Bushfires rage out of control in Australia
Bushfires burn dangerously out of control on Australia's east coast, fanned by high temperatures and strong winds that have firefighters battling to save lives and property, as a change in wind conditions merged several large fire fronts.
Iranian general killed by US military via drone strike
On 2 January the US killed Iranian Major-General Qasem Soleimani, head of the elite Quds Force and architect of Iran's spreading military influence in the Middle East, in an air strike at Baghdad airport.
RTÉ broadcaster Marian Finucane dies
Broadcaster Marian Finucane dies suddenly on 2 January at her home in Naas, Co Kildare. The 69-year-old was described in a tribute by fellow broadcaster Joe Duffy as "the voice of reason".
WHO notified of novel coronavirus
On 7 January the World Health Organization is notified by China of the novel coronavirus, known as 2019-nCoV.
Veteran broadcaster Larry Gogan dies
Legendary DJ Larry Gogan dies on 7 January at the age of 85. He worked in broadcasting for almost six decades and was best known for his work on RTÉ 2FM, where he was a DJ for 40 years. He also hosted the Just A Minute Quiz, which became as famous for its wrong answers as it did for the correct ones.
Sussexs to step down from royal duties
On 8 January Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle announce that they are stepping down from their duties as senior royals.
176 people die in air crash in Iran
On 8 January an Ukrainian airliner crashes shortly after take-off from Tehran in Iran in the early hours of this morning, bursting into flames and killing all 176 people on board.
Debris and smouldering engine parts from the Boeing 737, which carrier Ukraine International Airlines said was last serviced two days ago, were strewn across a field southwest of the Iranian capital.
China records first death from coronavirus
On 11 January China announces its first death from the coronavirus, a 61-year-old man who had bought goods from a market in Wuhan.
Country braces for Storm Brendan
The country braced for Storm Brendan as Met Éireann issued a Status Orange wind warning on 14 January. Some 21,000 homes and businesses were without power as a result of the storm, with the southwest the worst affected area.
US House votes to send Trump impeachment charges to Senate
The Democratic-led House of Representatives votes on 15 January to send two formal charges against President Donald Trump to the Senate, clearing the way for only the third impeachment trial of a US president to begin in earnest next week.
Politicians voted 228 to 193 to give the Senate, controlled by Mr Trump's fellow Republicans, the task of putting him on trial on charges of abuse of power for asking Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden and of obstruction of Congress for blocking testimony and documents sought by Democratics.
First Covid-19 case reported in US
On 20 January the first coronavirus case in the United States is reported in Washington state. A 35-year-old man went to an urgent care clinic having had a cough for four days and a temperature.
He had recently returned to Washington State after travelling to visit family in Wuhan, China.
The US reports its first death of a person with Covid-19 on 29 February also in Washington State.
Kobe Bryant and daughter among dead in helicopter crash
On 26 January basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gigi are among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver says the organisation was "devastated" by the news.
"For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning," he said in a statement.
UK leaves the European Union
After 47 years as a member state the United Kingdom formally leave the European Union, finally giving effect to the result of the referendum on EU membership held in June 2016.
Thousands of people waved British flags in London's Parliament Square to mark the moment of Brexit at 11pm (midnight in Brussels) on 31 January.
Donald Trump acquitted on impeachment charges
On 5 February, the US Senate acquits President Donald Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress following a historic two-week impeachment trial.
He was cleared on the abuse of power charge by 52 votes to 48 and by 53 votes to 47 on the charge of obstruction of Congress.
Three-way split in General Election
On 8 February the country voted to elect the 33rd Dáil. The result was a three-way split with Fianna Fáil winning 38 seats, Sinn Féin 37 and Fine Gael 35. The Green Party won 12 seats, Labour 6 and Social Democrats 6.
RTÉ broadcaster Keelin Shanley dies following illness
On 8 February the death is announced of RTÉ broadcaster Keelin Shanley following an illness at the age of 51.
An award-winning journalist, she had most recently been anchor of the Six One News on RTÉ One.
