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

Ireland

Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn at this evening's NPHET press briefing Sam Boal Sam Boal

• Health officials confirmed that there were no new deaths related to Covid-19 today, and that six new cases have been diagnosed.
• Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn has said that there will be “no judgement” of anyone who contracts Covid-19. 
• Dr Glynn also confirmed that 20 construction workers contracted coronavirus in a cluster in a building site in Dublin city centre. 
• The rent freeze and ban on evictions have been extended to 1 August to allow Minister Darragh O’Brien to bring in new legislation to protect tenants and property owners
• Children’s Minister Roderic O’Gorman has accepted the apology of John Connors and has called the incident “fully resolved”
• The Gardaí ordered that a Limerick publican shut his doors after he opened his pub this morning, as he is not operating as a restaurant. 
• A number of women who were impacted by the CervicalCheck scandal have paid tribute to Ruth Morrissey after she passed away at the age of 39 yesterday. 
• There has been a 98% increase in people contacting the six rape crisis centres during the Covid-19 pandemic. 
• The higher rate of the pandemic unemployment payment could be reduced to €300 per week as part of the government’s July Stimulus Plan. 

International

Kanye West held his first presidential rally in South Carolina last night AP / PA Images AP / PA Images / PA Images

#VACCINE Early trials of a Covid-19 vaccine by Oxford Researchers have produced an immune reaction, but it is too early to know if it will be an effective vaccine

#HEARD Amber Heard has begun to give her evidence at Johnny Depp’s libel case, claiming that she was afraid Depp would try to kill her. 

#KANYE Kanye West held his first presidential rally last night, where he promised to give everyone who has a baby one million dollars if elected to the office of the President. 

#TIKTOK Social media platform TikTok has said that it does not provide the Chinese communist party with the data of its users, saying that all its data is stored in the US. 

#POLAR BEARS A study from the University of Toronto has said that global warming’s impact on melting sea ice could cause most polar bears to disappear by 2100. 

Parting Shot

On 20 July 1969, carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the Apollo 11 lunar module touched down on the surface of the moon.

It was on this day 51 years ago that Armstrong spoke the iconic phrase that would remain known long after they returned home to Earth.

That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

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