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

IRELAND

Ben Terhorst (cello), Megan Chan (violin) and Zara Kareem (viola) ahead of Feis Ceoil Young Platform concert.

• Two more areas of the country have been designated as Rent Pressure Zones as prices continue to rise.
• Paul Murphy TD has parted company with the Socialist Party.
• Gardaí are appealing for witnesses after two people died following a crash in Co Clare in the early hours of this morning.
• The Criminal Assets Bureau seized jet skis, designer watches and five miniature mobile phones during raids across Dublin and Wexford.
• A man was arrested in relation to importation of child sex abuse material during ‘day of action’ in Cork earlier this week.
• The visits of President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence cost gardaí between €15-18 million this year.
• Gardaí are warning of a woman pretending to be from the HSE calling to homes in areas of west Cork. 
• The development of a 100-bed medical treatment and recovery facility for people who are homeless has been given the green light.
• At an emotional press conference, families of the Stardust fire victims reacted to the new inquests for their loved ones. 
• Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said that no new laws are needed to police protests at medical facilities that provide abortion services.
• The FSAI Authority has found an “unacceptable” level of non-compliance by 11 sushi production and processing facilities in Ireland.

WORLD

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaving Downing Street earlier. PA Wire PA Wire

 #WESTMINSTER: UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has refused to apologise for comments he made last night when he said the best way to “honour the memory” of murdered MP Jo Cox would be “to get Brexit done”.

#IMPEACHMENT: A US whistleblower has claimed the White House intervened to “lock down” the transcript of a call between Present Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart that has Trump facing impeachment.

#RIP: Former French President Jacques Chirac, who served as head of state from 1995 to 2007, has died.

PARTING SHOT

Shutterstock Shutterstock

The man who first bred a labrador and poodle to make the now common labradoodle has said it’s his life’s biggest regret.  

Wally Conron says, “I opened a Pandora’s box and released a Frankenstein’s monster.” (The Guardian)