The leaders of the three Coalition parties are due to meet the National Public Health Emergency Team today to discuss the Omicron variant and the wider Covid situation.

Six cases of the Covid-19 Omicron variant have been identified in Scotland, the Scottish government has announced.

Antigen tests will be made available for primary school children from today.

Climate change is the "overwhelming factor" driving the country's ever-more intense bushfires, Australian government scientists believe - directly contradicting claims by the country's political leaders.

The sex trafficking trial of British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell is set to begin in New York.

Revolut co-founder Vlad Yatsenko has made good on his promise and donated €1.1 million to The Late Late Toy Show Appeal, pushing the total raised over €6.5 million.

Almost a week after 27 migrants died when their boat sank while crossing the Channel, family members wait to hear from their loved ones and fear that they may be among the dead.

Swedish Social Democratic Party leader Magdalena Andersson gets a second chance at becoming the country's prime minister today, after her initial attempt last week lasted just seven hours.

Five months after they were suspended, international talks on Iran's nuclear programme will restart in Vienna with analysts foreseeing major obstacles to any speedy resumption of the 2015 nuclear deal.

The Omicron variant is likely to spread internationally, posing a "very high" global risk where Covid-19 surges could have "severe consequences" in some areas, the World Health Organisation has said.

Australia has halted plans to reopen its international borders to skilled workers and students, citing concerns over the impact of the Covid-19 Omicron variant.

The first probable case of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has been detected in Switzerland, the government said late on Sunday, as the country tightened its entry restrictions to check its spread.

G7 health ministers were to hold an emergency meeting Monday on the new Omicron Covid-19 strain spreading the globe and forcing border closures, as experts race to understand what the variant means for the fight to end the pandemic.

The Mica Action Group has said it's "very disappointed" with a draft Cabinet memo that seeks to end the controversy over defective building blocks which have damaged thousands of homes.

Right-winger Petr Fiala has been named the Czech Republic's new prime minister today in an unusual ceremony, with wheelchair-bound President Milos Zeman speaking from behind a plastic barrier because he has Covid-19.

France has announced that the EU's border agency is to deploy a plane 24-hours-a-day over the Channel coast to monitor migrant crossings, after pushing its European partners for help in cracking down on people-smuggling.

Robbie Benson proved the FAI Cup final spot-kick hero as St Patrick's Athletic beat Bohemians on penalties at the Aviva Stadium.

Munster Rugby have confirmed a positive Covid-19 case in their squad, meaning they will not be departing South Africa today.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has welcomed confirmation that new travel measures taken by the UK against the Omicron variant will not apply to the Common Travel Area.

Violent scenes ahead of Sunday's FAI Cup final are under "ongoing" investigation, An Garda Síochána has confirmed.