Here’s What Happened Today: Wednesday

The UK Budget, Nama’s NI portfolio and Brian Cowen before the banking inquiry had people talking today.

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

garda photo - fix The viewfinder on a garda speed gun out in Blackwater Garda Traffic Garda Traffic

IRELAND

Brian Cowen went before the banking inquiry for the last time today. Here is what we learned.
A 12-year-old boy has been missing from Glenmore in Co Kilkenny since this afternoon.
An Irishman has drowned in Thailand.
A social welfare fraudster has been jailed after being caught by facial recognition software.
DoneDeal.ie, Adverts.ie and Daft.ie will now be owned by the same company.
The PSNI have launched a criminal investigation into the sale of Nama’s Northern Ireland property portfolio.
Life expectancy in Ireland is on the rise, with men now living to 78.3 years and women 82.7.
In a contrast to Christy Burke, Sinn Féin’s new Dublin mayor is set to live in the Mansion House.

INTERNATIONAL

Budget day anti-austerity march Protesters against the UK budget cuts in Parliament Square earlier today. John Stillwell / PA Wire/Press Association Images John Stillwell / PA Wire/Press Association Images / PA Wire/Press Association Images

#GREECE: The country’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has made a formal request for a third bailout for the country.

#NEW YORK: The New York Stock Exchange went down today… and nobody is sure exactly why.

#UK: Britain announced its budget today, and is limiting child tax credits to two children per family.

INNOVATION

Facebook have been making some subtle changes recently. Not noticed them? Let us fill you in.

PARTING SHOT

Connor McGregor is certainly an interesting personality, but is he an icon for Ireland’s forgotten generation? Vice seems to think so. [Vice]