LAST UPDATE | 4 Feb 2021

EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you all the news you need to know as you start the day.

1. #SUMMER 2021: In an exclusive interview, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said that he anticipates it will be possible to holiday in Ireland this summer as any re-opening will be gradual and cautious.

2. #BREXIT: Unionists have insisted that the Northern Ireland Protocol “needs to be replaced” as the EU is set to have further talks with the UK. 

3. #MOTHER-AND-BABY HOMES: Roderic O’Gorman “must take immediate action to preserve testimony” of witnesses to the Commission of Investigation into mother and baby homes, advocates have said. 

4. #LATEST FIGURES: A further 94 deaths were confirmed in Ireland due to Covid-19 last night. 

5. #VACCINES: The High Level Task Force on Covid-19 Vaccination is set to discuss today the implications of the decision not to give over-70s the Astrazeneca jab. 

6. #ASTRAZENECA: Oxford is set to run a trial alternating Covid-19 vaccines.

7. #TOKYO: The president of the Tokyo Olympics organising committee has apologised but refused to resign over sexist comments. 

8. #MYANMAR: Facebook was blocked in Myanmar as a UN chief said that the coup must fail. 

9. #WORLD CANCER DAY: Writing in TheJournal.ie, consultant oncologist Dr Greg Korpanty has said he’s seen more advanced cancer cases presenting since Covid hit last year.