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

IRELAND

Staff at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Dublin this morning loading up vans and trucks with donations in response to the earthquake Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• A man has been arrested after an Irishman was shot dead in New South Wales, Australia. 
• Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has softened his stance on former Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern, whose tribunal evidence he once compared to that of convicted drug dealer John Gilligan.
• Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris announced today that the local parties will have until 18 January 2024 to form a ministerial executive at Stormont.
• The Data Protection Commission is “assessing” a reported data breach at the Munster Technological University (MTU) in this week’s ransomware attack.
• Defence Minister Micheál Martin has said that he believes the Irish Defence Forces needs to change its culture to make it a more enticing place to work.
• A man has died after crashing his e-scooter in Carlow town.
• A woman in her 60s has died following a fire at a home in Cork city today. 
• Staff at Microsoft Ireland have been informed this morning of plans to lay off 120 employees. 
• Siptu has announced two 24-hour work stoppages by Go Ahead Ireland employees in a dispute over pay. 

INTERNATIONAL

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Council President Charles Michel at the EU summit in Brussels Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#EARTHQUAKE: The death toll from the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria has climbed to more than 20,000.

#ZELENSKYY: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Brussels today for high-level talks with European leaders.  

#MARKLE: The UK’s press watchdog has launched an investigation into the column written by Jeremy Clarkson for the Sun newspaper about Meghan Markle.

#RIP: Burt Bacharach, the composer of classic pop songs including I Say A Little Prayer and Walk On By, has died at the age of 94.

PARTING SHOT

It’s been almost a year since Ukraine was invaded by Russia. 

To look at where things are at now, and where they might go, this week’s The Explainer podcast was joined by Donnacha Ó Beacháin, professor of politics at the School of Law and Government at Dublin City University. He speaks to presenter Laura Byrne.

https://soundcloud.com/the-explainer-podcast/how-could-the-war-in-ukraine-end