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

IRELAND 

Lucimeire Da Silva, left and Caroline Alves Costa, From Brazil now living in Dublin. Minister for Justice and Equality Charlie Flanagan TD today congratulated 2,400 new Irish citizens across three citizenship ceremonies held in the Killarney Convention Centre, Co Kerry. Valerie O’Sullivan Valerie O’Sullivan

• The South-South West Hospital group has said it has not received any complaints from members of the public in relation to the mortuary at University Hospital Waterford.
• A Donegal father-of-six who repeatedly and regularly raped his teenage daughter has been jailed for 11 years.
• The jury in the trial of a 50-year-old farmer charged with murdering his alleged love rival will return to the Central Criminal Court tomorrow for a sixth day of deliberations.
• A total of 163 new jobs are to be created in the west of the country following two significant investment announcements.
• The victim of an alleged IRA man who raped two teenage boys at a “republican safe house” two decades ago said his dream life was in “tatters” from the moment the man entered his house.
• Gardaí announced that a total of 36 people were stopped and questioned as part of an intelligence-led operation targeting the demand for prostitution and the purchasing of sexual services over the past few days.
• A jury was sworn in at the Courts of Criminal Justice as two 14-year-old boys went on trial for the murder of Ana Kriegel in May last year.
• Gardaí warned the public to be vigilant after unregulated websites offering “quick” loans to people have taken upfront payments without issuing the loan.
• The president and the national council of the National Association of General Practitioners Dr Maitiú Ó Tuathail announced their resignation.
• A total of 2,4000 people officially became Irish citizens at ceremonies in Killarney, Co Kerry.
• It was revealed by TheJournal.ie that the Irish Freedom Party has breached election laws by accepting donations for political purposes despite not being correctly registered to do so.

WORLD

This image made from video posted on a militant website purports to show the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, being interviewed by his group's Al-Furqan media outlet. AP AP

#ISIS: The groups elusive leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi made his first purported appearance in five years in a propaganda video released earlier today, in which he acknowledges IS’s defeat at Baghouz.

#SAO PAULO: The death was announced of Brazilian model who collapsed on the catwalk during a show on the last day of Sao Paulo Fashion Week.

PARTING SHOT 

From the fire of Notre Dame cathedral, to a lioness making a dash for the shore, to the first full moon night in the Chinese lunar year – these are some of best travel photographs up for the National Geographic Travel Photo of the Year.

It was the first full moon night in the Chinese lunar year, symbolizing unity and perfection. People in Meizhou performed a fire dragon dance that showered molten iron, spewing from fireworks — sparks to celebrate the Lantern Festival. This celebration has been performed since the Qing Dynasty and is designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. Léo Kwok Léo Kwok

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