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

IRELAND

Singer Allie Sherlock switches on the Christmas lights at Bewley’s Café on Grafton St in Dublin Marc O'Sullivan Marc O'Sullivan

• Green Party leader Eamon Ryan said that we will not see the impact of the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 for several weeks.
• Public health officials confirmed 3,735 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
• Gardaí responded to violent clashes near the Aviva Stadium ahead of the FAI Cup final
• Rosslare Europort said it had one of the busiest days in its history this month, thanks to Brexit
• Advocacy groups said that migrant communities in Ireland were left in the dark over the nation’s vaccine rollout, allowing “unchallenged misinformation” to spread
• Christmas FM returned to the airwaves for the festive season.

WORLD

A Hanukkah Menorah illuminated, marking the beginning of the Jewish Festival Of Lights, at the Pariser Platz near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany Markus Schreiber / PA Images Markus Schreiber / PA Images / PA Images

#PERU: A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the country and was felt across the northern and central regions, including the capital Lima

#NETHERLANDS: Dutch public health authorities confirmed that 13 people who arrived in the Netherlands on flights from South Africa have tested positive for the new Omicron Covid-19 variant

#SWITZERLAND: Swiss voters backed the law underpinning the use of Covid certificates, after a tense campaign

PARTING SHOT

Congratulations to Noteworthy’s Maria Delaney and The Journal’s Michelle Hennessy, who have won the Journalism Excellence Award at the Irish Red Cross Humanitarian Awards 2021 for their Tough Start series, which investigated challenges faced by Traveller children.

Tony Gavin Tony Gavin