EVERY WEEKDAY EVENING, TheJournal.ie brings you five things you need to know before you head out the door.

1. #JOBSWATCH: Pharma giant Eli Lilly will create 200 highly-skilled jobs in Cork as part of a €330 million investment at its Kinsale campus. The possibility of up to 300 construction jobs during the building period was also welcomed by the area today.

2. #COUNCIL MANAGERS: New figures have revealed €1.15 million in gratuity payments to 19 county and city council managers who retired since 2000. The money was paid out on top of regular pension lump sums and – in some cases – ‘added years’.

3. #SCHMALLENBERG: Farmers in Ireland are worried about the health of their sheep and cattle as the Schmallenberg livestock virus, which is carried by midges and causes miscarriages and birth defects, has been detected in 74 British farms.  The IFA has called for stricter biosecurity controls to stop the virus spreading.

4. #SYRIA: After implementing even more trade sanctions and visa bans against the Assad regime, EU foreign ministers also announced their formal recognition of the Syrian National Council as a legitimate representative of the people.

5. #CRYING OVER SPILT BEER: As a waiter, serving the leader of your country must be nerve-racking. Every imagined fear of this beer-bringer came true last Wednesday as he accidentally tipped the entire contents of his tray over German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s back. And yes, it was caught on camera.