LAST UPDATE | 4 Aug

GOOD MORNING.

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

UK riots
1. Dozens of arrests were made following scenes of violent disorder in Belfast and in England yesterday, with police warning that further violence is likely in the coming days.

Multiple towns and cities saw rioting by anti-immigration demonstrators, along with confrontations by counter-protesters.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the police have his “full support” to take action against “extremists” attempting to “sow hate” by intimidating communities as he held emergency talks with ministers over the unrest in parts of England.

E-scooters
2. In our lead story this morning, Valerie Flynn reports that the world’s largest e-scooter sharing company has rolled back plans to launch in Ireland because of recent legislation.

When the government legalised the devices in May, it imposed a weight limit 25kg.

Lime, which operates in cities across Europe and the world, told The Journal it was “very disappointed” with this limit, which it says has ruled out models used across the international scooter sharing industry.

Olympics
3. In a bumper day for Irish sport, Kellie Harrington ensured she will box for another Olympic gold medal after she won her semi-final in Paris last night.

Her success followed an amazing day for Rhys McClenaghan to finish as Ireland’s first ever Olympic medalist in gymnastics. He told The Journal afterwards how it was a 10-year plan coming to fruition in the most spectacular style.

There may yet be more success today as Daniel Wiffen chases another gold in the pool, while Rory McIlroy is in contention in golf.

And if you’d like to know more about how Team Ireland readied themselves for the French heat, Mairead Maguire looked at these preparations here. Ice baths and slushies are included.

Weather warnings
4. A Status Yellow warning for rain will come into place for six counties from 1pm today.

Counties Clare, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, and Sligo are all under the alert, with Met Éireann warning of heavy rain coupled with strong and gusty southerly winds.

Ramming
5. A man carried out a series of attacks by crashing a van into gates of Áras an Uachtaráin, the Custom House and Government Buildings in Dublin after suffering “delusional fantasies”, a court heard yesterday.

David O’Callaghan, 40, of The Fairways, Woodbrook Glen, Bray, Co Wicklow, faces five counts of criminal damage to gates at the three locations, which happened within the space of about 15 minutes.

West Bank killings
6. An Israeli airstrike on a vehicle in the occupied West Bank killed five Palestinians, according to Israel’s army and Palestinian media, as violence flares in the Israeli-occupied territory.

The Israeli army said its forces hit a vehicle carrying five militants in a rural area northwest of the city of Tulkarem in the north-west West Bank early this morning, as the occupants were on their way to carry out an attack.

Massacre at Mogadishu beach
7. A suicide bomber and gunmen attacked a busy beach in the Somali capital Mogadishu killing 37 people and wounding scores more, in one of the deadliest strikes in the East African country in months.

Survivors of Friday’s assault described how following the blast gunmen stormed onto the beach intending to “kill everyone they could”, with graphic video shared online immediately after showing bloodied bodies on the sand.

Scam texts
8. The Department of Social Protection has said it is “aware” of a number of scams targeting members of the public, including a text scam claiming that people’s MyGov email is suspended.

The text claims that the receiver’s MyGov email is suspended and provides a fraudulent link.

Trump and the Republicans
9. From a dodgy vice present pick to claims of “weirdness”, Carl Kinsella looks at how nothing has gone right for the GOP since Donald Trump’s assassination attempt.