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

IRELAND 

Bus Driver AJ Hughes dressed up for Christmas in Dublin Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• The young girl who was critically injured by the Parnell Square attacker on 23 November has now been moved out of the Intensive Care Unit, a source close to her family confirmed.
• More than a thousand Dubliners gathered on Grafton Street this afternoon to watch musicians during a fundraiser for a local homelessness charity.
• Interpretation problems were responsible for 13% of asylum appeal postponements last year.
• Two men who were arrested and charged in the wake of a seizure of cocaine worth roughly €21 million were brought before a special sitting of Limerick District Court.
• Scottish police are investigating the murder of a woman from Gaoth Dobhair in Donegal who was found dead in South Lanarkshire.
• Minister Eamon Ryan said that Dublin’s planned metro could have been built for a “fraction of the cost” if not for a delay that started in 2011.

THE WORLD

A man holds the body of a victim at a hospital in central Gaza Strip city, on 23 Dec, 2023. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

#GAZA Gaza’s health ministry said today that at least 20,424 people have been killed in Gaza since the start of the most recent war with Israel. 

#UKRAINE Ukrainian Orthodox Christians attended services today as the country prepares to celebrate Christmas on 25 December for the first time after the government changed the date from 7 January in a bid to distance itself from Russia traditions.

#US A man died in a “targeted” shooting at a shopping mall in central Florida.

PARTING SHOT

Wondering where Santa is in the world this Christmas Eve? Here’s how you can track him.

Merry Christmas to all.