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

IRELAND

Claire Nolan with some of the handmade gifts she has created at the launch of the Richmond Barracks Christmas Fair in Inchicore, Dublin. Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

• Two gardaí were subjected to a “vicious assault” while responding to an incident that has been heavily condemned by the Taoiseach, Justice Minister and Garda management and representatives.
• The Regency murder trial heard that gardaí recovered records from a tracker device deployed on former Sinn Féin councillor Jonathan Dowdall’s jeep which were believed to have been destroyed.
• A Status Yellow rain warning is currently in place across the country, as Met Éireann warn of potential flooding.
• Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said he would be reluctant to reduce toll charges if it means taking away funding for public transport or road maintenance.
• Several hundred people attended a protest in Dublin’s East Wall this evening against the housing of refugees at an old ESB building.
• The Government is remaining hopeful that a referendum on extending the right to vote in presidential elections to Irish citizens abroad could be held during Leo Varadkar’s term as Taoiseach.
• Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe pledged to strengthen coordination between eurozone countries on combating inflation if elected for a second term as President of the Eurogroup.
• Fraudsters stole nearly €45 million through frauds and scams in the second half of 2021, up 37% on the previous year.

INTERNATIONAL

A man checks a damaged house after a 5.6-magnitude earthquake in Cianjur, West Java. Xinhua News Agency / PA Images Xinhua News Agency / PA Images / PA Images

#EARTHQUAKE Indonesian officials said that the death toll from a magnitude 5.6 earthquake has risen to 162, with buildings and walls being toppled in the densely populated island of Java.

#NORTHERN IRELAND Former DUP leader Arlene Foster said she was “very disappointed” after a guest at business awards ceremony on Saturday asked her for a selfie before proceeding to chant ‘up the Ra’ while standing beside her.

#KHERSON Ukraine said that it had discovered four Russian torture sites in its southern city of Kherson, which Moscow’s forces left earlier this month, leaving behind a trail of misery and destruction.

#HIJAB Iran arrested two prominent actors who expressed solidarity with the country’s protest movement and removed their headscarves in public in an apparent act of defiance against the regime.

PARTING SHOT

You may have seen Joe Lycett appear to shred £10,000 of his own money yesterday after presenting David Beckham with an ultimatum to pull out of his role as an ambassador for World Cup host Qatar or he would destroy the cash.

Well today, the British comedian revealed that the £10,000 was fake, and that the money has instead been donated to LGBTQ+ charities.

🏳️‍🌈 pic.twitter.com/YuPYSQ2M6u

— Joe Lycett (@joelycett) November 21, 2022

Lycett posted a video that showed him seemingly shredding the cash after Beckham failed to respond to him. However,  he confirmed today in a video posted on Twitter that the display was fake, and that his ultimatum had been an “empty threat.”

“I would never destroy real money, I would never be so irresponsible,” the comic stated in a video posted to twitter today.

“The truth is, the money that went into the shredder was real, but the money that came out was fake,” Lycett said, revealing that the £10,000 has already been donated when he first issued Beckham with the ultimatum.

“I never expected to hear from you, it was an empty threat designed to get people talking.
“In many ways it was like your deal with Qatar, David, total bullshit from the start. I’m not even queer; only joking,” he added.

Lycett then proceeded to shred a copy of Beckham’s 2002 Attitude magazine cover, which represents the first time a Premier League footballer appeared on the front of a gay magazine.

Homosexuality is still illegal in Qatar and anyone found participating in same-sex sexual activity can be punished with up to seven years in prison.