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

IRELAND

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly briefing the media on the provisions of Budget 2021 pertaining to his department Sasko Lazarov Sasko Lazarov

• A nationwide ban on visitors to households is to come into force from tomorrow night, Cabinet has agreed.
• Aaron Brady has been sentenced to life in prison for the capital murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.
• Campaigners have called for the government to prevent records compiled by the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes being sealed for 30 years.
• The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed new restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19, which include closures of schools, pubs and restaurants.
• There have been 1,217 new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in Northern Ireland in the past 24 hours, its Department of Health has said.
• A fourth resident at a Laois nursing home has died after contracting Covid-19, the nursing home said in a statement.
• Education Minister Norma Foley has confirmed that the government will establish a non-statutory independent review of the Calculated Grades process.  

INTERNATIONAL

A red squirrel forages for food among autumn leaves in the Widdale Red Squirrel Reserve in North Yorkshire Danny Lawson Danny Lawson

#TRUMP: President Donald Trump Democratic challenger Joe Biden concentrated their election campaigning on battleground states both see as critical to clinching an Electoral College victory. 

#TWITTER: Twitter has suspended fake accounts purporting to be African Americans who support Trump and which had succeeded in garnering several thousand followers in just a few days.

#COVID: The Netherlands is to go into “partial lockdown” to curb one of Europe’s biggest coronavirus surges, with all bars, cafes and restaurants to close 

PARTING SHOT

This morning the Northern Ireland Executive announced new Covid-19 restrictions which will see schools and many businesses closed for a number of weeks.

First Minister Arlene Foster said most of the restrictions will kick in from Friday and will be in place for four weeks, though schools are only expected to remain closed for two weeks.

Here’s an explainer which breaks down all the new restrictions that will be imposed in the North: 

• Explainer: What are the new Covid-19 restrictions in Northern Ireland?