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

IRELAND

Brown Thomas launched The Christmas Shop today - just 127 days before the big day. Leon Farrell Leon Farrell

• Health officials confirmed a further 1,818 cases of Covid here.
• Meath woman Aoife MacManus, one of the three Irish people who have left Afghanistan, has described how the Taliban helped to escort her to the airport in Kabul last night.
• Ireland’s new roadmap for the easing of Covid-19 restrictions is expected to be published at the end of the month.
• Almost 72,000 12-15-year-olds have received a Covid vaccine since the programme opened up to that cohort, the HSE said.
• A woman was arrested in Dublin this morning in relation to a money-laundering investigation.
• Gardaí in Kerry are investigating an indoor gathering at a pub belonging to Danny Healy-Rae.
• Two men died in a three-car crash in Meath this morning.

INTERNATIONAL

Ben Palmer of the Covent Garden Sinfonia performing a rendition of The Walking Dead’'s theme tune to a live audience at King’s Place Concert Hall in London. PA PA

#AFGHANISTAN: Several people have reportedly been killed amid gunfire and a stampede at an Independence Day rally in the Afghan city of Asadabad.

#UK: The Plymouth gunman shot dead five people after a row with his mother, an inquest heard.

PARTING SHOT

It’s  August. It’s silly season. So, it’s totally normal for a minister to send out a press release asking people to show some “cop on” while looking at Wally the Walrus.

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