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

IRELAND

The Script's Danny O’Donoghue outside Leinster House to back Dáil motion calling protections for Irish musicians against AI RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

• Police investigating the death of a Polish family of three in Ballymena, including an 8-year-old girl, are treating the case as potentially one of double murder followed by a sudden death. 
• The Taoiseach delivered a state apology to survivors of notorious predator Bill Kenneally in the Dáil.
• The National Severe Weather and Flood Coordination Group met today as the spell of hot weather continues to grip the entire country. The warm temperatures are set to continue, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 30C tomorrow.
• A funeral service for Jamey Carney will take place on Wednesday in Co Kerry.
• A son and daughter of prominent publican Charlie Chawke were jailed for two-and-a-half years between them after they pleaded guilty to viciously assaulting two men, three years ago.
• Local authorities are collecting thousands of discarded nitrous oxide canisters each year, according to new figures obtained by The Journal Investigates.
• The government is set to approve plans to introduce new criminal offences targeting the possession, production and distribution of extreme or violent pornography, as well as creating a standalone offence covering acts of necrophilia.
• Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he is “leaning towards” imposing a complete ban on e-scooters.
• Women who experience a miscarriage before 23 weeks gestation will be entitled to five days paid leave under new legislation approved by cabinet. 
• Teenage disability activist Cara Darmody began her third 50-hour protest outside Leinster House over the delay families face in accessing assessments of need for children.
• The Script’s Danny O’Donoghue paid a visit to Leinster House today to tell politicians that they need to do more to protect musicians and artists from artificial intelligence.
• The leader of the SDLP has condemned graffiti in Belfast targeting French rape survivor Gisèle Pelicot.
• Members of The Corrs and The Mary Wallopers are among those who have lodged objections to plans for a large-scale housing development near a landmark site in Louth which is said in Irish mythology to be the birthplace of Cú Chulainn. 
• Nigel Farage’s Party was not planning to ban Irish-language election literature in Northern Ireland – as had been reported earlier today – Reform UK has indicated in a statement to The Journal.

INTERNATIONAL

Ann Widdecombe has been described as a distinctive and devoted public servant Alamy Alamy

#ANN WIDDECOMBE: Police in the UK said that veteran politician Ann Widdecombe was killed in a “targeted attack”.

#MIDDLE EAST: The US and Iran have launched new attacks on each other’s interests in the Gulf, as President Donald Trump backed down on his threat to heavily tax ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

#THAILAND: Relatives of the victims of a huge Bangkok bar fire claimed their bodies Tuesday as the death toll rose to 30, even as others held out hope that missing loved ones were alive.

#COVID: The scramble to buy personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Covid pandemic saw the UK waste almost £10 billion (€11.72 billion) of taxpayers’ money, the official inquiry into the handling of Covid-19 has found.

#RYANAIR: A woman who held the legs of her husband as he was nearly sucked out of a Ryanair plane mid-flight said she thought to herself: “If we die, we die together.”

PARTING SHOT

Kerry's David Clifford about to take his penalty against Dublin in Croke Park on Sunday

A viral Gaelic football moment has reached international World Cup watchers – and they’re both delighted and confused.

The clip, which has been viewed over 17 million times and has more than 100,000 reposts on X, is of Kerry full-forward David Clifford.

In last weekend’s All Ireland semi-finals, he missed a penalty but when the ball bounced back, he caught it and kicked it into the back of the net.

The video was posted with the caption “if Argentina get a penalty on Wednesday”, joking that Lionel Messi might get to pull the same trick if he misses during their match with England.

If Argentina get a penalty on Wednesdaypic.twitter.com/kn8UN4ox7P

— Oli (@olifisher) July 13, 2026

It’s not the first viral moment that’s taken GAA to an international audience.

When Donald Trump intervened to get the red card given to US player Folarin Balogun overturned, fans compared it to a clip of Owen Mulligan. He scored an iconic goal for Tyrone in their 2005 quarter-final against Dublin.

The video was posted on X and captioned: “The most legal goal of the United States in the next match.”

El gol más legal de Estados Unidos el próximo partido pic.twitter.com/KakC73lkCB https://t.co/dfCXBpGerZ

— Gregory (@gregnsg) July 5, 2026