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

IRELAND

Drag artist Neon Love (front), singer Asha Ari (middle) and Memphis Shell (back) pictured ahead of Culture Night, which takes place Friday. Thousands are expected to take part, with over 300 free events across Dublin City.

• Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae was assaulted today by a member of the public while driving his car through Dublin city. 
• Vulnerabilities found in an online database may have seen as many as 12,000 Irish passports sitting in the open and at risk of being picked up by hackers.
• MetroLink is to become operational between 2036 and 2038 and will cost the state up to €17.75 billion.
• A man was arrested on Tuesday following an incident involving Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
• The consumer protection watchdog warned that scammers are pretending to be Dublin Zoo online.
• The Central Bank said that it now takes four years on average to build a home in Ireland – twice as long as it did a decade ago.
• Gardaí arrested a man in his late teens following the seizure of a firearm in Lucan on Tuesday.
• Ireland is missing out on the economic benefits of Europe’s massive increase in defence spending because it does not have a significant defence industry, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Thomas Byrne said.
• Meanwhile, Simon Harris said Ireland’s military non-alignment “won’t change”, but described closer European security cooperation as “a good thing” following proposals that would allow any EU country to trigger emergency talks over security threats.
• Here are the Irish artists standing by Macklemore and pulling out of Ed Sheeran’s US tour.
• Public transport fare increases are likely to decrease the number of passengers using trains and buses, the National Transport Authority confirmed. 
• A hosepipe ban that had been in place across 13 counties was lifted two weeks early due to the ‘extraordinary efforts’ of businesses and households to reduce water use.
• Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan rejected calls for an independent mediator to resolve the criminal legal aid dispute.
• There were angry blows between Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín in the Dáil today over the government’s approach to a united Ireland. 
• The National Union of Journalists condemned plans by publisher Reach plc to slash hundreds of jobs, including positions at local news website GalwayBeo.
• A man who caused a family to “hide in an attic for almost five hours” due to his actions during the Ballymena riots last year was jailed.

INTERNATIONAL

Firefighters pictured at the scene of a Russian air attack in Sumy, Ukraine today. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#US: Donald Trump announced the Kennedy Center will close down immediately after a judge ruled his name cannot be added onto the famed arts institution’s exterior.

#ED SHEERAN: UK culture secretary Lisa Nandy said she has “enormous sympathy” for Ed Sheeran in the wake of his supporting acts dropping out of his US tour.

#SOCIAL MEDIA: New restrictions targeting access to social media for children under 15 are set to be introduced across Europe.

PARTING SHOT

Fota has welcomed some new family members Michael O'Sullivan Michael O'Sullivan

Ever wanted to name a baby panda? Well, now is your chance.

Fota Wildlife Park in Cork has announced the arrival of some new (and cute) additions.

Two endangered red panda cubs, one male and one female, were born on 14 June to mother Laxmi and father Grga after three months of nesting.

Laxmi arrived at Fota from Longleat Safari in England in 2019, while father Grga came from Zagreb Zoo in Croatia the same year.

Red pandas come from the Himalayas and southwest China and are their own distinct family, with no relation to giant pandas (which are larger with a distinct black and white coat).

To celebrate International Red Panda Day on Saturday, 19 September, Fota is inviting visitors to help choose names in keeping with the species’ native range and cultural heritage.

A suggestion box is now open in the Serengeti Shop at Fota, where visitors can submit their name ideas for the twins and be in with a chance to win one of two Conservation annual passes.

The naming competition will run until 11 October.