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

IRELAND 

Horses and riders on Bunowen Bay Beach in Galway Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews.ie Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• Public health officials confirmed 1,293 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
• The government expects to lift all Covid-19 restrictions by 22 October if 90% of people are vaccinated, aside from some mask requirements.
• Representatives from all major parties in Northern and the Republic of Ireland signed a document rejecting a UK government proposal of amnesty for legacy killings. 
• Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said there’s “no space” for demeaning personal messages after Green TD Brian Leddin apologised for comments in a WhatsApp group he set up in 2017.
• 118 passengers missed flights at Dublin Airport yesterday after significant delays during a “particularly busy” weekend.
• Gardaí are seeking the public’s help in locating a 16-year-old missing from Youghal in Co Cork since Saturday.
• Tributes have been offered following the death of Limerick student and GAA player Niall O’Brien on a holiday in Greece.
• Cork University Maternity Hospital apologised to the husband and family of 36-year-old Marie Downey who died alongside her infant son in a single room onsite.
• Ireland has at least 34 companies working in the space industry – so what is our role in the space race? 

THE WORLD

A man passes by a section of roof blown off of a building in the French Quarter by Hurricane Ida winds in New Orleans, US. Eric Gay / AP Eric Gay / AP / AP

#COVID-19 The World Health Organisation has warned that Covid-19 deaths are rising in Europe as the world passes 4.5 million deaths from the virus.

#AFGHANISTAN US forces are set to withdraw from Afghanistan tomorrow in line with a deadline set by President Joe Biden 20 years after it invaded the country.

#HURRICANE Louisiana in the south-east of the US has been hit heavily by a Category 4 storm that knocked out power to all of New Orleans.

#ISRAEL-PALESTINE Israel’s defence minister and Palestine’s president met today in the first high-level talks between the two sides in years.  

PARTING SHOT

After more than a year of escaping the worst of the pandemic, Australia has been hit by a wave of the Delta variant, leading to new lockdowns and restrictions.

On this week’s episode of The Journal’s The Explainer podcast, we spoke to Sydney-based journalist Peter Bodkin on the current situation in the country, what the vaccination programme has been like, and how Australia – like Ireland – has been tackling misinformation.

Here’s everywhere the podcast is available to listen to.