Jon Williams, Managing Director of RTÉ News & Current Affairs, paid tribute to Keelin saying "she strove to inform, probe and encourage. Always inquisitive, interested, thoughtful and kind".
Klopp 'one in a million' after responding to Donegal boy's letter
In February, the father of a Donegal boy who wrote to Jürgen Klopp asking him to stop Liverpool winning matches has said the Premier League manager is "one in a million" after he replied to the youngster.
Daragh Curley, who is a ten-year-old Manchester United fan, used the opportunity of a school writing project to pen the letter to the manager of his rival club.
Daragh received a registered letter in response in which Klopp said "unfortunately, on this occasion I cannot grant your request, not through choice anyway".
He went on to say that Liverpool have lost games in the past and will lose games in the future "because that is football."
'Parasite' first non-English-language Best Picture
'Parasite' - Bong Joon Ho's film took home the most Oscars at the awards on 9 February, landing Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film. It marked the first time a non-English-language movie won Best Picture.
Abandoned cargo ship runs aground on Cork coast
An 80-metre cargo ship, which had been abandoned and adrift in the Atlantic for more than a year, runs aground near Ballycotton in east Cork on 16 February.
There was nobody on board and the ship is described as derelict.
NI coronavirus case had travelled through Dublin
It emerges on 27 February that the first case of Covid-19 on the island of Ireland was in a person who had come from northern Italy and then travelled home to Northern Ireland through Dublin Airport.
Luxembourg becomes first country to make public transport free
At the end of February Luxembourg abolishes fares for trains, trams and buses in what the government said was a bid to tackle road congestion and pollution, as well as supporting low earners.
Luxembourg has just over 600,000 inhabitants, but 214,000 more travel in for work every day from neighbouring Germany, Belgium and France, causing heavy traffic jams as the majority of workers commute by car. More than half of Luxembourg's greenhouse gas emissions come from transport.
WHO declares coronavirus outbreak a pandemic
The World Health Organization says on 11 March the coronavirus can now be characterised as a pandemic.
Speaking at a daily press briefing, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that he was "deeply concerned" by "alarming levels of inaction" over the virus.
He also said that the number of cases outside China has increased 13-fold in the past two weeks.
Dr Mike Ryan, the director of the WHO's emergencies programme, said that the organisation's use of the word pandemic does not change its response.
'I need to speak to you about coronavirus'
On 12 March Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announces that schools, colleges and childcare facilities will close until 29 March because of Covid-19.
However shops will remain open and he said restaurants should consider how best to introduce social distancing.
Speaking in Washington DC, the Taoiseach said indoor mass gatherings of more than 100 people and outdoor mass gatherings of more than 500 should be cancelled.
Italy's medical staff struggle amid pandemic
A nurse wearing protective mask and gear comforts another as they change shifts on 13 March at the Cremona hospital, southeast of Milan, Lombardy, during the country's lockdown aimed at stopping the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
IOC confirms Tokyo Olympic Games postponed until 2021
The International Olympic Committee on 24 March confirms the postponement of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A joint statement from the IOC and the Tokyo 2020 organising committee confirmed the news.
Organisers and the IOC had both long insisted the Games would go ahead as planned from 24 July but, as the virus spread, opposition to the Games mounted, forcing them to say they were considering postponement in a four-week consultation period.
Was the pangolin the source of the Covid-19 outbreak?
Since the coronavirus began to take hold in China, scientists have been scrambling to find its origin, believed to have been a food market in Wuhan.
As bats are traditionally associated with coronaviruses, it is widely assumed that Covid-19 also originated with them.
Other coronaviruses have transmitted to humans from bats via an intermediary animal, it is assumed that is the case with Covid-19. So by April several possible culprits have emerged, including the pangolin, but scientists have not reached consensus on the matter.
A shining example of solidarity across Ireland
People of all ages, from all parts of Ireland, took part in the #ShineYourLight campaign in a gesture of hope and solidarity during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The RTÉ initiative happened at 9pm on 11 April.
It featured music performances and spoken word from artists including Sinead O'Connor.
