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

IRELAND

Santa and Kathryn Thomas brought some Christmas cheer to Temple Street Children's Hospital today Andres Poveda Andres Poveda

• Convicted murderer Graham Dwyer won a legal action over the accessing of his mobile phone data. 
• Gardaí appealed for witnesses to an incident where an officer fired a gun in Longford.
• Health Minister Simon Harris said he was “deeply saddened” by the Kerry scan misreadings, but said the majority were read correctly. 
• During a visit to Dublin, London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he’s worried Britain is “sleepwalking into falling off a cliff edge” over Brexit.
• It took 9 consecutive questions for bank execs to admit a €1.3bn mortgage ‘vehicle’ won’t pay tax.
• Tributes were paid to an Irish lecturer who was stabbed to death in Paris. 
• A Status Orange warning was issued for two counties as “very windy” conditions were expected. 
• Five fire units battled a blaze at a landmark East Wall pub in Dublin. 
• There are concerns over whether Irish customers of a liquidated insurer will receive claim payouts. 
• Abortion legislation has passed the Dáil and it’s now on to the Seanad, so what next?
• A Luas tram was filled with essential gifts for people in emergency accommodation. 

INTERNATIONAL

Prince Harry was called on stage during a theatre performance in London today Chris Jackson / PA Images Chris Jackson / PA Images / PA Images

#BREXIT Theresa May tried to woo MPs with the offer of more power in the Brexit process as the crucial vote nears.

#MENG WANZHOU China reacted furiously after a Huawei executive was arrested in Canada.

#HILLSBOROUGH The match commander during the Hillsborough disaster failed in his attempt to halt his manslaughter trial.

PARTING SHOT

Spotify has been telling its users what their 2018 listening habits are like today. 

The wrapped feature tells you how many minutes you’ve spent listening to music, as well as your top played artists and songs. 

This author’s top three artists of the year were LCD Soundsystem, the Beatles and… Hall & Oates.

Given that, I leave you with this song that Michael Jackson apparently admitted using the same drum sound for in his hit Billie Jean…