EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you all the news you need to know as you start the day.

1. #RIC: Two Fianna Fáil mayors who announced they would not attend the Government’s RIC commemoration last month privately accepted invitations to attend the event before doing so.

2. #CORONAVIRUS: Hundreds of passengers began leaving the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan today after the end of a much-criticised two-week quarantine that failed to stop the spread the coronavirus among passengers and crew. Two Irish citizens who were on board have tested positive for the virus.

3. #DIRECT PROVISION: A direct provision centre is due to open at the Marian Hostel in Tullamore, Co Offaly early next month and will accommodate 168 people, the Department of Justice has confirmed. 

4. #MENTAL HEALTH: There is an “almost total absence” of community mental health services across the State, according to a new report by the Mental Health Commission (MHC). The report says the absence of supports such as crisis houses, high-support hostels, specialist rehabilitative units and psychiatric intensive care units is impeding access to acute mental health beds across the country.

5. #NEWSPAPERS: It is “wrong to blame the media” for the death of Caroline Flack, the organisation that represents the editors of the UK’s biggest newspapers has said. An inquest into the presenter’s death is due to open today. 

6. #ALAN V AODHÁN: Labour’s leadership contest is shaping up to be a faceoff between Alan Kelly and Áodháin Ó Ríordáin after both TDs confirmed themselves as candidates.

7. #737 MAX Boeing’s crisis-hit 737 Max jetliner faces a potential new safety issue after debris was found in the fuel tanks of several new planes which were in storage and awaiting delivery to airlines, the BBC is reporting. 

8. #ROD President Trump has commuted the prison sentence of disgraced Democratic politician Rod Blagojevich, according to the Washington Post. Blagojevich was convicted on corruption charges for trying to sell Barack Obama’s former Senate seat in 2008

9. #THE OUTLOOK A status yellow weather warning for rain is in effect for Connacht, Longford, Donegal, Clare and Kerry. The broader forecast for the country doesn’t look great either. 

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