NEED TO CATCH up? TheJournal.ie brings you a round-up of today’s news.

Ireland

Hunter Hennessy (age 8) in training for the 2032 winter Olympics on the Sally Gap. Maximilian Hennessy Maximilian Hennessy

• An agreement has been reached between the HSE and 16 private hospitals to provide additional capacity if necessary during the next 12 months.
• The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation has said the HSE must implement new “critical emergency” protocols as Ireland’s health service deals with the current Covid-19 surge. 
• Education minister Norma Foley has told teaching unions the government wants the Leaving Certificate to go ahead as planned.
• A deal has been reached between the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the childcare sector on emergency funding.
• Parcel firm DPD UK said it will be pausing all its road delivery services from the UK to Europe, including Ireland, as it deals with the customs changes caused by Brexit.
• The Commission for Regulation of Utilities has announced an industry-wide moratorium on disconnecting domestic customers for the duration of the Level 5 restrictions. 
• 17-year-old Gregory Tarr won the top prize for his software which is able to detect digitally altered videos.

WORLD 

Members of Dalian university's anti-epidemic volunteer team delivering supplies to students' dormitory in northeast China's Liaoning Province. Xinhua News Agency / PA Images Xinhua News Agency / PA Images / PA Images

#CHINA: The country has sealed off two cities south of Beijing as authorities move to stem the country’s largest Covid-19 outbreak in six months.

#USA: Trump has confirmed that he won’t be attending Joe Biden’s inauguration in twelve days time as calls for his impeachment increase in the US Capitol. 

#MORE VACCINES: The EU has struck a deal to double its supply of BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine against Covid-19 to a total of 600 million doses, as the bloc’s drug regulator said that a decision to authorise the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine could be reached by the end of this month.  

PARTING SHOT 

An iguana mounted a daring escape on top of a firefighter’s helmet during a blaze at a house in Northamptonshire, England. 

The agile lizard evaded the flames after a faulty reptile heat mat in the living room of a property in Whitworth Avenue, Corby, started the fire late on Wednesday.

Incident 23:41 06/01/2021 - fire in living room caused by reptile mat - one of occupants couldn't wait to be rescued and jumped to safety to hitch a ride out!! pic.twitter.com/si6VdaVIZw

— Northants Fire (@northantsfire) January 8, 2021