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

IRELAND

President Michael D Higgins hosts afternoon tea in the Áras. He's pictured here with Helen Stokes (L) and Marie Tolan (R). Maxwell Photography Maxwell Photography

• Three senior gardaí have been arrested following raids on a number of premises in Munster.
• Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said expected protests during the visit of US President Donald Trump next month will be “allowed and welcomed”.
• A north Dublin shopping centre was evacuated following  an incident near a garda station. 
• A Trinity College professor has gone missing on Mount Everest a day after reaching its peak.
• Evidence has been heard in the 12th day of the murder trial of Ana Kriegel.
• An Taisce has criticised the demolition of part of the 19th-century Irish Distillers Building in Dublin.
• A Leitrim man has gone on trial for allegedly deceiving five men into giving him almost €1.8 million.
• A Fine Gael councillor has received an ‘unreserved apology’ from a Sinn Fein activist over comments he posted on Facebook.
• A fund of €50 million to support Irish beef farmers has been agreed upon by the European Commission. 

WORLD

British Prime Minister Theresa May and French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace. Liewig Christian / ABACA Liewig Christian / ABACA / ABACA

#COUNTDOWN: Theresa May has agreed to set out a timetable for her resignation as Conservative party leader next month.

#ABORTION: Alabama’s Republican governor has signed the most stringent abortion legislation in the US, as several other states also tighten their laws.

#AUSTRIA: Austrian MPs have approved a law aimed at banning the headscarf in primary schools, a measure proposed by the ruling right-wing government.

PARTING SHOT

Clare Daly paid an emotional tribute to women who died as the result of medical misadventure last night, as the Dáil debated legislation that would make inquests into maternal deaths mandatory.

Seven US states have tightened their abortion laws so far this year, including high-profile cases in Alabama and Georgia. Why is this happening now – and could abortion end up being restricted across the US? Or even banned? Sinead O’Carroll, Aoife Barry and Christine Bohan look for answers in the latest episode of The Explainer, our new podcast.

https://soundcloud.com/the-explainer-podcast/why-are-so-many-us-states-tightening-abortion-laws-right-now