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

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IRELAND

• Public health officials confirmed 5,279 new cases of Covid.
• The booster interval for people who’ve had Covid is to be cut to three months as the HSE launched a self-scheduler for booster jabs.
• An increased demand for PCR testing resulted in some users of the HSE portal reporting that it crashed as they attempted to book a test. 
• The State is to sell part of its 71% stake in AIB over the next six months, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe announced today.
• The Inspector of Prisons expressed concern that a large number of inmates in Cork Prison were afraid to speak to her inspection team during a recent visit.
• A judge refused to set aside verdicts in the Munster child sexual abuse trial in the wake of a letter written by one of the jurors. 
• A man was sentenced to a mandatory term of life imprisonment for murdering Irish boxing champion Kevin Sheehy.
• The CSO recorded a  72% increase in fraud crimes this year driven by criminals’ attempts to obtain people’s personal information.

Kings Cross station in London, very quiet just prior to Christmas, as the British government urges caution due to the spread of the Omicron variant. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

WORLD

MANHATTAN: A jury resumed deliberations in the sex-trafficking trial of Ghislaine Maxwell. 

#UKRAINE: Former president Petro Poroshenko criticised new treason charges brought against him.

#LONDON: A man pleaded not guilty to the murder of Conservative MP David Amess.

PHILIPPINES: The Irish government has pledged €250,000 in aid to help those affected by the recent typhoon.

TRAVEL: The EU is to set a nine-month limit for the validity of Covid-19 travel passes. 

PARTING SHOT

The popular Christmas Eve busk in Dublin is moving online this year. It will feature performances by U2, Glen Hansard, Damien Rice and Lisa O’Neill and can be watched live at 9pm on Christmas Eve here. 

Join this Christmas Eve for the legendary Busk at 9pm on our YouTube channel! This year’s busk will be a special affair featuring performances from Bono @U2, @Glen_Hansard, @DamienRice, @lisaoneillmusic and many more. #TheBusk

Donate what you can at https://t.co/4DmcveioDz pic.twitter.com/CUkbg9MCxp

— Dublin Simon (@Dublin_Simon) December 21, 2021

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