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

IRELAND

Newly elected President Catherine Connolly with former Presidents, from left Mary Mc Aleese, Michael D.Higgins and Mary Robinson at the Áras TONY MAXWELL TONY MAXWELL

• Catherine Connolly was today inaugurated as the tenth President of Ireland. Here is her inauguration speech in full or read our analysis here. 
• Her first official engagement as head of State will be a visit to a Gaelscoil in Dublin, and you can also read about the history of the presidential inauguration chair here.
• A stepmother who left her four-year-old stepson with injuries that would typically be associated with car crashes or serious assaults pleaded guilty to the child’s murder on the fourth day of her trial.
• The HSE was ordered to pay out one year’s pay of €86,717 compensation to a female pharmacist who was repeatedly sexually harassed by a senior colleague in the workplace.
• Dublin City Council social housing tenants are planning a protest against the first planned change to how their rent is calculated in 30 years.
• EU Commissioner Michael McGrath has given Micheál Martin his backing to stay on as leader of Fianna Fáil, insisting he fully expects Martin to remain as Taoiseach throughout Ireland’s presidency of the EU in the second half of next year – and beyond.
• The Government’s new housing action plan seeks to eliminate blanket bans on pets in tenancy agreements. 
• Cork is the next city to get increased garda visibility, after the operation in Dublin proved successful, the new Garda Commissioner said.
• Nearly 460 motorists have dodged convictions and avoided getting penalty points on their licences by making a donation to the court poor box since the beginning of 2022, new figures revealed.
• A jury was sworn in for the trial of a 55-year-old Kerry man who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of his mother at her home in Killarney three years ago.
• A man was hospitalised following an alleged stabbing in Dublin city centre this morning.

INTERNATIONAL

Security officials inspect damaged vehicles after a car explosion near the historic Red Fort in New Delhi. PA PA

#INDIA: A car explosion near the historic Red Fort in India’s capital yesterday evening killed eight people and injured at least 19 others, police in New Delhi said.
#US SHUTDOWN: The US Senate passed legislation to reopen the government, bringing the longest shutdown in history closer to an end as a small group of Democrats ratified a deal with Republicans despite searing criticism from within their party.
#PANORAMA: Outgoing BBC Director-General Tim Davie said he is “very, very proud” of BBC journalists ahead of an address to staff. It came a day after US President Donald Trump threatened legal action if the corporation does not retract “false” and “defamatory” statements made about him in a documentary.
#PHILIPPINES: Rescuers using backhoes and chainsaws begun digging the Philippines out from the devastation of Typhoon Fung-wong, as floodwaters receded in hundreds of villages and the storm’s death toll climbed to 18.
#AUSTRALIA: A new bee has been discovered by scientists in Australia: a “lucifer” bee with devil-like horns.

PARTING SHOT

Northern lights shimmering in the sky above Dublin Bay in October 2024. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

The Northern Lights could be visible from Ireland tonight and tomorrow, although it remains to be seen if the display will match what was witnessed last year.

The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Centre has said that successive solar flares and eruptions from the Sun are setting the scene for a major aurora display over the next couple of nights - potentially reaching a rare ‘G4′ level, the second-highest severity rating.

Visibility could be an issue in Ireland: Met Éireann currently isn’t predicting the cloudless night skies which are necessary to see the display, but clear spells could offer glimpses.

The northern lights have been visible frequently over the past year, but rarely do they reach the level of being visible in mid-latitude regions with ease; this week offers our best chance, if conditions are right.