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The Evening Fix...now with added strangely attractive snails

Here are all the things we learned, loved and shared today.

A woman blows blue paint powder on to her friend during the holi one colour Festival held in the city of Cape Town, South Africa (Schalk van Zuydam/AP).

HERE ARE ALL the things we learned, loved and shared today.

THINGS WE LEARNED

#GARDA CUTS: Members of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) will meet on Monday to discuss the next menu of industrial action which could see gardaí refuse overtime unless orders for them to come to work on days off are issued in writing. Current measures being used by gardaí in protest at pay cuts mean they have refused to work voluntary overtime at tonight’s match in Croke Park.

#CROKE PARK II: The central executive of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation has decided not to make any recommendation to its members on whether they should accept the proposed ‘Croke Park 2′ public pay agreement. The decision will be made by a postal ballot to be held over the next six weeks.

#PROPERTY TAX: Fine Gael TD Peter Mathews has openly suggested that Ireland should not introduce a property tax – and instead bring in a supplementary budget to find other ways of raising the €500 million that the tax would bring in every year. He told the Dáil that he believed the deficit could be closed by a ‘mini-budget’ with levies on corporate profits and high earners, and a tax on betting.

#REPOSSESSIONS: The number of court orders for repossession of property fell by 30 per cent last year and is just over half the level from two years ago according to figures supplied by the Courts Service of Ireland. The figures do not reference only the court-approved repossessions of family homes, but also investment properties or farms.

#STAMPS: The price of a stamp is set to rise by 5 cent next month, after the communications regulator gave An Post permission for a price increase. Letters which weigh under 50 grams, which currently cost 55 cent to post, will be repriced to 60 cent each. Data submitted by An Post to ComReg outlined that the changes would result in about €11 million in extra revenue over the first full year of its introduction.

#MEAT-ISH: In a surprising twist in the meat saga, officials in Iceland have discovered that a brand of locally produced beef pie contained no meat at all. The country’s meat inspector said it appeared to be some kind of vegetable matter.

Visitor wearing 3-D glasses at the Kinetica Art Fair, held at Ambika P3 in central London (Yui Mok/PA Wire).

THINGS WE LOVED

(Video: DogsTrust/Youtube)

  • This puppy  called Wonky who suffered from a condition that caused her tendons to contract forcing her to walk on her joints. After weeks of physiotherapy, she’s now doing much better, as the video shows. There’s some of that good news we’re always looking for.
  • Snails are not exactly the most attractive creatures in the world but these incredible close-ups turn them into things of beauty. They’re kind of adorable – this feels wrong.
  • This guy’s balancing skills. Also the very intense commentator and audience. We won’t lie, a part of us was hoping he’d trip.

(Video: Li Pouyaner/Youtube)

THINGS WE SHARED

  • This panda-themed hotel that is due to open in China. Let’s all go there.
  • Buzzfeed’s 21 incredibly important diagrams will change your life. How dehydrated are you? What is the correct way to propose a toast? How much should you tip? It’s all there folks…
  • These two little kids rocking out to Korn. They’re unbelievably badass.

(Video: emre can sarıhan/Youtube)

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