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

IRELAND

A grey heron stands face on in a tree along the Grand Canal in Dublin. Sam Boal Sam Boal

• Leo Varadkar was criticised for saying doctors and nurses shouldn’t take annual leave at Christmas.
• Mícheál Martin disciplined a Fianna Fáil senator who was involved in the launch of the party’s candidate in Northern Ireland.
• A garda was convicted of possessing images and videos of children being subjected to sexual acts.
• An amendment that would have forced women to bury a foetus after terminating their pregnancy was voted down by an Oireachtas committee.
• The High Court dismissed an application by Noirín O’Sullivan for an order allowing her to bring a defamation action against the Irish Examiner.
• A Brexit deal in November is looking more and more unlikely, the Taoiseach said.

WORLD

President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference in the East Room. UPI / PA Images UPI / PA Images / PA Images

#US MIDTERMS: The Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives, as Republicans increased their majority in the Senate. Afterwards during a press conference, Trump had a row with a CNN journalist and called him “a terrible person”.

#WHITE HOUSE: US Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that he’s resigning at the request of Donald Trump.

#MARSEILLES: At least 6 people have died after two dilapidated buildings collapsed in the French city of Marseille.

#RYANAIR: Italy’s competition watchdog will begin legal proceedings against Ryanair for failing to suspend controversial charges for carry-on bags.

PARTING SHOT 

So we used the freaky bird picture for the Fix this evening.

On the theme of bird weirdness, this video brightened up people’s day: on his way to an RTÉ studio for an interview, this professor helped return a wandering swan back to Dublin’s Grand Canal.

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