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

IRELAND

Aisling Bengescu (age 11) brings her Granny Elena a bunch of flowers as she arrives back from Zurich in Dublin Airport for Christmas. Leah Farrell / Rollingnews Leah Farrell / Rollingnews / Rollingnews

• Gardaí launched an investigation into the death of a woman in Enniskerry Co Wicklow. A man is in custody in connection with the investigation.
• Health officials today confirmed a record 11,182 cases of Covid in Ireland.
• PCR testing will be available on both Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day, it was confirmed. 
• Post-mortem examinations on two men found dead in a suspected murder-suicide in Donegal took place.
• Snow on Christmas Day is unlikely, with temperatures expected to reach highs of around 7 to 11 degrees tomorrow, according to Met Éireann.
• People looking to build one-off homes in the countryside are to get certainty in the new year as the government plans to publish its long-awaited rural housing guidelines.
• Safety watchdogs issued a warning for a variety of items sold to Irish consumers from the Wish.com website - including toys, chargers and baby soothers. 
• Four RNLI crew members who died at Christmas time 200 years ago while on service were remembered during a ceremony in south Co Dublin today.
• The Leopardstown Christmas racing festival will be held behind closed doors due to rising Covid cases. 

WORLD

United States President Joe Biden looks on as first lady Dr Jill Biden reads to patients at the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#BANGLADESH A massive fire swept through a crowded river ferry in Bangladesh early today, leaving at least 39 people dead and 72 injured, officials said. 

#RUSSIA: A Moscow court slapped Google with an unprecedented hefty fine of €86 million today as Russia ramps up its pressure on foreign tech giants.

#HONG KONG: Universities in Hong Kong are removing more memorials to the suppression of the 1989 Chinese pro-democracy movement centred on Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

PARTING SHOT

If you’re waiting up for Santa tonight and want to keep track of his journey – here’s a handy guide.

At the time of publication, the big man is only five hours away from Ireland.