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

IRELAND

Toago (13), Luena (5) with their mom Liseth Custodio going back home to Portugal in a near empty Dublin Airport this morning Sam Boal / Rollingnews Sam Boal / Rollingnews / Rollingnews

• Dr Tony Holohan is to step away from his work as Chief Medical Officer to spend time with his family. Holohan’s wife, diagnosed with a form of blood cancer in 2012, was admitted for palliative care last Saturday.
• Health officials confirmed a further five patients diagnosed with Covid-19 have died and there are 15 new cases of the disease in Ireland.
• The idea of Ireland getting an extra bank holiday has not been ruled out by government, as the tourism industry says the impact of Covid-19 has been catastrophic. 
• Large schools will have to stagger their opening times when they return in September, the head of a teachers’ union has said.
• Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has said she does not believe Michelle O’Neill needs to stand aside as Deputy First Minister over her attendance at senior IRA figure Bobby Storey’s funeral, which drew hundreds of people on to the streets.
• Fianna Fáil TD Michael Moynihan said he told new Taoiseach Micheál Martin “a few home truths” on foot of him not being appointed a junior minister.
• The Dublin Mint Office has denied targeting older people or sending unsolicited items after complaints from a number of customers about receiving coins they didn’t order and then being invoiced for them.
• Over one million people received income support from the State in June, new figures from the Central Statistics Office show.
• The army bomb disposal team was called to Harold’s Cross in Dublin following reports of a suspect device discovered in the area this afternoon. 

WORLD

A diver cleaning the inside window of the seal tank at Tynemouth Aquarium in North Shields, as it prepares to open on Saturday. PA PA

#FBI PROBE: British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell has been accused of playing a “critical role” in Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse of underage girls. 

#COVID RISING: The United States and South Africa have reported record daily coronavirus cases, with US figures surpassing 50,000 a day for the first time.

#MASK ON: US President Trump appears to have shifted his stance on wearing a face covering in public, saying in an interview that he is “all for masks”.

PARTING SHOT

Plans have been announced to pedestrianise streets in Dublin city centre between 11am and 7pm on four consecutive weekends beginning 25 July. 

The streets included are Anne St South, Duke St, South William St, Drury St and Dame Court. As part of the plan, all car parks in the area will remain accessible and won’t be blocked off by the pedestrianised streets.