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

IRELAND

Santa visits the GPO to post his replies to children who took the time to write to him this Christmas. Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

• Councillor Willie Crowley of Kildare, who was hit by a car earlier this week, died from his injuries.
• It emerged the construction of modular homes was delayed after threats from masked men.
• A €50 million redevelopment of Cork’s Capitol Cinema was given the green light.
• John Bruton said he thinks Ireland would have gained independence without 1916.
• It emerged that, for the first time, a Denis O’Brien radio station would have to compete for its licence.
• Tesco was slapped on the wrist over selling hoverboards.
• There were major traffic delays after a four car crash on the M50. 
• And Met Éireann ruled out a White Christmas. 

WORLD

A Palestinian demonstrator dressed as Santa Claus stands in front of an Israeli checkpoint in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Associated Press Associated Press

#VATICAN: Pope Francis recognised a second miracle attributed to the late Mother Teresa, clearing the path for the nun to be elevated to sainthood next year.

#CIGARETTES: An Australian law requiring cigarettes to be sold in plain packaging has received a boost after an international tribunal said it would not hear a tobacco company’s legal challenge.

#US POLITICS: 30% of Republican voters told a polling company they supported the bombing of Agrabah (the fictional kingdom from Aladdin).

INNOVATION

• Google has criticised the Department of Motor Vehicles in California for insisting driverless cars must have a licensed driver on board. [BBC Tech]
• And Buzzfeed has put together this terrible, terrible list of the worst things on the internet in 2015. 

PARTING SHOT

We’ll leave you with some big news from the world of showbiz. It appears Monica and Chandler may well be going out in real life. 

ABC ABC