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

Photocall Ireland Photocall Ireland

IRELAND

• The four people accused by Mairia Cahill are refusing the Taoiseach’s offer of a meeting.
• A passenger travelling on a Aer Lingus flight was arrested after writing ‘Attentione Ebola’ on a coffee cup. 
• Rehab has announced its new CEO – and they’ve even published her salary. 
• Irish Water has faced more questioning over bonuses – they have announced that staff will not be receiving 4% “exceptional performance” bonuses. 
• Phil Hogan has taken his final step into Europe – and is now no longer a TD.
• A 9-year-old girl from Dublin has been named the EU’s digital girl of the year. 
• A pile up in Leitrim has seen one man killed and seven others injured. 
• The shortlist for the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards 2014 has been announced. 
• Some evidence has emerged over Bono’s role in bringing Google and Facebook to Ireland. 
• Health Minister Leo Varadkar has announced that he receives regular offers of around €250,000 to move to Canada as a GP.
• Someone complained that Dónal Óg Cusack ‘expressed his sexuality’ through a dickie bow he wore on The Sunday Game 
• A Fine Gael councillor has apologised after branding a Sinn Feín election rival racist. 
• The wheels are in motion for new plans that will make it easier to sack civil servants. 
• Police in Northern Ireland have arrested a 73-year-old man over the murder of Jean McConville.
• Irish Water is only now looking for a data protection manager – weeks after asking for individuals’ PPS numbers. 

INTERNATIONAL

Tim Cook has come out - saying he is 'proud to be gay' Associated Press Associated Press

#NORTHERN IRELAND: Parties in Northern Ireland have agreed a budget – although the Alliance Party and UUP abstained from voting on it.

#UK: The father of murdered schoolgirl Sarah Payne, Michael Payne, has been found dead at his home in the UK. He had suffered from alchollism and depression since his daughter’s abduction in 2000.

#GERMANY: A truck driver in Germany was jailed for 10 and a half years after shooting at motorists over 700 times over the past five years.

#FRANCE: A Frenchman has died after drinking 56 shots in a drinking competition.

#USE: CEO of Apple, Tim Cook, has come out – saying that he is “proud to be gay”. 

#EARHART: There is new hope that the aircraft Amelia Earhart went missing in 77 years ago could be found.

INNOVATION

New YouTube videos will appear much smoother. Youtube Youtube

• Nintendo has announced plans to get into the healthcare industry with a device that will help users regulate their sleeping pattern. 
• The video quality on YouTube is set to improve substantially – videos will now appear smoother than before.  
• Despite being one of the major players in the mobile phone market, Samsung has seen its profits fall. Today it reported its worse quarter for three years.  

PARTING SHOT

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