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

The scene where a mans body which has been found in the Phoenix Park in Dublin. (Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland)

IRISH

• Gardaí have launched a murder investigation after a man’s body which was “engulfed by fire” was found in Phoenix Park.
• The family of Dylan Gaffney Hayes, who suffered catastrophic brain injuries during birth, was awarded a settlement of €8.5 million in the High Court today.
• Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has called on the board members of the Central Remedial Clinic to resign.
• Marks & Spencer staff are to strike next Saturday.
• The 19-year-old son of Susan Dunne, who was found dead at her home in Kerry earlier this week, has appeared in court charged with her murder. [Radio Kerry]
• A new testing programme at the Mater Hospital diagnosed almost three in every 1,000 people with the HIV infection.
• The chairman of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee has called the revelations about the Central Remedial Clinic “deeply disturbing”.
• Multinational companies have contacted the IDA to say they are very concerned about the possibility of power outages following ESB’s threat to strike.
• The director of the Central Bank has resigned.
• The Central Bank said there is no “tangible evidence” that some customers’ circumstances are improving.
• Cancer death rates for older women in Ireland are higher than the EU average.
• The Irish father of a suicide victim has called for more action to be taken against red-hair bullying.
• The PSNI have appealed for a man who made a phone call to Jean McConville’s family in the 90s to come forward.
• Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said Irish troops are fully committed to Golan Heights task despite their convoy being hit by an unknown blast yesterday.
• The Fallon brothers and Paddy Cosgrave were honoured at the Eircom Spiders last night.
• Kilkenny has been named as Ireland’s 2013 Tourism Town.
• The Government has confirmed that Santa Claus does exist.

WORLD

#UK: A further 19 hospitals face investigation in relation to their links to Jimmy Savile and allegations of sexual abuse.

#UK: Police have received thousands of phone calls after the Madeleine McCann appeal.

#THAILAND: Thai protesters stormed the army headquarters and ruling party offices.

INNOVATION

• Scientists have used satellite observations to create a set of high-resolution 3D maps of the entire Great Barrier Reef. [The European Space Agency]
• Google has filed a patent for a robot that will write your Facebook posts, emails and tweets. Is this the future? [The Daily Mail]

PARTING SHOT

Are women hard-wired to be bitches? The New Statesman takes a look at this issue and proclaims that one is not born a bitch, one becomes one.

Keith Urban stuck in the middle with Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, who reportedly were not the best of friends on “American Idol”. (PA Image)

Here’s What Happened Yesterday>

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