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

IRELAND

Michael Lowry TD arrives at Government Buildings today with fellow Regional Independent TDs Marian Harkin and Sean Canney, ahead of negotiations between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Regional Independents Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

• The Regional Independents reached a deal with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael on forming a new government.
• A massive convoy of garda cars and vans was spotted by some motorists this morning in Dublin – it was part of a major operation targeting alleged organised crime activity.
• Irish charity shops are seeing an influx of donations of garments bought from the fast fashion brand Shein, many of which have never been worn and still have tags on, The Journal reported this morning. 
• Tributes were paid to a 21-year-old woman who died after suffering a fall in a popular rock climbing area near Malaga in southern Spain.
• A 60-year-old man pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the deaths of two teenagers in Co Monaghan.
• An application made by DAA to raise the annual passenger cap at Dublin Airport from 32 million people to 36 million was deemed invalid by Fingal County Council.
• An Post said the GPO is “totally unsuitable” for use as a soup kitchen after the Labour Party called on its CEO David McRedmond to open the underutilised building to services that need them.
• Irish farmers were urged to “stay vigilant” by the Department of Agriculture following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Germany, as several countries introduced temporary livestock bans from the central European nation.

INTERNATIONAL

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be Defense secretary, gives a thumbs-up at the completion of his confirmation hearing Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#THE WHITE HOUSE: Donald Trump would have been convicted for his alleged effort to overturn the result of the 2020 election if he hadn’t been elected four years later, said a report by then special counsel Jack Smith published by US media.

#QATAR: Ceasefire talks continued today in Qatar as hopes for an end to the conflict in Gaza remains high. Here’s what we know about the negotiations. 

#UK: A minister at the UK Treasury resigned today following an ethics investigation. 

#PENTAGON: Donald Trump’s pick to be the next US Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, appeared at a Senate confirmation hearing today and called for a return to a “warrior ethos” in the military.

PARTING SHOT

MANY PEOPLE DON’T come out about their HIV status, and I don’t blame them, I can totally relate to that. Only about one percent are living openly about it but I think the biggest mistake that I made following my change of status was that I became really isolated by keeping it a secret. 

There can be a lot of internalised shame experienced by people living with HIV, which often comes from the fear of stigma, rejection or discrimination and of letting people down, “bringing shame on the family”. Stigma only happens when there are negative beliefs and misconceptions about HIV.

Read Enda McGattan’s full Voices article here.