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

IRELAND

Michael Breen fired home Tipperary's first goal as they beat Clare at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

• A further 562 cases of Covid-19 have been identified in Ireland, with hospital numbers up six to 48 and ICU numbers steady at 14.
• One attendee at yesterday’s pilot music festival in Dublin tested positive for Covid-19 with an antigen test but later returned a negative PCR test. 
• Firefighters are battling large fire at a coffin makers in Strabane, Co Tyrone with some witnesses saying there was a lightning strike in the area at the time. 
• Thunderstorm warnings are currently in place for 14 counties. 
• The HSE has said the 450,000 people waiting on their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine will receive it within the next 10 days. 
• DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson has said UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson ‘needs to recognise’ the constitutional harm from the Northern Ireland Protocol.
• Canvassing continues in Dublin Bay South days out from the Dáil by-election. 
• Campaigners have criticised the need to import blood from Britain without addressing restrictions on Irish gay and bisexual men from donating blood.
• Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney is travelling to Lebanon to visit Irish troops serving with the United Nations.

WORLD

A headless toppled statue of Queen Victoria in Winnipeg, Canada following discovery of unmarked graves of indigenous children. PA Images PA Images

#NORMALITY: Social distancing and mask requirements are to be scrapped in England from 19 July as society returns to “normality as far as possible”. 

#PHILLIPINES: A Philippine Air Force aircraft carrying troops crashed in a southern province while trying to land, killing at least 29 people. 

#CLAMPDOWN: Migrants seeking to make their way to the UK without permission could face tougher sentences of between six months to four years in prison. 

#CARRIBBEAN STORM: At least three people are dead after Tropical Storm Elsa battered the southern coasts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

PARTING SHOT 

With 76 hotdogs in 10 minutes, competitive eater Joey Chestnut beat his own world record to claim the annual Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island for the 14th time. 

Happy 4th of July everyone! 

JOEY CHESTNUT WITH A NEW WORLD RECORD 76 HOTDOGS IN 10 MINUTES 😳

14 titles 🐐 pic.twitter.com/3iia7YIHdr

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 4, 2021