LAST UPDATE | 3 Aug

GOOD MORNING.

Here’s all the news you need to know as you start your day.

Midleton murder investigation
1. A young woman killed in an incident at an apartment in Midleton, Co Cork has been named locally as Daena Walsh.

Gardaí and emergency Services responded to reports of an incident at an apartment off Main Street, Midleton at around 4.15pm.

The 27-year-old was found “with serious injuries” in the residence which was partly on fire.

A murder investigation has since been launched into Daena Walsh’s death.

Dublin housing
2. Families who are waiting to move into a new affordable housing estate in Rush, north Dublin are facing major delays in getting the keys to their new homes, with no date in sight for when they will be able to move in.

Part of the government’s affordable housing scheme, it is being jointly delivered by developer Manley Construction and Fingal County Council.

Some of the families were told that the houses would be ready in January but, over six months on, they still have no date for when they can move in.

UK riots
3. Eight people have been arrested after the latest eruption of public disorder in the UK, this time in Sunderland.

Some protesters descended into violence, setting an overturned car on fire, while others targeted a local mosque and shouted insults about Islam.

The country has seen a number of riots in different cities following the stabbing of three girls at a holiday club in Southport earlier this week.

Paul Whelan
4. Who is Paul Whelan, the Irish citizen freed after being jailed in Russia for espionage?

That’s the question – and headline – for this piece by Niall O’Connor examining the background of the man greeted by Joe Biden on the airport tarmac when he landed back on US soil this week.

Whelan claims to have been a former police officer. In fact he is a disgraced US marine kicked out of the military for fraud, and would go on to be a global security manager for US companies.

9/11 attackers
5. The US Defence secretary Lloyd Austin has overrode a plea agreement reached earlier this week for the accused mastermind of the September 11, 2001, attacks and two other defendants.

Austin wrote in an order released last night that “in light of the significance of the decision”, he had decided that the authority to decide on accepting the plea agreements was his.

The cases have been reinstated as death penalty cases instead.

Public transport this long weekend
6. A busy weekend is ahead for public transport, with users warned of major works on some train lines.

We also have the All Together Now music festival and the Bray Air Display, with over 450,000 passengers also expected to travel through Dublin Airport.

Sinead O’Connor statue
7. A wax sculpture of beloved singer Sinead O’Connor was swiftly pulled from an exhibition at the National Wax Museum after a backlash from her family and fans.

However, a tribute to Sinead has not been ruled out in the Co Wicklow town of Bray, where her former home on the seafront became the focal point for people gathering following her death.

Olympics
8. Swimmer Daniel Wiffen returns to action later this morning after 10am in another busy at the Olympics.

Looking forward to the action are Gavin Cooney and Sinead O’Carroll in the Olympics Daily podcast. They also take time to discuss Ireland’s second gold medal at the Paris Games, and pay tribute to Thomas Barr on his farewell to the Olympic Games.

Body image in the time of summer
9. Therapist Maxine Walsh discusses how to grapple with body positivity, insecurities and FOMO during the summer.

She says we need to ditch comparison and self-criticism when it comes to our body shape.