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

IRELAND

Day one of the return of Operation Fanacht. Sasko Lazarov Sasko Lazarov

• A further five deaths and 611 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Ireland. 
• Fine Gael MEP Mairead McGuinness was confirmed as Ireland’s new EU Commissioner. 
• Long tailbacks were reported as Operation Fanacht got underway across the country.
• NPHET said that Covid-19 case numbers are stabilising in Dublin, but warned that the virus is spreading “significantly” elsewhere.
• The government published its Climate Action Bill which commits the country to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. 
• A Lithuanian human trafficking gang had guns, drugs and cash seized by gardaí in Meath.
• Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan spoke on the phone last night, following Varadkar’s criticism of NPHET the previous night.  
• The Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien blamed Covid-19 as just 725 social housing units were built in first half of this year. 

INTERNATIONAL 

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. PA PA

#GREAT SCOT: Pubs, restaurants and cafés in Scotland were banned from selling alcohol indoors under new Covid-19 restrictions.  

#CLIMATE CHANGE: Last month was the hottest September on record globally, the EU said. 

#CONSPIRACY: Facebook banned all accounts linked to the QAnon conspiracy theory. 

PARTING SHOT

This is your daily reminder that Macaulay Culkin who played Kevin in Home Alone is now 40 years old. 

Today, he tweeted a lighthearted throwback to the iconic ‘scream’ image on the iconic Christmas classic film poster. 

“Just staying Covid-safe wearing by the flayed skin of my younger self. Don’t forget to wear your masks, kids,” he wrote.

Wise words. 

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