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

IRELAND

An election warehouse full of ballot boxes in Cookstown Industrial Estate in Tallaght Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

• A TheJournal.ie exclusive has revealed a case of a girl who was left with her family who repeatedly sexually abused her after State health authorities became aware of her plight.    
• A sick child from Monaghan who dreams of becoming a guard is receiving messages from police officers from around the world. 
• A 21-year-old woman who was driving a car in which four of her friends died has been charged with dangerous driving. 
• Police in Northern Ireland are investigated after four children aged 7 to 9 were approached by a man in three separate incidents. 
• Mars has ordered a massive global recall of its products after plastic was found in one of its products on the continent. 
• A 22-year-old Wicklow man has described being attacked twice in one night for being gay. 
• Mattie McGrath has called in the guards after a local paper labeled him a Fine Gael candidate. 
• A Labour minister has explained why she walked out of a local radio debate. 
• Gardaí have searched the home of Gerry ‘The Monk’ Hutch in a north Dublin operation. 

INTERNATIONAL

Soldiers have been deployed to the streets of Havana to fight the Zika virus AP Photo / Desmond Boylan AP Photo / Desmond Boylan / Desmond Boylan

#UNITED STATES: US President Barack Obama has stepped up his efforts to close Guantanamo Bay prison. 

#IRAQ: Troops have saved a 16-year-old Swedish girl being held captive by the Islamic State group.

#UNITED KINGDOM: A massive explosion at a UK power station has left at least one person dead, reports have said. 

INNOVATION

A Chinese company is claiming to be able to charge a smartphone in 15 minutes. 

Bill Gates has taken the side of the FBI in its fight with Apple over accessing one of its phones connected to the San Bernardino shooting. 

PARTING SHOT

This artist has found a way to brighten up the pavement by sketching 3D characters onto it with chalk. [David Zinn]

David Zinn David Zinn