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

IRELAND

A sparsely populated Dublin Airport today Sasko Lazarov / Rollingnews.ie Sasko Lazarov / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

• Seven deaths and 1,372 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Ireland. 
• Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said that people aged 70 and over will begin receiving the vaccine from next month. 
• Quarantine for people without a negative test and passengers from certain countries is set to be introduced.
• Arlene Foster said she has spoken to Micheál Martin over his “wholly incorrect” comments on testing in Northern Ireland for the UK variant of Covid-19.
• A court heard that a hitman found guilty of shooting James ‘Mago’ Gately faces up to life in prison. 
• Galway County Council has said it is “profoundly sorry” for failing those at the Tuam mother and baby home. 
• Almost half a million people will receive the pandemic unemployment payment tomorrow.
• A 46-year-old man was sent for trial accused of threatening family members of murdered Cork student.
• Approximately 1,500 fines have been issued by gardaí for non-essential travel since 11 January.
• The Central Bank governor said today that a successful vaccine rollout should see the economy recover in the second half of this year.
• Men in Ireland have less regret over being drunk than women, according to a new study. 

INTERNATIONAL

Nightime scenes in Amsterdam where a curfew is now in effect Utrecht Robin / ABACA/PA Images Utrecht Robin / ABACA/PA Images / ABACA/PA Images

#GOOD NEWS: Moderna has said its Covid vaccine is effective against the UK and South Africa variants.

#BAD NEWS: Amid a shortfall, the European Commission has demanded to know who AztraZeneca has delivered vaccine doses to.

#FASHION: Boohoo has bought the UK Debenhams brand for €62 million – saving the name but not jobs.

PARTING SHOT

The Harry Potter books and movies are beloved by millions and HBO could be set to capitalise on its popularity.

A decade on from the release of the last movie, a live action TV series of the Harry Potter saga is said to be in the works, the Hollywood Reporter said today. 

It could be a while before we get to see it though, as HBO Max and Warner Bros are said to be in the very early stages of development.