A boy plays soccer during the last sunset of 2012 over the shores of the Arabian sea in Mumbai, India. (Image: Rafiq Maqbool/AP/Press Association Images)

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

THINGS WE LEARNED:

#CENTENARIAN: Ireland’s most senior citizen, Mary Kate Byrne, has died in her native village of Maganey. She was 108 years old.

#FISCAL CLIFF: The US still teeters on the edge of the fiscal cliff as President Barack Obama confirmed that while an agreement is “within sight”, it is still not done.

#PRESIDENT: Taoiseach Enda Kenny told us today that Ireland’s presidency of the European Union – which officially begins tomorrow – will be about three things: stability, jobs and growth. He spoke at the EU flag-raising ceremony at Dublin Castle this afternoon.

#NORTHERN IRELAND: Police officers in Northern Ireland have been urged to step up their personal security after a viable device was found close to Tangradee police station in Armagh.

The discovery came as the PSNI detectives made an appeal for information about a foiled bomb attack on an off duty police officer and his family yesterday. A spokesperson said they were “grateful” the targeted officer had carried out security checks because without them there would have been ‘devastating consequences’.

#DEFAMATION: Ryanair has instructed its lawyers to issue defamation proceedings against The Sun over the newspaper’s decision to repeat claims made by a Dutch TV programme that the airline was running its planes with low-fuel reserves.

#NEW YEAR’S EVE: We’re officially saying goodbye to 2012 in four hours but some countries have already passed into 2013. Sydney celebrated with an impressive fireworks display. Can Dublin’s party match that?

THINGS WE LOVED:

• This sleeping toddler eating a banana.
• This attention to detail from our Defence Forces.
• The fact that these 32 beautiful images of Ireland inspired our readers to send in some of their own amazing snaps of Ireland from 2012, including: