E-scooter ban; alumina exports to Russia; and Houthi rebels in Yemen Listen | 11:07E-scooters in Dublin. Photo: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times Tue Jul 21 2026 - 06:11The ban on e-scooters puts frontline Gardai “at risk” according to Garda Mark Ferris writing in today’s Irish Times. The report into alumina exports from the Aughinish plant in County Limerick not expected to be published before being sent to EU commission.Iran has instructed the Houthi rebels in Yemen, one of its proxy groups, to begin attacks on ships going into the Red Sea.School secretaries and caretakers in the Forsa union have been offered a settlement in their long running dispute over pensions. Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast have developed a low-cost, 3D-printed battery they believe could help accelerate the transition to clean energy. Andrew McNairAndrew McNair is an audio producer at The Irish Times