Kennedy Space Center employees pose for a photo in front of the space shuttle Endeavour atop a modified jumbo jet before it was moved to the mate/demate structure for protection from a forecasted storm today in Cape Canaveral, Florida. A weather system has delayed Endeavour’s departure to Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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

THINGS WE LEARNED

#ALLOWANCES: The government has not realised the savings it targeted in public service allowances and premium pay for this year, Minister Brendan Howlin has admitted. Here are the ones they want to keep and the ones they want to abolish.

#REFERENDUM: You’d best get your referendum pants on because we are going voting again on Saturday, 10 November in the children’s rights referendum.

#HOUSEHOLD CHARGE: The thorny issue of the household charge has reared its head again today as two councils said they are delaying the paying of college grants until proof of payment is provided by the applicant’s parents. Environment Minister Phil Hogan supports the move.

#MANCHESTER: Two female police officers in Manchester were shot and killed while carrying out routine duties today. One of Britain’s most wanted men, Dale Cregan, has been arrested in connection with the shooting.

#DÁIL: The Dáil has returned today with TDs in top form as Leaders’ Questions saw the usual faces throw criticism at Taoiseach Enda Kenny while this evening a debate on a motion of no confidence in Health Minister James Reilly is under way.

#BANNED: A French court has ruled that there can be no further publication of images of the Duchess of Cambridge topless while it has also fined the magazine ‘Closer’ which published the controversial images.

THINGS WE LOVED

• Images of Africa have for decades focused on extreme poverty, famine and civil wars but photographer Peter DiCampo decided to focus on everyday life in Africa when he took these recent and extremely impressive photos that were picked up by the New York Times’ Lens Blog.
• This very honest Guard has been taking part in the Reddit’s Ask Me Anything series and offering some interesting insights into how members of An Garda Siochana operate.
• Will Jobs Minister Richard Bruton ever get this close to greatness again? Here he is in front of an image of Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi at the announcement of 300 jobs at EA Sports today:

(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)

THINGS WE SHARED

• This week’s Newsweek cover has sparked some debate on Twitter both serious and not so serious as this selection of tweets show.
• Unbelievable doorstepping tekkers (technique) from Channel 4′s Alex Thomson today who bombarded the former editor of The Sun Kelvin MacKenzie at his home over his coverage of the Hillsborough disaster.
• The iPhone 5 has been launched and is about to go on sale in the United States. Excitement is building to such an extent that they’re already queuing outside the Apple store in New York but as Gizmodo spotted, Fox TV has some of the details about the new phone slightly wrong:

YouTube: ralphardi