted on African soil.

#CANADA: A grizzly bear attacked a group of children in a remote region of Canada, leaving 11 people injured. 

PARTING SHOT

THERE IS A growing loneliness epidemic among young people in Ireland. While conversations about social isolation often focus on the elderly, now, more than ever, we also need to talk about its impact on the young.

Like all emotions, occasional loneliness is a normal part of life. However, persistent loneliness and strong feelings of isolation can have a profound negative impact on young people’s mental health. 

Loneliness is one of the top concerns reported by young people using spunout’s Text About It messaging service, while a recent report reveals that one-in-five young people aged between 12 and 34 are experiencing loneliness.

You can read Sinéad Keane’s full Voices article here.