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

IRELAND

Members of the cast of The Helix Panto Hansel & Gretel, at their first dress rehearsal Leon Farrell / RollingNews.ie Leon Farrell / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• Russia has announced that more than 50 top Irish officials including Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tanaiste Leo Varadkar are banned from entering the country.
• An abuse survivor has said the “balance of power” changed after he spoke about being abused at Dublin’s Blackrock College by members of the Irish Spiritan religious order.
• A 20-year-0ld man has appeared before Tralee District Court this morning, charged with the murder of Killarney man and father of seven Thomas Dooley.
• Gemma O’Doherty has been convicted and fined in her absence for breaching Covid-19 regulations by leaving her home in Dublin and travelling to Cork in December 2020 for an anti-lockdown protest.
• An application has been lodged for the building of two apartment buildings on the estate of a former Mother and Baby Home institution in Bessborough in Co Cork.
• Leas-Cheann Comhairle Catherine Connolly has rebuked former Fianna Fáil TD Marc MacSharry over an “unjustifiable” attack on her in the Dáil chamber last week.
• Climate Minister Eamon Ryan has been made a lead negotiator for the EU at COP27 on the important issue of supports for developing countries.
• Job cuts at Amazon in Ireland are not planned, the Tánaiste has said.
• Irish tech ‘unicorn’ firm Wayflyer has today announced that it is to cut 40% of its global workforce with the loss of 200 jobs.

INTERNATIONAL

Former US president Donald Trump announces his bid for President in 2024 at Mar-a-Lago Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#POLAND: The Polish president has confirmed that the missile that hit Poland killing two people was fired by a Ukrainian anti-aircraft battery.

#TRUMP: Former US president Donald Trump has said he will officially mount a third campaign for the White House, launching an early start to the 2024 contest.

#TWITTER: Twitter employees must decide to stay in or leave the company by tomorrow in an ultimatum issued by Elon Musk.

#SPACEY: Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey is accused of a further string of sex offences against a new complainant.

PARTING SHOT

Nasa today launched the most powerful rocket ever built on a journey to the Moon in a spectacular blaze of light and sound that marked the start of the space agency’s new flagship program, Artemis.

The 32-story tall Space Launch System (SLS) blasted off from the storied Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1.47 am (6.47am Irish time).