GOOD MORNING.

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

At sea

1. In today’s lead story, Niall O’Connor follows a maritime training exercise by the Irish Army Ranger Wing in the Irish sea.

A few kilometres off the coast of Sout Dublin, the elite soldiers have been honing their skills in boarding a massive cargo ship.

The Journal was granted exclusive access to the unit and the naval Commander involved in the operation.

Political summer

2. The Dáil has begun its summer recess, facing into a two-month break from Leinster House.

There are criticisms annually when the Dáil rises – and this year, in the height of a cost-of-living crisis, the public will not be slow to ask where the government has gone.

Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl tried to stem any criticism this week, saying that TDs will not be on summer holidays but continuing to work in their constituencies.

“They will not close their constituency offices and they will not turn off their phones. Indeed, some members do not even turn off their phones in the Chamber,” he joked, looking at Danny Healy Rae’s seat. 

Russian invasion

3. Ukraine has accused Russia of using Europe’s largest nuclear power plant as a base to store weapons, including “missile systems”, and shell the surrounding areas in Ukraine.

The president of Ukrainian nuclear agency Energoatom said the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant was “extremely tense”.

“The occupiers bring their machinery there, including missile systems, from which they already shell the other side of the river Dnipro and the territory of Nikopol,” he said.

Hot hot hot

4. It’s set to be a few hot days ahead, with highest temperatures today between 20 and 26 degrees Celsius.

Pet owners are being urged to keep their animal friends cool and hydrated during the heat.

Here’s expert advice on how to keep your pets safe and comfortable.

Trinity Hall

5. Trinity has received planning permission for 350 new beds in Dartry despite objections from locals.

Nearby residents had called for the plans to be scrapped, with one complaint saying it would go against the “spirit” of the area.

But the college says it will “deliver and operate a best-in-class” student accommodation centre.

Voluntary assisted dying

6. A special Oireachtas committee examining the issue of voluntary assisted dying is expected to commence in October.

People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny, who tabled the Dying with Dignity Bill, said he hopes it will be the “beginning of a serious conversation in eventually changing the law around this issue in the lifetime of this government”.

The bill would permit terminally ill people to avail of medical assistance to die in certain circumstances

Abortion

7. The US House of Representatives has approved legislation to protect abortion access following the country’s Supreme Court overruling Roe v Wade.

However, it is not expected to survive the Senate, where 10 Republicans would need to join Democrats in giving their support.

Tory leader

8. Five contenders in the race to become the next leader of the UK Conservative party took part in the first televised debate of the election yesterday evening.

Rishi Sunak, Penny Mordaunt, Liz Truss, Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat clashed over tax cuts and faced questions such as: “Why should we trust any of you?” 

Musk v Twitter

9. Tesla chief Elon Musk has asked a US court to push back a lawsuit brought against him by Twitter until at least next February instead of September.

Twitter has sued Musk for breaching the contract he signed to buy the tech firm, calling his exit strategy “a model of hypocrisy”. 

Musk’s lawyers have accused Twitter’s board of directors of wanting to expedite the case.