EVERY EVENING, TheJournal.ie brings you a round-up of the day’s main news, as well as the bits and pieces you may have missed.

• Senator and presidential hopefull David Norris insisted today that comments he made about paedophilia in a 2002 Magill interview – which were circulated again yesterday on RTÉ’s Liveline – were misleading and taken out of context. We’ve been asking if you think the comments could damage his chances of becoming the country’s next president and the majority so far has been ticking ‘They shouldn’t but they will’.
• The Irish economy is going to shrink by 2.3 per cent this year, according to Ernst & Young. This is the most pessimistic forecast made about the economy so far this year.
• Aer Lingus pilots have announced their intention to begin industrial action next Tuesday in protest over the introduction of controversial new rosters. The action could cause major disruption to the airline’s schedule.
• Water meter installation in Irish homes is due to begin early next year, marking the start of a three-year project to install the meters in some one million homes. Water charges are part of the conditions agreed in the IMF and EU bailout deals.
• Coca-Cola, Adidas, Emirates Airlines and Visa are some of the sponsors expressing concern over allegations of corruption within FIFA. Meanwhile, the FAI is believed to be one of a number of FIFA members considering their position on tomorrow’s presidential election in which incumbent Sepp Blatter is the only candidate. The FA said earlier today it would abstain from the vote if it goes ahead as planned.
• Suspected war criminal Ratko Mladic has been extradited from Serbia to The Hague after a Serbian court refused his appeal earlier today. His lawyers had submitted the appeal by post in an attempt to delay the proceedings.
• In his latest column, Nick Leeson – who faced four investigations himself over the Barings Bank debacle - expresses his amazement at the slow pace of the investigation into alleged financial misdealings at Anglo Irish Bank.
• The annual Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling event went ahead yesterday in Gloucestershire, England, despite being cancelled by its official organisers. Dozens of people braved wet conditions and a steep plunge to chase cheese down a hill. Video and photo evidence here.
• Some Good Samaritan news today: Bus Éireann driver Frank contacted TheJournal.ie today to send a big thank you to the staff of the Gallic Kitchen in Abbeyleix which gave him and his passengers free hot drinks while they were stuck in the town for an hour because of a crash on the road.
• Backtracking on previous denials by the Egyptian military, a senior Egyptian general has admitted that female protesters were subjected to ‘virginity’ tests after being arrested. Amnesty International has published a report accusing the military of beating and strip-searching the women as well as subjecting them to electric shocks.
• One of the stars of E4′s reality show Made in Chelsea has set up a website where people can rank TDs based on their attractiveness. The site presents users with a pair of photos of the 166 TDs and asks them to pick one of the two as the more attractive, à la Facemash.
• Today is the 100th anniversary of the launch of the then-superliner the Titanic, which famously sank on its maiden voyage after striking an iceberg, killing hundreds of its passengers and crew. A minute’s silence was held in Belfast today in memory of the victims. The BBC has been exploring why such a disastrous ship is so celebrated.

Karl Grant, 11, in period costume, at the quayside in Belfast, where Titanic was launched 100 years ago today. (Pic: Paul Faith/PA Wire/Press Association Images)

• China has topped a new poll charting the world’s happiest countries – as compiled by North Korea. The poll, released today by the North Korean state news agency Chosun Central Television, gives China a perfect 100 score. North Korea itself scored 98 out of 100, while the “American Empire” came in last with just 3 points.
• Novelist and actress Claudia Carroll has denied allegations made by a blogger that she plagiarised parts of Sex and the City and Friends in her recent novel, Personally I Blame My Fairy Godmother.
• As Paul Scholes bows out of football (playing; he’s going to take up a coaching role at Old Trafford instead), TheScore.ie has been looking back over the best and worst moments of the midfielder’s United career.
• Animal rescue services in Dublin are being stretched to the limit by the increasing number of abandoned pets, according to the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. (Note: this story contains images some may find disturbing.)

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