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

IRELAND

Castle Market in Dublin city centre this evening Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie Sam Boal / Rollingnews.ie / Rollingnews.ie

• Public health officials confirmed 20,110 new cases of Covid-19, with 682 people with the virus in hospital, including 86 in ICU.
• Over-16s will be able to receive a booster vaccine from Sunday, with the booking portal open tonight. 
• This autumn was Ireland’s warmest on record in line with human-caused climate change, Met Éireann confirmed.
• The Education Minister and teaching unions are due to meet on Tuesday ahead of the reopening of schools after the Christmas holiday.
• The competition watchdog has announced a full investigation into a proposed deal between AIB and Ulster Bank.
• Irish is to be fully recognised as an official EU language from tomorrow. 
• A man has been taken to hospital with serious injuries after a fire at a Masonic Lodge in Dublin city centre.
• The PSNI named the three young men who died in a road collision on Monday.
• And here’s what we know about the big political events due to happen in 2022.

THE WORLD

New Year's Eve celebrations in Oslo, Norway Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#RIP Acting legend Betty White, the star of Golden Girls, has passed away at age 99.

#COLORADO Approximately 580 homes have burned down in wildfires in Colorado in the US, where tens of thousands of people have evacuated.

#SOUTH AFRICA Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s body laid in state for a second day today ahead of his funeral in the cathedral where he preached for a decade.

#UK The MHRA approved a potentially life-saving treatment for Covid-19 for use in the UK in cases of mild to moderate infections among vulnerable people.

PARTING SHOT

It’s the end of 2021 and eastern timezones have already started to turn their calendars to 2022.

Australia’s Sydney hosted its famous fireworks display, while to the west, New York City is preparing for the annual ball drop in Times Square.

Here’s a look at how the rest of the world is ringing in 2022 and have a Happy New Year.