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

IRELAND

People going for a walk on the pier at Dublin bay on a Bank Holiday Monday. Sasko Lazarov Sasko Lazarov

• Walk-in vaccination centres have been hailed as a “huge success” after 18,000 people were vaccinated at these sites this weekend
• The organiser of Electric Picnic is “very confident” that the Laois festival will get the go-ahead this year, as he hasn’t heard otherwise from the Government
• A decorative part at the top of four buildings in Bray, Co Wicklow collapsed
• Common cranes that set up home on a rewetted peatland successfully hatched two baby chicks, the first in 300 years – though the chicks are feared to have died
• Four men were arrested in relation to a racially-motivated hate crime in Belfast
• There were 1,352 new Covid-19 cases today, and 177 people are in hospital.

WORLD

Gold medalists Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy get their gold medals for the men's high jump. Xinhua News Agency / PA Images Xinhua News Agency / PA Images / PA Images

#RUN: Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya plans to seek asylum in Poland, an activist group said today, after Poland ranted her a humanitarian visa.

#CENTRAL CHINA: More than 300 people died in recent flooding in central China, authorities said, three times the previously announced toll.

#WILDFIRES: Wildfires have been raging near Turkey’s holiday beach destinations of Antalya and Mugla as the discovery of more bodies caused the death toll to rise to 8.

#PINGDEMIC: The NHS Covid-19 app was updated so fewer contacts will be instructed to isolate amid an increase in people being pinged since England’s legal pandemic restrictions ended.

PARTING SHOT

The lead singer of the Eurovision-winning Finnish heavy metal band Mr Lordi gets his second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in Rovaniemi.

Finland: Lordi gets his second vaccine dose in Rovaniemi.
He says covid year has had its plus side:
'We've recorded 7 albums.'
Photo: Jouni Porsangerhttps://t.co/4dwqt2qCB9 pic.twitter.com/5zXMH1sqj7

— Nordic News (@Nordic_News) August 2, 2021