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

IRELAND

The Laurel's Charity Crew Santa Cycle begins in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. Barry Cronin Barry Cronin

• Three people were killed and several others injured in a crash this morning in Co Waterford
• Nigel Farage took aim at Gerry Adams in a TV3 interview
• Gardaí appealed for witnesses to a crash in the Crumlin area of Dublin
• Bertie Ahern made an appearance in the nation’s newsagents – speaking to the Sunday Independent about his potential return to Fianna Fáil
• A new poll showed half of Irish people are in favour of legalising cannabis for recreational use
• Turns out there are mixed views locally on Enda Kenny’s plans to turn on the north inner city Christmas lights in the capital
• And it emerged the winning ticket of last night’s €11 million Lotto jackpot was purchased on Amiens Street, in Dublin

WORLD

JOSH EDELSON JOSH EDELSON

#OAKLAND: Officials confirmed the death toll had risen to 24 in a fire that ripped through a late-night dance party in a converted warehouse in Oakland, California, and that they expect that number to climb as the search continues.

#FINLAND: An investigation has been taking place in Finland after a gunman shot dead three women, including a council leader, as they were leaving a restaurant in a small town.

#AUSTRIA: There was an early end to the Austrian presidential election after the far right camp conceded.

#HAWAII: And it’s been snowing heavily in Hawaii…

INNOVATION

• Should businesses take the plunge into VR for their marketing? Our colleagues at Fora have been taking a look at the trend
• And it may be a month or two late – but someone has developed a plug-in to tackle fake news stories popping up on Facebook and Twitter [BBC]

PARTING SHOT

Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Captain Sully Sullenberger of Miracle on the Hudson fame has been packing them in in Irish cinemas this weekend (the film’s called ‘Sully’ in case you were wondering).

In this Saturday Night Live sketch, Sully (Hanks again) has a hard time playing co-pilot to the flight’s rightful captain, played by Alec Baldwin: