Updated 9.25pm

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

Laura Hutton / Photocall Ireland Laura Hutton / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

Not an activity for the faint-hearted – crew line the sails of the Juan Sebastián de Elcano, the third-largest tall ship in the world, as it arrived in Dublin this morning. See more pictures here.

IRISH

• Further strike action at Aer Lingus was branded “a matter of grave concern” by Minister Leo Varadkar.
• It was confirmed that some discretionary medical cards will be reinstated within weeks.
• An opinion poll revealed that Sinn Féin is now the most popular party.
• The government said that “every effort is being made” to keep the garda budget under control.
• The possibility of an EU investigation in Ireland’s corporate tax was seen as a threat to the economy.
• Progress so far on the banking inquiry was described as “a dog’s dinner”.

WORLD

WWII-era planes drop paratroopers near the Normandy village of Ecausseville, western France, as part of commemorations of the 70 anniversary of the D-Day landing. AP Photo / Remy de la Mauviniere AP Photo / Remy de la Mauviniere / Remy de la Mauviniere

#AFGHANISTAN: Flash floods killed almost 60 people, with the death toll expected to rise.

#PORTUGAL: Reports suggest that a number of suspects are set to be questioned by police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

#IRAQ: Gunmen have taken hundreds of students hostage at a university in the west of the country. [Reuters]

#UKRAINE: Petro Poroshenko was sworn in as the country’s fifth president, and issued a firm warning over Crimea.

#UNITED STATES: Comedian Tracy Morgan was critically injured in a car crash.

INNOVATION

• The first Vine was tweeted from space. [DailyEdge.ie]
• A device that allows humans to climb smooth walls has been developed by DARPA. [Geek.com]
• The CIA joined social media in attempt to make the agency “more accessible”. [BBC News]

PARTING SHOT

Someone has gone through the effort of making a quadcopter out of chocolate. What a time to be alive. [The Next Web]

Originally published 7.52pm

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