Tony Holohan has once again urged people to cut their contacts with the surge in Covid-19 cases and the rise in Covid-19 infected patients in hospital. He again asked people to reduce their mixing and visits to high-risk settings, as they are more likely to encounter the virus than at any time during the pandemic. 

The Irish Times reports that a return to a full work-from-home policy is on the cards as public health officials mull further measures aimed at controlling rapidly rising Covid-19 cases. The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) meets today to decide whether further public health measures are needed to tackle high infection rates.

In a report from the Irish Times the prices of houses located on the outskirts of Dublin have dramatically risen due to remote working.

In a major development at Cop26, China and US have announced they are to work together across a wide range of climate issues. The US and China are to focus on a wide range of actions including “the specifics of enhancing measurement and mitigation of methane”, arising from the fossil and waste sectors, “as well as incentives and programmes to reduce methane from the agricultural sector."

Gardai could end up travelling over two hours to crime scenes in a merger of divisions proposed at their annual conference in Killarney. The operating model is currently being introduced on a phased basis and will take place over a number of years in what will be the biggest ever restructuring of the force. 

Fans of a glass of wine are facing a hangover from the havoc that the climate crisis has caused on this year's harvest with  as prices are set to soar according to the Irish Examiner.

ZEN

The festive season has officially begun in Dublin with the first section of Christmas lights now on at Grafton Street. For me Christmas also begins with the John Lewis Christmas advert. This year’s Christmas story is the magical tale of 14-year-old Nathan, who discovers an unexpected guest and space traveller, Skye, has landed in the woods beside his home.As he introduces her to the season’s traditions, from decorating the tree to eating mince pies, their friendship develops and we see the magic of Christmas through the eyes of someone experiencing it for the very first time.