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

IRELAND

Cast members of a Mozart’s ‘The Impresario' production launching Opera in the Park. Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

• Three men who entered Ireland after being discovered on indie band Two Door Cinema Club’s truck in Galway City last week have claimed asylum. 
• An Bord Pleanála has granted planning permission for a controversial co-living development in Dún Laoghaire, south Dublin.
• One day after a High Court judge appealed for women to be appointed as examiners and liquidators, the first female examiner in Ireland has been appointed.
• A new festival will see Ireland taking ownership of Halloween this autumn, with events taking place across three counties under the one banner. 
• A settlement of €15 million has been awarded to the family of 13-year-old Arron O’Keeffe, who has cerebral palsy following injuries at birth.

WORLD 

Donald Trump explains to reporters that he is not a racist on the south lawn of the Whitehouse. Marovich Pete / ABACA Marovich Pete / ABACA / ABACA

#CALL ME Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson have spoken by phone this morning almost a week since Johnson took over at Number 10.

#NOT A RACIST State lawmakers in the US boycotted a Donald Trump event in opposition to what they say is open racism, which Trump, of course denied. 

#ROCKY WATERS US rapper A$AP Rocky pleaded not guilty to assault at his trial in Sweden today over a street brawl, saying he acted in self-defence.

PARTING SHOT

We really shouldn’t complain after the prolonged warm and sunny weather we’ve had recently, but things took a serious turn for the worst today when heavy downpours in the east halted trains, and flooded busy roads. 

The heavens opened a number of times and Dublin Fire Brigade took to Twitter to show some of the spot flooding in Churchtown in Dublin. 

That’ll do for now, we’ll have the sunshine back please!