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

IRELAND

People walking at Poolbeg Lighthouse in Dublin today. Sasko Lazarov Sasko Lazarov

• Three men aged in their 20s died and a fourth man is in hospital after a car and a lorry reportedly collided in Co Tyrone.
• Demand for Covid-19 PCR tests is “extremely high” across the country with limited availability in many areas. 
• 6,735 further Covid-19 cases were reported in Ireland. 
• Noteworthy reported that families impacted by the valproate scandal in Ireland are still waiting for a promised inquiry to begin. 
• Gardaí appealed for witnesses after a man was stabbed a number of times in Co Meath yesterday. 
• A man died after a collision between his bicycle and a car in Dublin city.
• The Taoiseach admitted that his government needs to “work harder and better” at providing more supports to transgender teenagers.
• The former managing director of the Bewley’s tea and coffee company and the great-grandson of the company’s founder Patrick Bewley died aged 77.
• Over 1,000 calls, texts and online messages were made to Childline, the listening service for young people, over Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day.

WORLD

Alona Nacua standing beside her son at their house damaged by Typhoon Rai in Cebu city, central Philippines on Christmas Day. Jay Labra Jay Labra

#TUTU: South Africa began a week of mourning for the revered anti-apartheid figure Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

#TYPHOON: The death toll from one of the most destructive typhoons to hit the Philippines in recent years rose to 388.

#RULING: The Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko could remain in office until 2035 if a draft document proposing amendments to the country’s constitution is enacted.

#EPSTEIN: A jury resumed deliberations in the sex trafficking trial of Ghislaine Maxwell. 

PARTING SHOT

2021 has almost drawn to a close, but before we look too far ahead to next year, it’s time to crown Ireland’s political winners and losers of the year.

The political agenda was once again led by Covid-19 and the ongoing restrictions in 2021.

Housing delivery, the stressed healthcare system, the Mica controversy, the mother and baby home redress scheme and the rising cost of living are also key issues that the government had to grapple with alongside the pandemic.

Click here to take a look at the wide variety of winners and losers from this year, courtesy of Christina Finn and Rónán Duffy.