LAST UPDATE | 20 Dec 2019

Shutterstock / Sergey_Bogomyako Shutterstock / Sergey_Bogomyako / Sergey_Bogomyako

EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you all the news you need to know as you start the day.

1. #UNDER FIRE: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has cut short a trip to Hawaii following a barrage of criticism for going on holiday while his country battles an unprecedented bushfire crisis.

2. #N20: A woman in her 90s has died following a traffic collision between a car and a truck in Mallow, Co Cork. 

3. #US DEBATE: Democratic White House candidates attacked Donald Trump but also clashed sharply with one another during the Democratic debate last night.

4. #DIVIL: The BAI rejected a complaint over a comment by presenter Niall Boylan on his radio show which referred to a funeral as “almost satanic”.

5. #EMMA DESOUZA: The Court of Appeal of Northern Ireland will hear the case of a Derry woman who was ruled to be a British citizen, despite her identifying as Irish.

6. #POLICING AUTHORITY: Five years ago, Gardaí would not have demonstrated the same level of self-reflection it is demonstrating today, according to the person who heads the independent body tasked with pushing reform for An Garda Síochána.

7. #PRINTING PRESSED: The taxpayer footed a €300,000 bill this year for TDs and senators to print newsletters through the Oireachtas printing service, reports the Irish Times.

8. #FLYING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS: Today is set to be Dublin Airport’s busiest day before Christmas, with an expected 1.1 million people due to travel through the airport over the festive period.

9. #WRAP UP: A weekend of wintery weather has been forecast, so expect showers during the day, and watch out for fog, frost, and ice on the roads overnight.

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