LAST UPDATE | 15 Dec 2020

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

1. #VACCINES: The high level vaccine task force report which was delivered to government last week will be discussed by Cabinet today.

2. #ELECTORAL COLLEGE: Joe Biden said that US democracy proved “resilient” against Donald Trump’s “abuse of power” after the Electoral College confirmed him as the next president.

3. #VARIANT: A new strain of coronavirus has been identified in southern England as tougher restrictions were imposed on areas in that region and in London.

4. #DÁIL: Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley will make a statement to the Dáil today, but will not resign or take questions over his previous remarks.

5. #DELETED: Pornography website Pornhub has removed millions of user-uploaded content after a public backlash lead to increased scrutiny of the site’s policies and its content.

6. #MONEY: An unauthorised firm offering quick loans to people with poor credit is suspected by gardaí and banking officials to be laundering money

7. #WARNING: People have been warned against taking part in a social media challenge to lie on the road under a sheet following the hospitalisation of a woman who carried it out.

8. #RESIGNING: US Attorney General Bill Barr, who contradicted Trump’s claims that the 3 November election was marred by fraud, will leave office before Christmas.

9. #ASBESTOS RISK: Homes and businesses in a Sligo town are being urged to keep their windows and doors closed due to a fire involving asbestos in the Larkhill area.