India posted a record daily rise of 401,993 new coronavirus cases today as the country opened up its mega vaccination drive to all adults, although several states warned of acute vaccine shortages.

The manufacturers of the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine have submitted a request to the European Medicines Agency to expand the use of their vaccine to include adolescents aged 12 to 15.

The World Health Organization has warned that South America, especially Brazil, has been suffering complicated and severe Covid-19 crisis.

Head of the Health Service Executive Paul Reid has said work is continuing this weekend on a revised vaccination plan, the 27th version.

President Michael D Higgins has called for global solidarity to ensure that vaccines are distributed to all, in a speech to mark International Workers' Day.

The Chief Medical Officer, Dr Tony Holohan, has said "now is the right time for us to move on" but said Ireland had to remain cautious.

While PCR testing remains the gold standard when it comes to Covid-19, antigen testing could play a key role in the reopening of the country.

From more evidence that vaccines are having a positive impact on Covid-19 case numbers to a warning not to spend too much time with virologists if you don't want to be frightened, here are five things we learned from the latest NPHET briefing.

A surprise by-election has livened up the political scene.

In his final piece of online analysis from Belfast, former RTÉ News Northern Editor, Tommie Gorman, looks back on the career of outgoing First Minister, Arlene Foster, and asks what next for power sharing in Northern Ireland.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has said that there are concerns around the level of coronavirus in Donegal.

A new opinion poll suggests that there is a substantial majority in the Republic of Ireland in favour of a united Ireland.

A man who attacked and raped a woman he met on the dating app Tinder has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

India is among five countries that have been added to the list of designated states from which passengers arriving into Ireland must enter Mandatory Hotel Quarantine.

The State Examinations Commission has extended the deadline for Leaving Certificate students to confirm their choices regarding how they wish to be assessed this year.

An Irish man whose father is critically ill has taken legal action in an attempt to avoid having to undergo mandatory hotel quarantine, when he arrives in Dublin from New York in the morning.

US authorities have opened an investigation into a possible human smuggling operation, after police in Houston found more than 90 people crammed into a home in the Texas city.

Ireland's emergency donation of 700 oxygen concentrators and other vital equipment has arrived in India as part of the EU coordinated response to its severe coronavirus outbreak.

A 13-year-old Cork boy has been praised for his heroism after his swift actions helped to save his father's life on the family farm in Banteer.

The Chief Medical Officer has outlined which groups of people can benefit from the so-called "vaccine dividends" and the timelines for the various different vaccines.