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

Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin (left) and Minister for Finance Michael Noonan after a press conference as part of day-long briefings to mark the exit from the bailout this coming Sunday. Image Credit: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

IRELAND

• It was the last working day ahead of Ireland’s bailout exit on Sunday.
• Minister Michael Noonan said that the Irish people are the ‘real heroes and heroines’ of the exit, but also said not to expect life to be hugely different next week.
• The board of governors at the Central Remedial Clinic resigned following at the request of the HSE
• An explosion forced the evacuation of a busy Belfast retail district.
• A woman and her young daughter were threatened during a robbery in Howth this morning.
• Members of the Public Accounts Committee said there are keen to question the St Vincent’s Hospital Group over their finances.
• The Director of Public Prosecutions said it is to accept guilty pleas from a man charged with the rape of two young girls.
• RSA chief executive Simon Lee stepped down.
• Mandate said it will recommend that union members at Marks and Spencers accept an LRC proposal.
• Defences Forces recruitment will resume next next year, the Justice Minister confirmed.
• Alan Shatter also confirmed that the State will not take over the administration of compensation to victims of rogue solicitors.
• The Central Bank fined Citibank €500,000 for failing to ensure the accuracy of its reporting.
• President Michael D. Higgins welcomed the former residents of Priory Hall to a reception in Áras an Uacharáin.

INTERNATIONAL

A crane places a statue of former South African president Nelson Mandela into position at the Union buildings in Pretoria, South Africa (Image Credit: Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/AP/Press Association Images)

#SCOTLAND: The death toll from the Glasgow helicopter crash rose to ten after one of those seriously injured in the incident died in hospital. [BBC]

#SYRIA: A United Nations said it has evidence that chemical weapons were used against civilians during the ongoing conflict in Syria.

#SOUTH AFRICA: A giant statue of Nelson Mandela was erected in Pretoria, as his body lies in state for the third and final day. Hundreds pushed through police lines to see him. [BBC]

#UNITED STATES: Two students were injured in a shooting at a school in Colorado.

INNOVATION

• Twitter reversed changes to its block function just hours after it was implemented.
• The NSA review panel called for reform and an end to call gathering.
• Automated bots make up 61.5 per cent of all web traffic, a report found.
• The European Union’s banking watchdog warned of the risks of using Bitcoin. [RTÉ]

PARTING SHOT

The giant octopus straddling the world — is that what you think when you hear of the US National Reconnaissance Office? That’s certainly how they portrayed themselves last month, when they launched a secret satellite into space displaying this rather unusual logo.

Here’s what happened yesterday >