July 11: Today’s top stories in 60 seconds

Ryan Tubridy and Noel Kelly face grilling by TDs as new RTÉ docs reveal €70,000 spent on Renault events and producer was there to oversee them
The total cost of RTÉ hosting three Renault events with Ryan Tubridy in 2022 is almost €70,000, according to the interim director general Adrian Lynch.
The latest revelations from the national broadcaster come as Tubridy and his agent Noel Kelly face a marathon grilling by politicians today as they seek to save their careers in the wake of the pay scandal that has besieged RTÉ. Two Oireachtas committees will today hear from the former Late Late Show host and his agent after details of more than €345,000 in secret payments to Tubridy were revealed by RTÉ.
Independent.ie

Government expected to make key decision on proceeding with new National Maternity Hospital
The Government will make a key decision on Tuesday on proceeding with the construction of a new National Maternity Hospital (NMH) on the grounds of St Vincent’s hospital in Elm Park. At the weekly meeting of the Government on Tuesday, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will seek approval to proceed to tender for the hospital. If the Cabinet green lights his proposal, it will see the hospital move from its present location in Holles Street to the St Vincent’s campus in south Dublin. The proposed relocation was the subject of controversy and opposition, amid claims the ethos of the religious order which owned St Vincent’s, the Sisters of Charity, would have a residual influence on the new hospital. This claim has been rejected strongly by the Government and by a majority of clinicians at the NMH.
The Irish Times

Tánaiste to update Cabinet on Defence Forces inquiry
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin is expected to update the Cabinet on his intention to launch a public inquiry into systemic failings in the Defence Forces, which were highlighted by the Women of Honour group. The move follows a recommendation of a statutory inquiry, by the Independent Review Group, which examined behaviours in the Defence Forces. Last week, the Tánaiste indicated that he planned to recommend that a public Tribunal of Inquiry investigates allegations of emotional abuse, physical torture, bullying and sexual misconduct.
RTÉ

Man confronted in Cork by vigilante group over alleged online child grooming
Gardaí in Cork say “enquiries are ongoing” after members of a self-styled online child protection vigilante group confronted a man on the city’s northside about allegedly grooming children online. Members of the Northern Ireland-based group confronted the man, who is in his 60s, in a housing estate on Saturday.
The Irish Examiner

‘Eleventh Night’ bonfires to be lit in loyalist areas across Northern Ireland later
Bonfires will be lit in loyalist areas across Northern Ireland later to usher in the main date in the Protestant loyal order parading season. Some of the pyres, mainly constructed by stacking wooden pallets, have already been torched in recent nights – but the vast majority will be ignited late tonight. The “Eleventh Night” fires are traditionally lit on the eve of the “Twelfth of July” – a day when members of Protestant loyal orders parade to commemorate the Battle of Boyne in 1690. The battle, which unfolded at the Boyne river north of Dublin, saw Protestant King William of Orange defeat Catholic King James II to secure a Protestant line of succession to the British Crown.
The Journal

BBC presenter scandal: Director-general to face media as controversy deepens
The BBC’s director-general will face the media today as the scandal over a top presenter deepens. Tim Davie will speak to journalists as he unveils the broadcaster’s annual report, which is set to reveal how much its biggest stars are paid. But the briefing will likely be overshadowed by questions about the unnamed celebrity who has been suspended amid allegations he paid a teenager for sexually explicit photographs. The young person at the centre of the controversy has released a statement to the BBC that says nothing inappropriate or unlawful happened – describing allegations made by The Sun as “rubbish”. Their lawyer added that the 20-year-old is estranged from their mother and stepfather, who made the claims to the newspaper.
Sky News

Elizabeth Holmes’ 11-year prison sentence shortened by two years
Elizabeth Holmes’ prison sentence was quietly shortened by two years, new records show. An update to Holmes’ profile on the website of the Bureau of Prisons now projects her release date as 12 December 2032, two years sooner than initially scheduled. A spokesman for the federal agency confirmed the update but said he could not comment further citing “privacy, safety, and security reasons” for inmates. Holmes had reported to a minimum-security, federal women’s prison camp located in Bryan, Texas, on 30 May after being convicted in November 2022 on four counts of defrauding investors and sentenced to 11 years and three months. Her new date of release means she will instead serve about nine years and seven months.
The Guardian

Today’s forecast
Today will bring further scattered showers with some heavy downpours likely in parts of the north and east. There will be bright or sunny intervals in many areas too, after some early mist or fog. Highest temperatures of 16 to 19 degrees in a moderate northwesterly breeze. Later in the day, cloud will increase in Atlantic coastal areas bringing showery outbreaks of rain. Tonight the showery outbreaks of rain will move eastwards across the country. Temperatures will fall to between 9 and 12 degrees in light west to southwest breezes. A few mist patches forming too.
Met Éireann