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

IRELAND

A statue of the late musician Luke Kelly on King Street South in Dublin's city centre is cleaned after it was defaced overnight. A second statue of the singer on Sheriff Street on the north of the city was also vandalised for the sixth time in 18 months. PA PA

• The Department of Health this evening confirmed that a further six patients diagnosed with Covid-19 have died and there are five new cases of the disease in Ireland.
• TDs from across the Dáil chamber have paid tribute to Detective Garda Colm Horkan, after a minute’s silence was held for the Mayo man at Leinster House this morning.
• Police and neighbours in Belfast are continuing to search for missing 14-year-old schoolboy Noah Donohoe, who was last seen on Sunday evening. 
• It is not envisaged that “significant” personal protective equipment will be required when schools reopen in September, Education Minister Joe McHugh has said. 
• 55 inmates granted temporary release from prisons since 2 March by the Irish Prison Service have been re-arrested and returned to prison after breaching their temporary release conditions.
• Insurer FBD has set aside €22 million to cover potential costs in case it loses a test case brought against it by pub owners over whether their policies with the insurer cover the disruption in trade caused by Covid-19. 
• Customers who attend barbers or hairdressers from next week onwards may expect an increase in the price of their haircut due to additional costs related to Covid-19.
• The HSE has said CervicalCheck screening will resume for priority groups next month and it hopes to clear the backlog from the suspension of this service by October.
• Heart attack patients are waiting on average 18 hours longer before attending hospital to seek medical help since the start of the Covid-19 crisis, according to heart and stroke charity Croí.
• A new analysis of airplay on Irish radio has shown a dramatic disparity between the broadcast of male and female Irish artists – out of the top 20 Irish artists across 28 music-paying radio stations encompassing 560 artists, just 41 are female. 
• There have been calls for increased security after two sculptures of Luke Kelly – unveiled last year to mark the Dubliners singer’s 35th anniversary – were vandalised with white paint last night. 

WORLD 

Russian sailors march toward Red Square during the Victory Day military parade marking the 75th anniversary of the Nazi defeat in Moscow, Russia, Mikhail Voskresenskiy / PA Mikhail Voskresenskiy / PA / PA

#FAUCI: The US government’s top infectious disease expert has told a House committee the next few weeks will be critical to arresting the country’s disturbing coronavirus resurgence.

#SPECIAL TREATMENT: US Attorney General William Barr has said he will testify before Congress for the first time as it examines whether he has inappropriately politicised the Justice Department.

#FLUSHED OUT: Police in the UK have arrested a seventh person in connection with the theft of a golden toilet from Blenheim Palace last year.

PARTING SHOT

Ahead of The Den reunion on RTÉ Does Comic Relief this Friday, the feathered member of the show sat down with TheJournal.ie to discuss what made the iconic show work and what we can expect from its reunion this week.

The reason it actually worked is because RTÉ had feck all involvement. That’s why it worked, if they tried it they’d end up with Echo Island meets The Nuacht.

You can read Dustin’s full interview here.

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