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

IRELAND

Rides at Funderland in the RDS Dublin Leah Farrell / © RollingNews.ie Leah Farrell / © RollingNews.ie / © RollingNews.ie

• A man of a hit-and-run and dangerous driving causing the deaths of a husband and wife, who died after being struck by a car in Dublin on St Stephen’s Day, was remanded in custody.
• The new directly elected mayor of Limerick asked Taoiseach Simon Harris to give over half of the €14 billion Apple tax fund to Munster because the windfall had come from the industrial operations in the region.
• Northern Ireland’s minister for the economy Conor Murphy announced that he intends to contest the upcoming Seanad election.
• Around 320,000 women are estimated to have accessed the free contraception scheme this year.
• Paddy Hill, who was wrongly convicted of IRA bombing attacks on pubs in Birmingham in the 1970s, died at the age of 80.
• The Irish Air Corps are set to receive four new light-utility helicopters, which will be used for pilot training to support Defence Forces operations and the Garda Air Support Unit.
• Iarnród Éireann is operating altered services across many routes tomorrow and Wednesday but with some added late-night trains on New Year’s Eve.

THE WORLD

The Taliban-controlled Afghani government announced that they are once again ordering the stoppage of all female work in institutions not controlled by the Taliban. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#AFGHANISTAN The Taliban said it will close all national and foreign non-governmental organisations in Afghanistan that employ women.

#GERMANY Germany’s government said that Elon Musk is trying to influence the outcome of its upcoming elections in February.

#ARGENTINA Five men were charged after being under investigation in relation to singer Liam Payne’s death.

#WALES Part of the Holyhead ferry port is set to reopen on 16 January after damage caused by Storm Darragh meant it was forced to close over the Christmas period.

PARTING SHOT

The Journal Investigates has reported that incoming Dublin Mid-West TDs have said they are willing to meet with the survivors of a historic 1979 explosion in which three children died and others were injured.