Your top stories on Friday: Fresh gaffes add to Biden concerns; XL ...

Here are the stories you need to start your day including why Brianna Parkins thinks everyone under 25 should have to work a year in hospitality or retail

Biden defiant on staying in 2024 race as new gaffes add to concerns

US president Joe Biden vowed he would remain in the 2024 presidential race, but two critical mistakes in the span of two hours deepened concerns about his mental acuity that threaten his campaign.

Mr Biden (81) saw the culmination of this week’s Nato summit in Washington as a chance to reassure allies who for two weeks had fretted about his abilities following his first debate performance against Donald Trump.

News in IrelandXL bully dogs to be banned in Ireland following Limerick attack: XL bully dogs are to be banned in the State following a series of savage attacks on people involving the crossbreed.Garda Commissioner calls for ‘more severe’ punishment for speeding drivers: Consideration should be given to graduated fines to ensure drivers travelling at higher speeds are “more severely punished”, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has told the Government.Eleventh night bonfires: ‘It’s what I grew up with’: Waking up on July 12th to the smell of the embers of a bonfire is like Christmas morning for one north Belfast woman.Traffic plan could cost Dublin €400m a year, says report for traders opposed to car curbs: Dublin city’s economy will lose almost €400 million a year by 2028 if traffic changes in the capital’s latest transport plan are implemented, according to a report commissioned by businesses opposed to the initiative.Businesses duped out of nearly €10m by email scams in 2023: Businesses are being urged to review their payment policies after small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were conned out of almost €10 million by email scammers in 2023, according to Fraudsmart.Weather forecast: Friday will start dry but scattered showers will slowly spread from the northwest through the morning and afternoon. A cloudy day overall, the best of any sunny spells will develop in the south and east later in the afternoon and evening but remaining quite cloudy in the northwest. Some patchy drizzle will push into northwestern coasts this evening. Highest temperatures of 15 to 18 degrees. Tonight will be mainly cloudy with isolated showers and a few drizzle patches spreading southwards across the country overnight. Lowest temperatures of 8 to 12 degrees.Check out today’s Most Read storiesJoin The Irish Times WhatsApp channel for breaking news straight to your phone.PeopleEveryone under the age of 25 should have to work a year in hospitality or retail: It was never really going to be a go-er was it? The Tories trying to bring back National Service, ie, military conscription, writes Brianna Parkins.OpinionDiarmaid Ferriter: Keir Starmer may love Ireland, but he won’t be ‘sucked in to the Irish bog’Stephen Collins: Two factors helped Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to pull off something remarkable in recent electionsBusinessAverage price of a resale home outside Dublin up 6.8% in year to June: The average price of a resale home outside Dublin increased by 6.8 per cent in the twelve months to June, according property company DNG.SportsSouth Africa vs Ireland: Caelan Doris named captain: Caelan Doris will captain Ireland during their second Test against South Africa as Peter O’Mahony drops to the bench.Podcast HighlightsIn the News Podcast: Pet grief: Paul Howard on the death of his dog HumphreyWhy not try one of our Crosswords & Puzzles?Simplex CrosswordCrosaire CrosswordSudoku PuzzleLike this?

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