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

IRELAND

Performer Mandy Blinco is part of this year's Púca festival, which celebrates Ireland as the origin of Halloween. Runs from 23-31 October. Leon Farrell Leon Farrell

• Housing activists regained access to a squatting site in Dublin following an attempted eviction
• Inspections of pubs, nightclubs and restaurants over the Bank Holiday weekend shows that the majority of businesses were compliant with Covid restrictions
• Public health officials have confirmed 1,631 new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland, with 67 deaths notified to them in the past week
• Veteran broadcaster Charlie Bird has confirmed he has Motor Neurone Disease
• The Football Association of Ireland applied for next month’s sold-out World Cup qualifier against Portugal to be designated under ticket touting legislation
• Two men were stabbed in two separate but related incidents in Dublin city
• A Status Orange rain warning is place for three south-eastern counties until tomorrow morning with seven other counties under a Status Yellow warning.

WORLD

Ocean Rebellion protesters dressed as UK PM Boris Johnson and an Oilhead set light to the sail of a small boat on the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow ahead of Cop26. PA PA

#RULE OF LAW: The EU’s top court ordered Poland to pay €1 million a day for not suspending a controversial “disciplinary chamber” at the heart of a bitter feud between Warsaw and Brussels.

#BELGIUM: The Belgian government reimposed some pandemic restrictions that it only relaxed a few weeks ago and expanded a nationwide use of the Covid-19 pass.

#AUSTRALIA: Australia is to lift a ban on citizens travelling overseas without permission, with the country set to open to skilled workers and international students by year’s end.

PARTING SHOT

We know it’s too soon for Christmas cards, but we’ve made an exception because this is excellent, and it might be worth getting your orders in quick…

Brand new Christmas card for 2021!https://t.co/45DgjrfWEX#tensiblings #christmascards #Christmas2021 #irishdesign pic.twitter.com/tHQQxAX4la

— WallHello! Funny by Design (@WallHello) October 26, 2021