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

IRELAND

Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• Health officials have reported a spike of 85 new Covid-19 cases – something they say could either be a “blip” or the start of a more significant trend
• Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan has resigned as the party whip after voting against the government’s Residential Tenancies and Valuation Bill. 
• Bewley’s Café in Dublin is set to re-open, months after the business announced that it would permanently close. 
• A healthcare assistant who raped a pensioner in her nursing home bed during the Covid-19 lockdown has been jailed for 11 years.
• Northern Ireland’s Covid-19 contact tracing app launched today. 
• Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said that there is “no mystery” and “no conspiracy” around how the decision was reached that Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney should get a State car and two Garda drivers.

INTERNATIONAL

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries out a North Yorkshire Police Rural Taskforce bike. Charlotte Graham / Daily Telegraph/PA Wire/PA Images Charlotte Graham / Daily Telegraph/PA Wire/PA Images / Daily Telegraph/PA Wire/PA Images

#US: Former US presidential candidate Herman Cain has died after being hospitalised with Covid-19.

#FIFA: The Swiss special federal public prosecutor has opened criminal proceedings against FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

#TRUMP: The US President suggested that November’s presidential election should be delayed because of “fraudulent” voting arising from mail-in votes.

PARTING SHOT

Some good news amid all the bleakness. They’re one of the most recognisable creatures on the planet, but for years the outlook for the world’s tiger population was not good. 

Now, there are some positive signs emerging. The BBC reports that endangered tigers are making a remarkable comeback. Read more here.