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

IRELAND

Members of the public wearing medical masks as they pass mannequins in a charity shop window on Sth Great Georges St in Dublin Leah Farrell / Rollingnews.ie Leah Farrell / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

• There were no new deaths from Covid-19 reported in Ireland today, as 18 new cases were confirmed by the Department of Health. 
• Two men died in a diving accident in Tipperary. 
• Images of packed crowds in Dublin city centre last night prompted criticism from doctors and vintners.
• Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen has said he’s embarassed and humiliated after it emerged he had been issued with a driving ban for drink driving.
• In other bad news for Fianna Fáil, MEP Billy Kelleher apologised after reports he had failed to follow health guidelines and self-isolate when he returned from Brussels for the election of Taoiseach.
• The plan for re-opening non-Covid healthcare services could take “several weeks”. 
• Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to an incident on the M4.
• A local TD condemned a suspected arson attack in Dundalk.
• A man in his 70s died in a three-car collision in Tipperary.
• A Status Yellow wind warning was in place for 17 counties.

INTERNATIONAL

David D'Arcy and his wife Hayley Collins get married during their socially distanced wedding at St Anne's Church in Aigburth, Liverpool Peter Byrne / PA Images Peter Byrne / PA Images / PA Images

#YEEZY PEASY: Kanye West has said – not for the first time – that he’s going to run for US President.

#SOUTH CAROLINA: Two people were killed and eight wounded in a shooting at a US nightclub.

#JAPAN: The death toll has risen after major flooding in southern Japan.

PARTING SHOT

Speaking of Japan, it has an extremely low death rate from Covid-19.

There is no real answer as to why, but this longread on the BBC today takes a look. 

If you were to listen to Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, it is down to the “superior quality” of Japanese people. In a now notorious comment, Mr Aso said he had been asked by leaders of other countries to explain Japan’s success.

“I told these people: ‘Between your country and our country, mindo (the level of people) is different.’ And that made them speechless and quiet.”