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

IRELAND

New Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn speaks with a market trader during a visit to St George's Market in Belfast Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

• A group of women football players who have alleged they were sexually abused by coaches said their pain will be “the next generations gain”.
• Taoiseach Simon Harris said the Government will not immediately drop its legal case against the UK government over the controversial Troubles Legacy Act following Labour’s general election victory. 
• John O’Mahony, former Fine Gael TD and Senator and two-time All-Ireland-winning football manager, died at the age of 71. 
• Employees at the National Advocacy Service, which supports adults with disabilities, will return to the picket line tomorrow after management at the organisation “backtracked” on a pay agreement, SIPTU said.
• A man was rescued from the sea off the coast of Donegal after falling overboard.
• Casement Park will be built “one way or another”, new Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn pledged.

INTERNATIONAL

A sign in Texas notifies motorists to prepare for Hurricane Beryl. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#PALESTINE: Hamas said said it had changed its position on requirements for a hostage deal with Israel as fighting and bombing continued to ravage the Gaza Strip.

#FRANCE: The New Popular Front left alliance came out on top in the French National Assembly elections, projections showed, surprising many who had predicted a win for the far right.

#USA: Texas was bracing for the incoming storm Beryl, which was expected to regain hurricane status. 

PARTING SHOT

GIVEN THE EVENTS of recent years, no one would be blamed for not trusting polls. Keir Starmer’s Labour certainly didn’t if their strategy heading into yesterday’s UK general election was anything to go by.

The polls were telling them that they were cruising to victory, but Labour were playing like Gareth Southgate’s England, cautiously defending an ill-deserved 1-0 lead. In the end, they had nothing to worry about. Britain woke up this morning to its first Labour government in 14 years.

Read Sydney Nash’s full Voices article here.