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

IRELAND

Aurora Borealis visible in Naul, Co Dublin last night Mairead Maguire Mairead Maguire

• Ten prisoners have been taken to hospital in a serious condition after they apparently overdosed on an opioid in Portlaoise prison, The Journal has learned.
• Almost 1.5 million people tuned into watch Kellie Harrington’s lightweight boxing final at the Olympic Games in Paris on RTÉ 2 television last week, according to new figures released by the broadcaster.
• More than €10 million worth of cocaine has been seized at Dublin Port.
• A woman has been killed in a three-vehicle collision in Co Wexford.
• Former Irish President Mary McAleese has said that the vast majority of people in Northern Ireland do not want to be associated with “the misery of racism” following demonstrations in Belfast last week.
• A man charged over a knife attack in Dublin, which resulted in another man being hospitalised, has been granted bail with “strict” conditions.
• People should be able to get prescriptions for eight common conditions at pharmacies, a report has recommended.
• Record low unemployment in Northern Ireland is a positive step – but the region still has a high proportion of adults who are “economically inactive”, an economist has said.

INTERNATIONAL

Palestine supporters protest in Whitehall, London, opposite UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's residence, following Israeli bombing of al-Tabin school in Gaza, killing dozens and injuring many more. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#MURDER INVESTIGATION A woman who was allegedly murdered by her Irish ex-partner, who was himself shot dead by police in Malta yesterday, had recently filed harassment reports with authorities.

#WILDFIRES The EU’s civil protection unit is set to join firefighters in Greece who are battling devastating wildfires just north of Athens for a third straight day.

#RUSSIAN WAR Ukraine is now in control of 74 settlements in Russia’s Kursk border region, the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has said.

PARTING SHOT

Domnick Walsh Domnick Walsh

RTÉ presenters Dáithí Ó Sé and Kathryn Thomas were pictured at the official launch of the Rose of Tralee International Festival 2024 in Airfield Estate.

The festival, which first ran in 1958, will return to the kingdom where women from all counties – as well as some far-flung places – will battle it out to be crowned the next Rose.

It runs from Friday 16 August to Tuesday, 20 August, and will air every evening on RTÉ.