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

IRELAND

Actor Peter Corboy in Dublin Castle ahead of the Dublin Fringe Festival world premiere of the new play Before you Say Anything. Leon Farrell / RollingNews.ie Leon Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• There were a further 217 cases of Covid-19 confirmed in Ireland today, health officials reported this evening. 
• Education minister Norma Foley has confirmed that the past academic performances of schools will not be used to ‘standardise’ this year’s Leaving Cert students’ results. 
• Covid-19 GP consultations will remain free as part of the government’s measures to suppress the virus this winter, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has confirmed. 
• Traders in Kildare have been welcoming back customers and staff following the lifting of a regional lockdown in the county last night.
• The LVA has said thousands of pubs face defaulting on their mortgages if the Government does not step in and offer a better rescue packed. 
• A teenager stabbed another teen to death in a Dublin park during a “melee” following a row over a bicycle, a barrister has told the Central Criminal Court.
• The education minister has played down suggestions that her Department will issue guidance to schools about pupils who cough threateningly or make inappropriate jokes about Covid-19.

 INTERNATIONAL

Hot air balloons fly over Bristol in the UK as part of a 'sky orchestra'. PA PA

#US: Donald Trump has declined to condemn the shooting of three people, two fatally, last week during a protest over the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

#LONDON: Several people were arrested as Extinction Rebellion protesters kicked off two weeks of civil disobedience outside the UK parliament in London.

#SCOTLAND: A draft bill paving the way for a possible second Scottish independence referendum will be published before next May’s Holyrood elections, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

PARTING SHOT

Need something uplifting? The BBC has a lovely feature on Khadjou Sambe, Senegal’s first female surfer. 

She’s not short of some inspirational quotes – and the BBC has some lovely photos of her exploits. 

Take this for example to finish your day:

I always think to myself, when I wake up in the morning: ‘Khadjou, you’ve got something to do, you represent something everywhere in the world, you must go straight to the point, don’t give up.’

Give the full piece a read here. 

Making a difference

A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

For the price of one cup of coffee each week you can make sure we can keep reliable, meaningful news open to everyone regardless of their ability to pay.

Support us Learn More