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

IRELAND

A group of people gathered at the site of the former St. Patricks Mother Baby Home on the Navan Road in Dublin to protest at the proposed sealing of documents. Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews.ie Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• Public health officials have confirmed a further 1,025 cases of Covid-19 and no new deaths in Ireland.
• The most common number of close contacts that a person who tests positive for Covid-19 in Ireland now has is three.
• President Higgins has signed a Bill into law that will allow a system of graduated fines to be introduced as sanctions for breaching Covid-19 regulations.
• The Minister for Agriculture has said that there is “no sign” of issues with other sanitisers after the recall of a sanitiser that was in circulation in schools, health service locations, and retail.
• Eight deaths and 896 new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Northern Ireland.
• The Tánaiste has said it is “unfair” for non-essential shops to stay open by selling PPE.
• Inflight transmission of Covid-19 may have resulted in the infection of 59 people across Ireland, according to a new study.
• Tributes have been paid to Terence MacSwiney, a revolutionary and former Lord Mayor of Cork, who died a hundred years ago on this day.
• The Bank Holiday Monday will likely be off to a wet start with showers and possible spot flooding predicted during the night.

WORLD

PA PA

#UNITED STATES Senate Republicans have voted overwhelmingly to advance Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett towards final confirmation despite Democratic objections, just over a week before the presidential election

#SPAIN The Spanish government is preparing to enter a new state of emergency to stem surging coronavirus infections

#VACCINE The US’s top infectious disease specialist Dr Fauci has said that it could be known before the end of the year whether there is a safe and effective vaccine for Covid-19

#NUCLEAR An international treaty banning nuclear weapons has been ratified by a 50th country, allowing the “historic” text to enter into force after 90 days

PARTING SHOT

A Noteworthy investigation has found that Ireland’s tree-planting policies are bad news for biodiversity.

The investigation has revealed a number of findings on Ireland’s forestry policies and their impact on our biodiversity.