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

IRELAND

Eamonn O'Grady, Brenda Power, Monika Bauman-Williams, and Ann Nicholson pictured at the Focus Ireland Shine A Light Sleep Out which took place at Spike Island Co Cork, and other locations around the county, to raise funds to combat homelessness. Michael O'Sullivan / OSM PHOTO Michael O'Sullivan / OSM PHOTO / OSM PHOTO

• Nearly one-quarter of people in Ireland picked February as their preferred month for an additional bank holiday.
• Covid-19 case numbers are likely to increase as restrictions ease, but this does not mean the vaccines are not effective, Dr Cillian De Gascun said.
• Irish-language poet Máire Mhac an tSaoi passed away at the age of 99. Celebrated Kerry poet Brendan Kennelly also died today aged 85.
• Many Traveller children are routinely put on ‘reduced hours’ at school – with at least one student on just 40 minutes a day, a Noteworthy/The Journal investigation found.
• Cork officials encouraged revellers to travel to the city for next weekend’s jazz festival despite the news that there will be no direct airport or train services there on the Bank Holiday weekend.
• Publican groups urged the Government to lift the remaining restrictions on hospitality this coming Friday to “end the crisis” facing the industry.
• Europe will not allow Ireland to be singled out in the fallout if negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol end in failure, according to EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness.
• A man in his late teens is due to appear before the courts tomorrow charged in connection with an assault and robbery in Dublin city centre yesterday.

WORLD

Dozens of mourners attended a special service in memory of David Amess today, while several fellow MPs added to floral tributes amassed outside the church where he was stabbed to death. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#KERALA: At least 18 people died a day after torrential rains swept through villages and flooded roads in the southern Indian state of Kerala.

#LA PALMA: There is no sign that a volcanic eruption on the Spanish island of La Palma is coming to an end, four weeks after it began, according to officials.

#BREXIT: Britain’s Justice Minister laid out his plans to reform key rights legislation to stop the European Court of Human Rights from “dictating” to the UK.

PARTING SHOT

Two Russian filmmakers and cosmonaut landed safely back on Earth this morning after spending 12 days on the International Space Station filming scenes for a movie.

Actress Yulia Peresild and film director Shipenko rocketed to the space station on 5 October for a 12-day stint to film segments of a movie titled Challenge, in which a surgeon played by Peresild rushes to the space station to save a crew member who needs an urgent operation in orbit.

More scenes remain to be shot on Earth for the film, which does not yet have a release date.

A Russian trio said farewell to the station crew and closed the Soyuz MS-18 crew ship hatch at 4:41pm ET today. They undock at 9:14pm this evening. More... https://t.co/Hwwr4AEUI7 pic.twitter.com/aXFOtG2H1O

— International Space Station (@Space_Station) October 16, 2021