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

IRISH

Queen Elizabeth II visited the set of Game of Thrones on day two of a visit to Northern Ireland... but she didn't sit in the Iron Throne. Brian Lawless / PA Wire Brian Lawless / PA Wire / PA Wire

• Fianna Fáil MEP Brian Crowley was expelled from the parliamentary party.
• An incident where five people were “catapulted” from their seats on a Ryanair flight was revealed.
• An Irishman injured three people in a stabbing spree in Germany 
  
• The Dáil heard that a murder investigation was stalled due to a lack of garda cooperation.
• The largest seizure of cigarettes in Europe this year was made in Ireland.
• New legislation was announced to support survivors of Magdalene laundries.
• A report warned that mental health service in Ireland still show signs of ‘institutional care’.
• Two were jailed over the fatal stabbing of a German student. [RTÉ News]
• Labour leadership candidate Joan Burton said she is in favour of legalising cannabis for medical use.
• Queen Elizabeth urged politicians in Northern Ireland to continue seeking reconciliation. [RTÉ News]
• Ireland was ranked as the “goodest” country in the world.
• Gardaí lifted a media blackout after a man in Wexford barricaded himself into a house.

WORLD

Indian youth play soccer on the Arabian Sea shore in Mumbai. AP Photo / Rafiq Maqbool AP Photo / Rafiq Maqbool / Rafiq Maqbool

#NIGERIA: Boko Haram abducted another six women and girls.

#UKRAINE: Nine soldiers were killed when rebels shot down their helicopter.

#UNITED KINGDOM: The former editor of the News of The World Andy Coulson was found guilty of phone hacking, while Rebekah Brooks was cleared of all charges. Prime Minister David Cameron apologised for hiring Coulson as a spin doctor. [Huffington Post]

#UNITED STATES: 168 children were rescued and 281 pimps arrested in crackdown on child sex trafficking.

INNOVATION

• A new developer programme will see a range of companies work with Google’s Nest.
• The Mar’s rover took a selfie to celebrate one year on the planet.
• The confirmed discovery of the Higgs Boson is causing scientists some serious headaches. [Geek.com]

PARTING SHOT

Yesterday we brought you a real-time map of hacking attempts across the world, but if that wasn’t to your liking, how about the same but for lighting strikes across world? Check it out here. [Geek.com]