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

IRELAND

Gardaí at the scene of Clondalkin as they investigate the deaths of 11-year-old Oisín O’Reilly after his father Wayne. Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• Armed gardaí forced their way into a hotel room to save 11-year-old Oisín O’Reilly after his father Wayne threatened to kill him in October, three months before their deaths.
• The EU-Mercusur trade deal was passed, with Ireland one of five members voting against the plan.
• Officials from X agreed to meet with the Minister of State with responsibility for AI over concerns about child safety on the social media platform.
• That came as Media Minister Patrick O’Donovan revealed he had deleted his own X account over the digital undressing scandal that has engulfed the platform owned by Elon Musk.
• New research found that Irish households pay €360 more per year for electricity than the western European average.
• Aer Lingus introduced fees for anyone selecting a seat on its budget-friendly service.
• The Traitors Ireland smashed its way into the top 10 most watched TV shows of last year, overtaking some of 2025′s biggest sports events.

INTERNATIONAL

Belgian and French farmers block the A2 motorway to protest the Mercosur agreement today. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#GLOBAL TRADE: European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen called the passing of the EU-Mercosur trade deal a signal that Europe is able to “diversify our trade and reduce our dependencies” in the face of an “increasingly hostile and transactional world”, in a thinly veiled message to the White House.

#IRAN PROTESTS: Moran than 50 protesters have been killed in nearly two weeks of demonstrations in Iran sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, a Norway-based rights group has said.

#SWISS SKI BAR FIRE:  The co-owner of the Swiss bar which went up in flames during New Year celebrations is being held in custody after he was interviewed by prosecutors today.

#US Border agents have shot and wounded two people in a vehicle outside a hospital in Portland, a day after an ICE officer killed a woman in Minnesota.

PARTING SHOT

A surprising mismatch – or so you’d think – came about at Wroclaw Zoo in Poland.

Our colleagues at AFP showed how a deer faced off against a rhinoceros, of all opponents.