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The Evening Fix... now with added Obamas on a golf cart

Here are the things we learned, loved and shared today.

Four-time world record holder in free immersion, Pierre Frolla of Monaco, dressed up as Santa Claus, dives without an aqualung amongst fish in the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco aquarium. (AP Photo/Lionel Cironneau)

HERE ARE THE things you need to know as we round off the day in three easy steps.

THINGS WE LEARNED

#DEATH: Minister of State and Fine Gael TD Shane McEntee has died suddenly at the age of 56. The Meath East deputy died this morning and tributes have come from the President, government colleagues, opposition politicians and the Taoiseach.

#ANGLO: The former chief of Anglo Irish Bank, Seán FitzPatrick, has appeared in court in Dublin today charged with 12 counts of making false or misleading statements to auditors. FitzPatrick will appear again in court in connection with these latest charges in March.

#REILLY: Health Minister James Reilly did not discuss specific sites for a proposed primary care centre in Balbriggan, his spokesman has insisted despite new documents – which you can see here – which Sinn Féin claims show that Reilly discussed a specific site with NAMA.

#GUNS: The National Rifle Association has called for the installation of police or security guards armed with guns at every school in the US in its first public remarks since the mass shooting at a primary school in Connecticut last Friday. Separately four people have died in a shooting in Pennsylvania.

#CHRISTMAS: A total of 226 prisoners have been granted varying periods of temporary release for Christmas. The figure – four per cent of the total prison population – is an increase on the 160 who were granted temporary release this time last year.

#ABORTION: The Oireachtas Health Committee that will hold meetings aimed at fleshing out the terms of a proposed law for the X Case on abortion hopes to report to the government by the end of January, its chairman, Jerry Buttimer, told us this evening.

THINGS WE LOVED

  • So the world is still here despite predictions from the Mayans that it was going to end today. These people will be pretty annoyed.
  • The Guardian’s Christmas gift guide inspired by the year in pop culture is pretty special.
  • President Barack Obama has plenty on his plate at the moment but he’s still gearing up for an inauguration in a month’s time. Here he is with wife Michelle looking pretty cosy as they attend attend one of the inauguration balls four years ago:

Pic: Barack Obama Facebook page

THINGS WE SHARED

  • A lot of us have clearly been sharing the hit track Gangnam Style as it today reached ONE BILLION hits on YouTube.
  • We’ve been sharing this story about the little dog handed in at Malahide DART station yesterday and which is still without its owner. Can you help?
  • Finally, bless this couple who are doing their best to say ‘baked in a buttery flaky crust’. It’s harder than you think:

YouTube: Sutherland Weston