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

IRELAND

Demolition of a dated 1970s office and retail building at the junction of Dawson Street and Molesworth Street in Dublin city centre. Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• A warning was issued over more designer drugs.
• All non-urgent surgeries were cancelled at Cork and Beaumont hospitals.
• Gardaí issued new pictures in the search for a missing mother and her one-week-old baby.
• Bressie gave an impassioned speech about suicide.
• A eight-year jail term was given to a man who “savagely” attacked a 61 year old.
• A man died after his car crashed into a wall in Galway.
• A man was left with serious injuries after falling from the first floor of University Hospital Limerick.
• It was announced that prisoners would be transferred to Ireland’s first new prison in 15 years shortly. [RTÉ News]
• The Taoiseach gave a torturous interview about the election date, and figures revealed three of his top staff are earning more than the €96,000 salary cap.
• Brown Thomas was granted an order that could allow to operate a full pub license.
• Trip Advisor named its top ten hotels in Ireland right now.
• A crackdown on what can and can’t be called butter was announced.

WORLD

An Aymara man holding a flag is silhouetted against an early morning sky as he waits for the arrival of Bolivia's President Evo Morales at an event in Bolivia. Associated Press Associated Press

#DENMARK: Refugees’ possessions will be taken to pay for their stay.

#ITALY: A group of senators proposed prison terms for couples who used overseas surrogate mothers.

#NORTH KOREA: A woman who defected 16 years ago returned.

#SOMALIA: Gunman attacked a popular beachfront resort. [BBC News]

#UNITED KINGDOM: A public inquiry found that Russian president Vladimir Putin ‘probably approved’ the murder of ex-KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko.

#UNITED STATES: The East Coast is braced for a winter storm. [The New York Times]

INNOVATION

• Irish scientists revealed a new way to treat type 2 diabetes.
• Here’s how neurobiological evidence is being used more and more in criminal trials. [ScienceMag]
• Facebook has made streaming virtual reality video possible. [The Next Web]

PARTING SHOT

David Bowie was pretty good at impressions. A recording has emerged of him mimicking of Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young. [Ultimate Classic Rock]