People of all ages, from all parts of Ireland, took part in the #ShineYourLight campaign in a gesture of hope and solidarity during the Covid-19 pandemic | Read more: https://t.co/hYLimVakN9 pic.twitter.com/wsamsLshrF
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) April 11, 2020
Plane crash kills 97 in Pakistan
One of the two people to survive a plane crash in Pakistan that killed 97 people on 22 May describes jumping from the burning wreckage of the aircraft after it crashed into a residential area.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane came down among houses yesterday afternoon after both engines failed as it approached Karachi airport, the airline said.
Its wings sliced through rooftops, sending flames and plumes of smoke into the air as it crashed onto a street.
George Floyd dies in police custody, global protests follow
In the US on 25 May George Floyd, a black man, dies while in police custody in Minneapolis.
Police officer Derek Chauvin was seen in a video pressing his knee to the neck of a handcuffed Mr Floyd for at least five minutes.
The action was marked by Mr Floyd's call for help, repeating the phrase "I can't breathe."
His death leads to protests against police brutality in the US and later demonstrations were held around the globe in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
SpaceX rocket blasts into space
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying two veteran NASA astronauts has blasts off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in a historic first private crewed flight into space on 30 May.
The two-stage SpaceX rocket with astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley aboard blasted off smoothly in a cloud of orange flames and smoke from Launch Pad 39A for the 19-hour voyage to the International Space Station.
The first crewed flight from US soil since the space shuttle programme ended in 2011 had originally scheduled to launch Wednesday but was postponed because of poor weather just 17 minutes before lift-off.
Ardern dances for joy as New Zealand clears last Covid case
On 8 June New Zealand declares it has eliminated transmission of the coronavirus and will lift all containment measures except for border curbs.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says she "did a little dance" upon hearing that the country had no active cases.
Ms Ardern posted on Twitter that it was "a significant milestone" as there was "now 0 active cases in New Zealand.
"Thank you for staying home, playing it safe and for supporting those fighting the virus".
Micheál Martin becomes Taoiseach in historic coalition
Micheál Martin of Fianna Fáil was elected Taoiseach with the support of his party's historic rival Fine Gael, as well as the Green Party on 27 June.
The Dáil sat at the Convention Centre in Dublin, an unprecedented location for the parliament which was chosen for its vast auditorium that would allow adequate social distancing.
For the first time, every Fine Gael TD voted for a Fianna Fáil taoiseach. Third coalition party, the Greens, as well as nine Independent TDs, also backed Mr Martin's nomination.
There were 93 votes in favour of Micheál Martin, 63 against, and three abstentions.
His elevation marks a historic realignment in politics as Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael for the first time abandoned their traditional enmity and partnered with the Green Party to form a new administration.
Barry Cowen sacked as minister for agriculture
Fianna Fáil's Barry Cowen, who was at the centre of controversy over a drink-driving ban he received four years ago, is sacked from his post as minister for agriculture in July.
In the Dáil this evening, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the garda file relating to Mr Cowen's drink-driving offence had raised issues that required more explanation.
Apple and Ireland win €13bn tax appeal
Apple and Ireland win their appeal against the European Commission's €13.1bn tax ruling on 15 July.
The General Court of the European Union (GCEU) annuls the decision taken by the Commission regarding the Irish tax rulings in favour of Apple.
According to the GCEU, the commission was wrong to declare that Apple Sales International and Apple Operations Europe had been granted a selective economic advantage and, by extension, State aid.
In a statement, the Department of Finance said it welcomes the judgment by the EU court.
Former SDLP leader and Nobel laureate John Hume dies
On 3 August former SDLP leader and Nobel laureate John Hume died at the age 83.
He was regarded as one of the most important figures in recent Irish political history and a key architect of the peace process.
President Michael D Higgins paid tribute to him and said: "He and those others who helped usher in a discourse that enabled a new era of civil rights and responsive government that few would have thought possible, have placed generations in their debt, have been a source of hope."
Massive explosion at Beirut Port
On 4 August a massive explosion at Beirut port, ignited by the detonation of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, killed at least 188 people and injured thousands of others and destroyed swathes of the Lebanese capital.
