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

IRELAND

Licensing laws are set to be relaxed in line with other European countries Sam Boal via RollingNews Sam Boal via RollingNews

• Five army barracks are set to be used to accommodate Ukrainian refugees arriving into Ireland.
• The HSE issued two risk communications relating to high strength MDMA at Electric Picnic, despite receiving a “relatively small number of samples” during the three day festival.
• Reaction to the news that Ireland’s licensing laws are to be relaxed has been met with an initial wave of optimism within the industry. 
• Gardaí at Store Street Garda station are appealing for witnesses following a serious assault which occurred near a train station on Amiens Street in Dublin City Centre on Friday 7 October.
• Garda Colm Horkan, who was shot dead two years ago, helped to have the man accused of his murder admitted to a psychiatric unit in 2003, the Central Criminal Court has heard.
• GAA star Davy Fitzgerald has claimed that he is the victim of a fraud that has resulted in proceedings being brought against him before a Portuguese Court. 
• The HSE’s launch of the seasonal flu vaccine programme at the beginning of this month has already led to over 600,000 vaccinations according to the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.
• The highest number of patients on trolleys so far this year (699) has been recorded today.

INTERNATIONAL

Peter Tatchell in Qatar Peter Tatchell Peter Tatchell

#RISHI SUNAK The UK’s new prime minister has culled nearly a dozen of Liz Truss’s top-tier ministers.

#DRUG POSSESSION A Russian court has upheld the nine-year prison sentence handed to American basketball star Brittney Griner, rejecting her appeal.

#UKRAINE The German president was forced to take cover in an air raid shelter earlier during his first visit to the country since Russia’s invasion.

#QATAR Campaigner Peter Tatchell has said he was arrested after staging the first ever LGBT protest in Qatar to “shine a light” on its human rights abuses in the run-up to the World Cup.

PARTING SHOT

Dublin Zoo Wild Lights Patrick Bolger Patrick Bolger

Dublin Zoo’s Wild Lights attraction has returned to Phoenix Park this autumn and winter.

Visitors can see over a thousand lanterns depicting scenes of nature like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly, life in the tree tops of rainforests or sea creatures and glowing coral.

The displays will be available for viewing until 9 January.

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