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

Ireland

Twins Ellie and Broke O Hanlon (7) at a Christmas fair in Dublin. Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

• Former Kerry TD Jackie Healy-Rae died aged 83.
• Ireland officially launched a bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
• Gardaí are searching an isolated wooded area in Laois for Fiona Pender, missing since 1996.
• A threat was made to close the four National Museum of Ireland sites.
• An independent review into the handling of Mairia Cahill’s rape case was launched.
• Despite previously denying it, Minster Charlie Flanagan has apologised and said a US military plane did land in Shannon.
•  Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams was denied entry into Gaza by Israeli authorities.
• A third of households won’t pay their water charges according to a new poll.
• One man was arrested and 33 apartments searched in a garda operation against prostitution.

International

Christmas art at the business centre in Milan. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

#I CAN’T BREATHE: Thousands of protesters clogged streets in New York to condemn the killing of Eric Garner.

#UNITED STATES: Rolling Stone has apologises for ‘discrepancies’ it published in an article about an alleged gang rape.

#GRAMMYS: Both Hozier and U2 have been nominated for Grammy Awards, a first nod for the Bray man and a 47th for the Dublin group.

Innovation

• Facebook Ireland Ltd paid corporate tax of €2.3 million last year, according to its latest accounts.
• Nasa’s new Orion crew capsule completed its maiden unmanned voyage, splashing down as planned in the Pacific. [BBC]

Parting Shot

Eric Fischer / Mapbox Eric Fischer / Mapbox / Mapbox

Eric Fischer has been tracking geotagged tweets for the last three and a half years. Now he’s put those tweets into a map, all 6.3 billion of them.