Huge chunk of glacier in Mont Blanc threatens to break off
A huge chunk of a glacier in the Mont Blanc massif threatens to break off due to high temperatures on 8 August. A security officer looks through binoculars at the Planpincieux glacier in Courmayeur village, Val Ferret, northwestern Italy.
Historic choice as Harris picked as Biden's running mate
On 11 August Democrat Joe Biden announces that he selected California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate in the presidential election, making her the first black woman and Asian woman on a major party's presidential ticket.
Paddleboarding cousins rescued by fisherman
Two cousins were recovering in hospital in Galway after being rescued by a local fisherman, Patrick Oliver, and his son, Morgan, southwest of Inis Oírr, having spent 15 hours in the water.
Sara Feeney and Ellen Glynn, both from Knocknacarra in Galway city, got into difficulty while paddleboarding at Furbo Beach on 12 August.
They were discovered by Mr Oliver clinging to a lobster pot marker buoy, about two miles from Inis Oírr, and around 17 miles away from where they had been last seen after they were blown out to sea.
World's second largest species caught on camera off Cork coast
The second largest species on earth was caught on camera off the Cork coast on 14 August.
The fin whale is second only in size to the blue whale and is the largest whale that can be seen in inshore Irish waters.
The footage was captured by Emer Keaveney, a marine mammal ecologist with Ocean Research and Conservation Ireland (ORC Ireland), and it is only the second time the group has filmed a fin whale in Irish waters using a drone.
Black Panther star dies aged 43
On 28 August actor Chadwick Boseman, the star of Marvel's Black Panther and Avengers films, died aged 43.
He had been diagnosed with colon cancer four years before and chose to keep his illness private.
California fires burn record two million acres
By early September wildfires in California have burned a record more than two million acres as an uncontrolled blaze forced many residents to flee their homes.
US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsburg dies aged 87
On 18 September Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a stalwart liberal on the US Supreme Court since 1993, dies at the age of 87. It gives President Donald Trump a chance to expand the court's conservative majority with a third appointment. He chooses 48-year-old Amy Coney Barrett for the life-time appointment.
One of world's deadliest snakes found in Offaly garden
In September, nine-year-old Fionn Kilmurray got a surprise in his back garden in Co Offaly today when he spotted a snake, which just happens to be one of the world's most dangerous reptiles.
It is also the first time this species has been found in Ireland.
Trump contracts Covid-19
On 2 October US President Donald Trump announces that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for coronavirus. He is hospitalised for three days at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center before he is discharged to continue his recovery at the White House.
US votes in presidential election
Voters in the US went to the polls on 3 November to choose their next president. Despite losing key swing states, Donald Trump refuses to concede defeat and contends, without providing evidence, that the election was "stolen" from him.
Biden set to be 46th US president
On 7 November Democrat Joe Biden secures 306 Electoral College votes beating incumbent Republican Donald Trump who got 232 votes.
Rubber ducks protests in Thailand
Pro-democracy protesters carry inflatable rubber ducks during a march toward the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bangkok on 29 November calling on the prime minister to resign and for reforms in the monarchy.
Photo of US doctor comforting elderly Covid patient goes viral
A US doctor's comforting embrace of an elderly man on Thanksgiving was captured by a photographer and has gone viral around the world.
Joseph Varon, a doctor treating coronavirus patients at a Texas hospital, was working his 252nd day in a row when he spotted a distraught elderly man in the Covid-19 intensive care unit.
McEntee announces pregnancy, in first for cabinet minister
In early December Minister for Justice Helen McEntee says she is expecting a baby, making her the first Cabinet member in the history of the State to announce she is pregnant while in office.
Ms McEntee made the announcement on social media, saying: "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... Last Christmas as a duo though #babyonboard #excited".
A spokesperson says "the minister will take a period of maternity leave next year to care for their baby".
90-year-old Fermanagh woman first to receive Covid-19 vaccine
On 8 December a 90-year-old woman becomes the first person in the world to receive a Covid-19 vaccine outside of a trial.
Margaret Keenan received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at about 6.45am at her local hospital in Coventry in England.
