A sailing boat makes its way along the Fylde Coast in Fleetwood in Scotland as heavy rain clouds gather in the distance. (Dave Thompson/PA Wire)

HERE ARE THE things you need to know as we round off the day in three easy steps.

THINGS WE LEARNED

#QUINNS: Seán Quinn Junior lost his appeal against conviction and imprisonment today – but the Supreme Court found that the indefinite sentence imposed on him for contempt of court can be set aside. Quinn may be now be released from jail on Friday, when he is due to appear before the High Court.

#IRA: The US Supreme Court has temporarily blocked Boston College from turning interviews with a former IRA member over to the US government. The PSNI is trying to access the taped interviews as part of an investigation into an IRA killing in 1972.

#MURDER: A murder investigation is underway after a 30-year-old man was shot dead at a house in Golden in Tipperary early this morning.

#LANCE ARMSTRONG: Sports company Nike has terminated its contract with Lance Armstrong citing the “seemingly insurmountable evidence” that the cyclist participated in doping. Armstrong has also stepped down as chairman of his Livestrong charity saying he wants to help limit it from the damage caused by the scandal.

#MISSING: Police in Wales investigating the disappearance of 37-year-old Catherine Gowing from Offaly have appealed to the public for help in tracing her, amid fears that she may have come to significant harm. A man has been arrested on suspicion of her murder and is being questioned by police.

#WEB SUMMIT: The largest technology conference in Europe kicked off in the RDS today with more than 3,000 people expected to attend the two-day Dublin Web Summit. Here’s 10 predictions from AOL’s Digital Prophet – yes, that’s really his job title – about the future of technology from today’s events.

THINGS WE LOVED

• How are your personal finances? As strong as Germany’s? Or is your wallet more comparable to Greece? Take the Guardian’s test to see if your finances would get you kicked out of the Eurozone.
• OH MY GOD, SUPERHEROES HAVE OCCUPIED NEW YORK CITY. Wait. What?
• Ireland is not the only place that’s been hit with heavy rain today – but at least they got this rainbow over Wetherby racecourse:

(Anna Gowthorpe/PA Wire)

THINGS WE SHARED

• If this post makes you laugh then you’re a terrible person – at least, according to BuzzFeed.
• This is far funnier than it has any right to be. This guy tries using Taylor Swift lyrics – WAIT, KEEP READING, IT’S WORTH IT – as a way to pick up girls.  Supreme awkwardness ensues.

(Video: tommycanpictureit/YouTube)