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

IRELAND

Mark Stedman Mark Stedman

• The Health Minister, Leo Varadkar, says he’ll get a plan to sort out the ‘chronic problem’ of overcrowding in hospital emergency departments. 
• Metro Herald will be published for the last time on Friday with 13 full-time staff being made redundant. 
• The daughter of Jonathan Corrie is planning to sleep-out on the street where her father died. 
• Visits to Mercy University Hospital have been cancelled due to an outbreak of the winter vomiting bug. 
• Mary McAleese has been appointed as a professor in Irish studies at a university in London.
• People were pretty offended by yesterday’s Life magazine in the Sunday Independent. 

INTERNATIONAL

AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

#SYDNEY: The armed siege at a café in Sydney has come to an end. Three people died in the incident including the gunman.

#CHINA: A teenager who was executed after being convicted of murder and rape 18 years ago was declared innocent by a court today.

#INTERVIEW: Bill Cosby has broken his silence after more than two dozen women came forward accusing him of having drugged and raped them.

INNOVATION

• Skype’s newest feature will translate English-Spanish video chats in real-time. [TheJournal.ie]
• Slow bartenders beware: This robot bartender can make a drink in under 5 seconds. [Newsweek]

PARTING SHOT

Some Australian commuters have offered to accompany Muslims to work if they don’t feel safe following fears for their safety after the armed siege in a café.

The gunman displayed a flag associated with jihadists in the window – prompting fears that people will retaliate against innocent people.