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

IRELAND

While all around it have shed their leaves, this gold leaf tree in an estate outside Newbridge, Kildare has defied the elements and retained many of its own. Eamonn Farrell Eamonn Farrell

• The Special Criminal Court heard a senior Garda agree with defence counsel that there is no evidence to support an allegation that Gerry “The Monk” Hutch “effectively confessed” to 2020′s Regency shooting other than Dowdall’s “say so”.
• Weather advisories continued as a Status Yellow ice warning is expected to take effect at midnight tomorrow.
  
• It emerged the government is looking at suspending career breaks for teachers in response to staff shortage in schools around the country.
• The Journal looked at the fallout from the latest in a tit-for-tat gangland feud in Finglas. 
• Meanwhile a man shot dead in Ronanstown was named while, separately, shots were fired at a man in Carlow who previously survived an attempt on his life in Dublin.
• The HSE said it was investigating if a four-year-old child had died from Strep A in Ireland.
• A 100% redress scheme to deal with defective apartments around the country is badly needed, Sinn Féin said as it tabled a motion on the issue.  

THE WORLD

Visitors tour past military vehicles carrying the Dong Feng 41 and DF-17 ballistic missiles in China (AP)

#UKRAINE Its president Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Donbas near the ‘difficult’ Ukraine front of the war.

#US The suspect in a gun attack on an LGBTQ club in the US that left five people dead has been charged with 305 criminal counts, including murder.

#SMUGGLING Three people were arrested over a highly sophisticated Bolivian people smuggling operation that is believed to have abused the Common Travel Area.

PARTING SHOT

Portugal footballer Goncalo Ramos took to the world stage with aplomb as the 21 year old justified the shock decision to drop Cristiano Ronaldo by scoring a hat-trick on his full debut as the side demolished Switzerland 6-1 to power into the World Cup quarter-finals.