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

IRELAND

Santa Clause in Dublin giving presents to children as donations are made to the Make A Wish Foundation. Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

• Gardaí are investigating after the discovery of two bodies in separate incidents in Cork.
• Support for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil is now neck and neck, according to a new poll. 
• Tesco has halted production of Christmas cards at a factory in China over allegations of forced labour. 
• Gardaí are investigating an alleged “hit and run” incident in Limerick last night.
• An appeal has been launched by gardaí for the public’s help in locating a missing 23-year-old man in Dublin. 
• Two people were injured after a large wave caused them to fall 15-feet from a pier in Arklow, Co Wicklow. 
• Gardaí have issued an appeal for information after a shooting and criminal damage incident in Ballinasloe, Co Galway. 
• The government is risking a Brexit-style crash out by not actively preparing for Irish unity, a Fianna Fáil senator has said.  

INTERNATIONAL

Protesters wearing masks during a rally to show support for Uighurs in Hong Kong today. Lee Jin-man Lee Jin-man

#HOLIDAY: The prime minister of Australia visited firefighters battling the country’s bushfires as he apologised for a Hawaiian holiday that ended early after public outrage. 

#SORRY: President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro has apologised for saying a journalist had “the face of a homosexual”. 

#SHOOTING: 13 people have been wounded, four critically after a shooting at a house party early this morning in the United States. 

#UK: A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after two women were killed in a village in the south of England. 

PARTING SHOT

Kathleen Keyes, a mother grieving the loss of her three children wrote a heartfelt letter in yesterday’s Irish Times, garnering huge attention and warm words online.

Keyes spoke with Miriam O’Callaghan on RTÉ Radio One this morning in a touching interview. Click here to listen back.