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

IRELAND

Stormy seas in Dublin. Sam Boal Sam Boal

• Leo Varadkar has acknowledged it was not “best practice” to provide a government document to a medical organisation through informal channels, but he has rejected accusations that he broke any laws by doing so.
• Health officials have confirmed 416 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland, while five more people with the virus have died. 
• A kite surfer has died after getting into trouble at Dollymount Strand in Dublin. 
• Nearly 700 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Northern Ireland. 
• Mourners at the funeral of one of three family members who died in a suspected murder-suicide shooting at their Cork home have heard his future was supposed to be “full of possibilities”.
• Sinn Féin’s Catherine Kelly has resigned as an MLA, the latest party official to step down over the failure to return £10,000 payments from an emergency Covid-19 fund.
• Storm Aiden swept across the country today, causing high winds and leaving thousands without power. 
• A man has been arrested after gardaí seized over €1 million of suspected drugs and cash in Tipperary yesterday. 

INTERNATIONAL

Children and adults around the world celebrated Halloween today. Danny Lawson / PA Wire/PA Images Danny Lawson / PA Wire/PA Images / PA Wire/PA Images

• James Bond actor Sean Connery has died at the age of 90. 
• The death toll has risen after a strong earthquake struck in the Aegean Sea between the Turkish coast and the Greek island of Samos, with officials saying least 38 people are dead and more than 800 have been injured.
• A Greek Orthodox priest has been shot outside his church in the city of Lyon, and police are hunting for the assailant, French police have said.
• Firefighters have had to rescue three young men who became stuck in a tumble dryer in Essex, England last night.
• A second lockdown has been announced in England with all non-essential activity to cease from Thursday.

PARTING SHOT

The passing of Sean Connery – one of the great screen legends of the 20th century – is undoubtedly a sad occasion for film fans across the world. 

The BBC has compiled a fantastic set of photographs from across his film career. 

Take a look and reminisce about Bond, Indiana Jones and, er Zardoz.