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

IRELAND

People enjoying themselves at Funderland in the RDS Dublin RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

• A man in his 40s was charged in connection with a fatal hit-and-run in Dublin on 26 December, in which a husband and wife were killed.
• Marguerita O’Rourke (née Sheridan), who was killed in an alleged dangerous driving fatal collision in Rathkeale, was brought to her final resting place today.
• Two people were charged with murder following the death of a man in Co Down on St Stephen’s Day.
• Dublin Bus confirmed it is investigating widely-circulated video footage of a young person allegedly being struck by a man who appears to be Dublin Bus staff.
• The HSE is “focusing on every lever to keep everyone safe” amid a “rapid increase” in the number of people in hospital with flu.
• Police in the North are appealing for information after a woman was assaulted by a stranger in Derry yesterday.
• Met Éireann issued a Status Yellow weather warning for rain across Co Donegal which will kick in tomorrow morning.
• A marketing plan by Tourism Ireland was delayed because the late David Trimble, then-leader of the UUP, objected to Great Britain being referred to as “overseas”.
• A Lotto player from Co Mayo will ring in the new year with a bang after winning more than €5.4 million in last night’s Lotto draw.

INTERNATIONAL

Firefighters and rescue team members work on the runway of Muan International Airport. Alamy Alamy

#SOUTH KOREA: A total of 179 people were killed in today’s plane crash in South Korea, the country’s fire agency confirmed as it announced a final toll from the disaster.
#GAZA HOSPITAL: Israel’s military said its forces killed around 20 Palestinian militants in a raid on one of northern Gaza’s last functioning hospitals.
#GAZA: Health officials said a 20-day-old baby died today from “severe cold” as the war-ravaged Palestinian territory grapples with winter weather.
#CHANNEL: At least three people died attempting to cross the Channel in small boats.
#TIK TOK: US president-elect Donald Trump urged the Supreme Court to pause a law that would ban TikTok in the US on 19 January.
#GERMANY: Elon Musk caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest.
#VAPES: Belgium will ban the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes from January 1 on health and environmental grounds, in a groundbreaking move for European Union nations.

PARTING SHOT

Magnus Carlsen pictured during the FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship on Thursday. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

World Chess number one Magnus Carlsen quit a world championship event after being fined and threatened with exclusion for breaching the dress code by wearing jeans.

Carlsen was asked to change his clothes yesterday at the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in new York after falling foul of the governing body’s regulations.

The chess federation (FIDE) said Carlsen rejected the opportunity to switch out of his jeans, and he was issued a fine of $200 (€192).

Carlsen, 34, is a five-time world chess champion. The Norwegian is also the reigning champion in both the rapid and blitz chess competitions.

He said he would not appeal the decision.

“Honestly, I am too old at this point to care too much,” Carlsen said.

“Nobody wants to back down… I’ll probably head off to somewhere where the weather is a bit nicer than here.”