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

IRELAND

Mrs Claus, patient Keeva Ndadba (8) from Crumlin and Santa at the Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital Magical Fantasy land in Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Dublin. Ho Ho Day is a Special event organised every year by the Play Department and hospital staff to bring children, families and staff together for a magical day of festive celebration. Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• A woman was arrested in relation to a shooting in west Dublin yesterday.
• A man was jailed for seven and a half years after he was convicted of raping two women.
• U2 wrote a letter supporting the Freedom of Dublin being stripped from Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
• Facebook announced it’s going to stop recording advertising sales from its international offices through its Dublin headquarters.
• A yellow weather warning was issued for six counties with high winds expected.
• Dublin footballer Philly McMahon was named as the 2017 winner for the eir Sports Book of the Year award.
• A report was published by the Expert Technical Group on the site of the former Tuam mother and baby home in Co Galway.
• Australian police issued an appeal for missing Irish tourist Craig Lambe.
• It was announced that a senior counsel will carry out the review into how the Department of Justice emails, which brought about the resignation of former Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald, were missed in the first trawl of documents for the Charleton Tribunal.
• Heroin dealer Brian Rattigan won a Supreme Court appeal against his conviction for the 2001 murder of Declan Gavin.
• Cyclists held a protest against new Luas Cross City signs that urge people on bikes to dismount and walk.
• Ryanair pilots in Ireland served notice for one day of strike action on Wednesday, 20 December.
• A South Dublin County Councillor spoke out after he had the front window of his house and his car windscreen smashed in a vicious attack.

WORLD

Judge Roy Moore rides away on his horse after voting at the Gallant Volunteer Fire Department in Gallant, Alabama SIPA USA / PA Images SIPA USA / PA Images / PA Images

#UNITED STATES: The man suspected of bombing a New York subway yesterday was charged with terrorism offences.

#FRANCE: French president Emmanuel Macron rejected US president Donald Trump’s offer to renegotiate Paris climate agreement.

#AUSTRIA: One person was killed and 18 injured after an explosion as a gas pipeline.

#ALABAMA: Voters were going to the polls this evening in a hotly contested battle for a senate seat between Republican Roy Moore and Democrat Doug Jones.

PARTING SHOT

An impressive acoustic rendition of the Christmas classic “Carol of the Bells” here featuring St.Marys Secondary School girls Choir.