The National Public Health Emergency Team meets today to consider its latest recommendations to the Government on how best to limit Covid-19 transmission over the Christmas period.

The accelerated Covid-19 booster vaccination plan is complex, with many moving parts - here is what you need to know.

Five young children were killed and several others were seriously injured when a gust of wind blew their bouncy castle into the air at an end-of-term party in Australia.

Part of a review examining serious incidents at HSE-run facilities in Donegal is expected to be published by the Health Service Executive today.

The European Union is being assaulted on multiple fronts by Russia and must unite behind new economic sanctions, Baltic and central European leaders said today, with Lithuania citing possible Russian military strikes from Belarus.

France will ban non-essential travel to and from Britain from the weekend to slow the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant that is causing record numbers of cases on the other side of the Channel, the government said.

Less than a week after a swarm of powerful tornadoes devastated Kentucky and four other US states, a freakish wind storm brought "Dust Bowl" conditions and gusts of more than 161km/h.

Thousands of people in the Philippines fled their homes and beachfront resorts as super typhoon Rai slammed into the country today, with a charity warning the storm could hit coastal communities "like a freight train".

Growth in the economy this year will be "robust" and "unprecedented", according to the Economic and Social Research Institute.

A song by US rapper Logic which references the name of a suicide prevention helpline led to a "notable increase" in the number of calls to the service, new research has found.

The Canadian government has urged citizens to avoid foreign travel over the Christmas holidays, saying the Covid-19 Omicron variant "makes us fear the worst", including soaring infections and travel disruptions.

An innovative education programme that addresses the challenge of digital inclusion and digital literacy among people with intellectual disabilities will be showcased later today.

UCD Veterinary School has made an urgent appeal for dog blood donations after exhausting existing stocks in recent weeks.

Boris Johnson will suffer another major blow to his authority if the Tories lose the ultra-safe seat of North Shropshire in a by-election triggered by Owen Paterson's resignation.

There are currently 488 media professionals imprisoned around the world, the highest number since Reporters Without Borders began counting more than 25 years ago, the NGO announced today.

Betting while a sporting event is "in play" has created an opportunity for certain drone users to push an advantage, according to Green Party Senator Vincent P Martin.

Irish tech firm Intercom is to create 150 jobs here over the coming 12 months, which will bring its Dublin headcount to 400 by the end of next year.

The Minister for Health has said he has accepted a recommendation from the National Immunisation Advisory Committee over the waiving of a 15-minute wait period after a vaccine has been administered.

The UK has recorded the highest daily total of lab-confirmed coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, as the Omicron variant spreads.

The operator of the National Lottery is seeking regulatory approval for a must-win draw. Both Premier Lotteries Ireland and the Regulator of the National Lottery appeared before the Oireachtas Finance Committee this afternoon.