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

IRELAND

Pubs across Ireland have been asked to close from midnight to help combat the spread of coronavirus. RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

• There were 40 new cases of coronavirus confirmed in Ireland, bringing the total number in the Republic to 169, up from 129 yesterday.
• The government advised that all pubs should close from midnight in the latest measure to curb the spread of the coronavirus Covid-19 in Ireland. 
• Tanaiste Simon Coveney told Irish people who wish to return home from Spain to get on a flight before midnight on Thursday. 
• Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin said his party is ready to “step up” and form a government with Fine Gael in order to tackle the coronvirus pandemic.
• The annual Darkness into Light fundraising event, which was set to take place in May, was called off because of fears about Covid-19. 
• A teenager was taken to hospital after being injured in a shooting in north Dublin.

THE WORLD 

A runner covers his face during the Bath Half Marathon. PA Images PA Images

#DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION: Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders will meet tonight for the first one-on-one debate of the Democratic presidential primary campaign, now overshadowed by the spread of coronavirus.

#NEW ZEALAND: The city of Christchurch have remembered the 51 worshippers who were killed in a mass shooting a year ago. 

#EUROPE: France and Spain became the latest European countries to impose sweeping restrictions to fight the spread of Covid-19.

PARTING SHOT 

How well do you remember these 90s cartoons?

Take my colleague Sean’s quiz to find out.