EVERY MORNING, TheJournal.ie brings you the stories you need to know as you head out the door.

1. SHOCKS: The Conservatives are on course for a majority in the UK general election. Labour have effectively been wiped out in Scotland on a huge night for the SNP. Follow all the latest developments here.

2. PORTLAOISE: A report by health watchdog HIQA on the deaths of babies and patient safety at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise will be published later. RTÉ reports that it states there were repeated failures in National Healthcare Standards by the hospital and the HSE.

3. #KILLED: The Al-Qaeda leader who claimed credit for the massacre at Charlie Hebdo has been killed in a drone strike in Yemen. The US attack took place last month, but was confirmed last night.

4. #ARRESTED: In Belfast, a third person has been arrested in connection with the killing of former IRA commander Gerard ‘Jock’ Davison, who was shot dead in the Markets area on Tuesday morning.

5. #BALTIMORE: The US justice department will investigate whether Baltimore’s police department engages in routine bias or excessive force, the BBC reports. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake requested the inquiry after the response to the death of Freddie Gray.

6. #CARLOW: Gardaí have confirmed a man was arrested in Carlow town yesterday afternoon during a protest while Taoiseach Enda Kenny was out canvassing.

7. #TRIBUTE: A man whose wife and daughter were killed in a car crash has paid a loving tribute on Facebook. Yvonne Buchtrup, originally from Limerick, and her daughter Ella, were killed in the collision

8. #VICTORY: Events are being held across Europe to commemorate the 70th anniversary of VE Day – the end of World War Two on the continent.

9. #THE OUTLOOK: There’s a rainfall warning taking effect this morning. It will become persistent and occasionally heavy in Munster and Leinster later on – with temperatures only reaching between 8 and 11 degrees.