European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said the EU had extended its contract with Pfizer/BioNTech with a view to purchasing an extra 300 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.

US President Donald Trump has appealed for "healing and reconciliation" following unprecedented scenes of violence at the US Capitol and pledging a smooth transition of power to President-elect Joe Biden.

Parcel courier DPD UK has said it is pausing its road delivery services into Europe, including Ireland, until at least Wednesday.

Met Éireann is forecasting that tonight will be extremely cold with temperatures plummeting to between -1 and -7 degrees.

A police officer has died of injuries sustained during a riot at the US Capitol led by supporters of President Donald Trump, the Capitol Police force said in a statement.

The Chief Medical Officer said the National Public Health Emergency Team is gravely concerned as more than 44,000 new cases of Covid-19 were notified over the past two weeks.

The mother of a Belfast teenager found dead in a storm drain has called for a "thorough investigation" into his disappearance and death.

Last year tied with 2016 as the world's warmest year on record, rounding off the hottest decade globally as the impacts of climate change intensified, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service has said.

Parents of children with special needs are said to be devastated by the decision to keep schools closed for the rest of the month.

Revenue has introduced a temporary easing of measures for the lodging of safety and security declarations that will help business meet their customs obligations and get their goods moving between Ireland and the UK.

A South Korean court has ordered Japan to compensate 12 women who were forced to work in its wartime brothels, a ruling that drew a strong reaction from Tokyo.

Australia's third-largest city headed into lockdown and borders are set to tighten nationwide after a cleaner at a quarantine hotel contracted the new variant of Covid-19.

Travellers to England from international destinations will have to test negative for coronavirus before they can enter the country, the British government has announced. However, arrivals from Ireland will be exempt from the plan.

China has sealed off two cities near Beijing, cutting transport links and banning millions of residents from leaving, as authorities move to stem the country's largest Covid-19 outbreak in six months.

Outdoor cinemas, cycleways and an autism friendly playground are among the projects that will benefit from €15.4 million in funding announced under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.

Non-essential construction is to cease this evening until at least the end of the month, as part of restrictions introduced on Wednesday to slow the spread of the third wave of Covid-19.

People who are travelling to and from Covid-19 tests are being urged not to open their window if they are stopped at a garda checkpoint en route.

Minister for Education Norma Foley has said it is the "firm and shared objective" of all those in the education sector that the Leaving Certificate exams will take place this year.

There have been ten further coronavirus-related deaths and 6,521 new cases of the disease notified to the Department of Health.

US president-elect Joe Biden has said the attack on the US Capitol building was one of the darkest days in the history of the country and an assault on democracy instigated by President Donald Trump.