Every afternoon, TheJournal.ie brings you 5 things you really need to know by 5pm.

1. #CONFERENCE: Taxpayers will be footing the bill for councillors to attend a two-day conference on Facebook and social networking this weekend. (Where’s that ‘Dislike’ button when you need it…?)

2. #FRANCE: French police have broken through a blockade at a major oil refinery near Paris. The French senate is voting today on the controversial pension reform proposals which sparked the nationwide demonstrations and strikes.

3. #WORK CAN WAIT: A new video project with the message “it gets better” has been launched in response to at least seven suicides of US teenagers who were bullied and harassed because they were gay. Barack Obama is among those who have posted videos for the project.

4. #DALAI LAMA: Three Irish-based NGOs have announced the Dalai Lama will visit Ireland next year. The exiled Tibetan leader last visited Ireland in 1991, when he met President Mary Robinson.

5. #WAYNE’S WORLD: After all that drama, Wayne Rooney has signed a new five-year deal with Man United thought to be worth as much as £180,000 to the player. The announcement sparked a Twitter frenzy as fans digested the news.