Mandatory hotel quarantine has come into effect for all passengers arriving into Ireland from 33 countries deemed "high risk" for Covid-19 transmission.

EU leaders have given their qualified support to further restrictions on Covid-19 vaccines being exported out of the EU, in order to improve security of supply for EU citizens.

China has announced sanctions against nine UK individuals and four entities, saying they had "maliciously spread lies and disinformation" over Beijing's treatment of the Muslim Uighur minority.

The Chair of the National Public Health Emergency Team's Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group has said the pattern of daily case numbers of Covid-19 continues to be volatile, and people remain at high risk.

A top California university has agreed to pay more than $1bn to hundreds of women who accused a former campus gynecologist of sexual abuse, lawyers representing plaintiffs said.

The pandemic was just a month old when the 50th anniversary of a folk anthem passed by almost unnoticed.

Brazil surpassed 100,000 new Covid-19 cases in one day yesterday, adding another grim record in a country where the pandemic has killed more than 300,000 people.

Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon has told University chiefs that he is concerned Covid-19 outbreaks among students could have a negative impact for on-campus learning in the next academic year.

Nepal has eased quarantine rules for visitors in an effort to attract more climbers to Mount Everest, officials have said, after the pandemic wiped out last year's season and devastated the tourism industry.

A cluster of tornadoes swept through the southern US state of Alabama yesterday evening, killing at least five people, authorities said.

The situation with cases of Covid-19 is "volatile" and remains "at high risk", this evening's briefing by the National Public Health Emergency Team has heard.

A man has received a prison sentence of eight years, with 18 months suspended, for raping a young woman as she slept in her own bedroom.

US President Joe Biden has referred to his Irish ancestry during his first formal press conference as president.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the US President told the European Council meeting this evening that America and the European Commission will work closely to remove any bottlenecks delaying the production and delivery of vaccines.

Captain Bill Kavanagh believes lessons can be learned from the blockage of the Suez Canal involving the MV Ever Given.

The High Court has quashed an order granting permission for 614 residential units on former RTÉ lands on consent of An Bord Pleanala.

All the latest developments from Thursday's HSE and Department of Health Covid-19 briefings

The opening of five new walk-in Covid-19 testing centres for people with no symptoms represents the first large-scale attempt to hunt down the virus in the community.

A 34-year-old man has appeared in court charged with setting fire to Emyvale Garda Station in Co Monaghan in October 2019.