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

IRELAND

A feeding frenzy for swans spilled on to the road today in Dublin, causing some disruption to traffic this afternoon. Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

• A man died and another is in a serious condition after a crash in Cork this morning
• In Cavan, a woman in her 80s died when her car hit a ditch
• There were more than 1,200 families homeless in the last week of November, according to new figures
• The Department of Agriculture announced that a wild duck found in Wexford town has bird flu
• A man in his 60s was released without charge in relation to 1991 disappearance case
• Taoiseach Enda Kenny has ruled out a general election and Cabinet reshuffle in the near future.
• State papers published today reveal the Irish government of 1985 considered using the ‘AIDs argument’ in battling David Norris’ claims that Irish homosexuality laws were in breach of his human rights.
• Theses are the stars we lost from the stage and screen in 2016.

INTERNATIONAL

George Michae'ls autopsy results were inconclusive. Chris Radburn Chris Radburn

#MYSTERY: The discovery of a burnt-out car in Rio state with a body inside have sparked fears that it might be that of the Greek ambassador to Brazil.

#UK: Post mortem results for George Michael are ‘inconclusive’

#RUSSIA: Putin said he would not expel US diplomats and invited them to party in the Kremlin instead.

#UK: Thick fog caused flights to and from London to be delayed or cancelled.

PARTING SHOT

Fearing for her safety, Russian 800m runner Yuliya Stepanova fled her country after she revealed the dirty secrets of doping in Russian athletics. She has been called the greatest whistleblower in the history of sport but what do people think of the athlete in her homeland? [BBC Magazine]