1. Rio police are satisfied two OCI officials were not involved in touting
Two Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) officials, Kevin Kilty and Stephen Martin, are witnesses but not suspects in their investigation into the alleged ticket touting controversy at the Rio Games, Brazilian police said on Thursday.
Police chief Ronaldo de Oliviera said there was "a great chance" both would recommend that their passports be returned to them after they were interviewed at a police station in the north of Rio. Mr Oliviera said the two witnesses told them Patrick Hickey had responsibility for OCI ticketing at the Olympics.
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2. France awaits court ruling on burkini bans
A French court will today rule on the legality of local "burkini" bans, which have drawn international criticism and exposed a rift in François Hollande's government.
Human rights and anti-Islamophobia groups have asked the Conseil d'État, France's highest administrative court, to overturn a ban on the full-body swimsuit which was imposed by the Mediterranean town of Villeneuve-Loubet.
The ruling will be binding and will affect at least 30 other coastal towns, mainly in southeast France, that have made similar decrees.
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3. WhatsApp may angers users with Facebook move
Mobile messaging service WhatsApp, which was bought by Facebook in 2014,has announced plans to share users' phone numbers with its parent company, updating its terms and privacy policy for the first time in four years to reflect the change. Users will have 30 days to decide whether to opt out of their information being used for ad targeting on Facebook, but they will not be able to opt out of their data being shared with the social network.
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4. Judges claimed over €780,000 in expenses in first half of 2016
Figures from the Courts Service show that the largest claim, for €24,500, was made by District Court Judge Kevin Kilraine, who presides in parts of counties Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim. He claimed more than €15,000 in subsistence and almost €9,000 in travel expenses from the Courts Service.
The second largest claim, for just under €21,600, was made by Judge Séamus Hughes, who presides in counties Longford and Westmeath.
Judges' professional fees are also paid for them; in the first quarter of 2016, the Courts Service paid €61,600 to the Honourable Society of King's Inns for judges' professional fees.
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5. Families face homelessness amid caravan park closure
Up to 100 low-income residents of a caravan park in Greystones, Co Wicklow, face homelessness, having been given notice to quit by their landlord. The 52 mobile homes, chalets and caravans are homes to families with children, and elderly people, some of whom have lived there for up to 30 years.
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And finally. . . 'Feck you, Your Majesty, Paddy is back'
As former health minister Dr James Reilly and his wife prepare to sell their Anglo-Irish mansion on 82 acres in Co Offaly, the Fine Gael deputy leader recalls his first night sleeping in 'The King's Bed', a royal, carved-oak, sleigh bed made for King George IV's visit to Ireland in 1821.