COUNTIES, mainly in the west, are in danger of running out of road gritting salt as temperatures are expected to plunge as low as -10C over the weekend.

A WEST CORK town was under three feet of water yesterday morning, for the second time in seven weeks.

THE new year is set for a freezing start with nighttime temperatures likely to fall to as low as -10C in some parts of the country.

DEVELOPERS owed €800 million to cash-strapped local authorities in overdue levies at the end of 2008.

CARDINAL Cahal Daly, one of this country’s most senior Catholic churchmen, died yesterday in a Belfast hospital.

HE hasn’t had a brown-eyed girl or a blue-eyed boy and he is pretty hacked off that his own website has claimed otherwise.

BANKS must help bail out people struggling to repay mortgages and shoulder some of the pain, according to the Master of the High Court.

OSPREYS coach Scott Johnson is keen for his side to get into a positive frame of mind ahead of a month that will shape their season.

EVEN though Ronan O’Gara, Tomás O’Leary and Keith Earls are all rested under the IRFU edict regarding senior international players, Munster have chosen a back division of remarkable experience and talent for tomorrow evening’s sell-out Magners League clash with Ulster at Ravenhill.

WALES star Stephen Jones gave national coach Warren Gatland an injury worry just four weeks before they play England at Twickenham as the Scarlets claimed a vital Magners League win at Rodney Parade.

LIMERICK senior hurling manager Justin McCarthy is facing a New Year of crisis as four more players have walked away from his severely depleted squad.

TOTTENHAM boss Harry Redknapp insists Roman Pavlyuchenko will not be allowed to destabilise the club’s season after revealing the striker’s “head wasn’t right” to play in a recent game.

SAM ALLARDYCE believes there was little Gary Megson could do to keep his job once Bolton’s fans had turned against him.

AARON RAMSEY is ready for a big start to 2010 – and has every confidence he can prove himself worthy of a regular place in the Arsenal team.

PREMIER LEAGUE clubs may have been to the forefront of the Champions League in recent years but Cristiano Ronaldo has insisted 2010 will see Real Madrid emerge as the Europe’s greatest team.

ANDY REID is the victim of an ‘over-reaction’ from Giovanni Trapattoni on the night his international future was thrown into limbo – so says Ray Treacy, who was a bystander on the fateful evening in 2008.

JOHN O’SHEA may be set to miss the miss the first two months of 2010 through injury but Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has ruled out the possibility of making major additions to his squad during the January transfer window.

I WISH to express my outrage at the proposed massive cuts in public sector pay which will hit low income families.

PRO-GOVERNMENT media cheerleaders frequently describe our dire economic situation as “the mess the country finds itself in” as if it was all an accident for which nobody was to blame.

WITH reference to your report headlined ‘Iran: US forged atomic bomb plans’ (December 23), I wish to reiterate the sentiments of our president and foreign minister who state categorically that those “alleged” documents are indeed fabricated and are mischievously concocted in an effort to put psychological and political pressure on Iran.

THE cold weather has exposed the fact that recently laid cement footpaths, with their decorative circular indentations, are dangerous in icy conditions. Rain or melted frost lodges in the indentations and because the temperature is low, it is very slow to evaporate.

IN her letter headlined ‘Incinerator firm’s plan to combat site flooding’ (December 5), Jane Hennessy of Indaver was quick to defend the resilience of the company’s site at Ringaskiddy against the devastation wreaked by the November floods in Cork, described as a one-in-800 year event.

AT the start of both 2006 and 2008 I decided to give up drinking alcohol for six months and I intend to repeat the experiment from today, with one get-out clause which I will get to later. It will be hard not because of my own desire for alcohol, which is relatively limited and occasional, but because other people are likely to make it difficult for me.

THERE can be few situations more distressing than the prospect of losing your home. Being turned out on the side of the road, put out of the house where you and your partner planned to build your family’s future might unnerve the best of us.

MUCH of the last decade was as enjoyable and as fulfilling as anyone could wish. Then reality called.

KILLARNEY and Tralee have more tax defaulters than any other towns in Ireland named and shamed by the taxman over the past nine years.

Over the last nine years, the Revenue Commissioners have published the names of 4,961 people who have made settlements with them. Irish Examiner Business Editor Conor Keane examines the geographic and occupational breakdown

FARMERS, company directors, builders, shop-keepers and publicans are the worst tax offenders in the country an analysis of almost 5,000 settlements made with the Revenue Commissioners reveals.

THE NATIONAL Federation of Services for Unmarried Parents has backed the Minister for Social Welfare’s controversial statement that the current one-family payment is not working.

PRINCIPALS have warned that pupils attending schools in old buildings could find their resources even further squeezed this year as water metering is due to begin in schools next week.

CARDINAL Cahal B Daly was born in Loughguile, in the Glens of Antrim, on October 1 1917. He was educated at St Patrick’s National School in Loughguile, and then as a boarder in St Malachy’s College, Belfast, in 1930.

THE Taliban claimed responsibility yesterday for bombings that killed 14 people, including eight Americans and an Afghan in a suicide attack in the volatile east, and five Canadians in the south. CIA employees were believed to be among the victims.

A SOMALI court acquitted and released a suspect who tried to board a plane in Mogadishu in November with chemicals and a syringe – materials similar to those used in the attempted attack against a Detroit-bound airliner.

RUSSIA’S space agency chief has said a spacecraft may be dispatched to knock a large asteroid off course and reduce the chances of earth impact, even though US scientists say such a scenario is unlikely.

UNDER explosive bursts of fireworks more than a million New Year revellers in Sydney got one of the world’s biggest parties started yesterday – bidding farewell to the tough year that was 2009.

US PRESIDENT Barack Obama was due to receive a preliminary report last night on how a 23-year-old Nigerian with suspected terrorist ties managed to board a plane he is accused of attempting to bomb on Christmas Day, along with recommendations on how to prevent a sequel.

POLICE arrested nine people in south-west China suspected of trafficking mentally ill people to be murdered in mines across the country in a bid to blackmail mine owners into paying compensation, a local official said.

A GUNMAN clad in black went on a shooting rampage yesterday, slaying four workers at a suburban shopping mall near Helsinki before turning his gun on himself, police said.

CONSUMERS can shave up to €1,800 off their annual insurance bills by shopping around, according to the Financial Regulator.

THE Government is considering a single agency to handle student grants and possibly other means-tested payments.

FORMER Cork TD Barry Cogan has said the downturn in the economy scuppered any chance five retired politicians had of qualifying for its lucrative pension scheme.

LIVERPOOL defender Glen Johnson’s knee injury presents manager Rafael Benitez with yet another issue to resolve just as it seemed a more settled side was starting to get its season back on track.

PORTSMOUTH expect to pay their players’ December salaries on January 5.

CHELSEA boss Carlo Ancelotti insists Manchester City are still in the Premier League title race this season under fellow Italian Roberto Mancini.

EDWARD O’GRADY ran two in the Metal Man Novice Hurdle at Tamore yesterday and they totally dominated the finish.

FOR THE love of God can everyone keep IT DOWN back there? Shh. Less of the noise and so forth.

DUTCH superstar Laurence Docherty has backed the decisions by former Ireland internationals Iain Lewers and Mark Gleghorne to switch their allegiance to Great Britain.

BOROLEE can land the nap in the Tom Carroll Memorial Handicap Case at Tramore this afternoon, should the meeting survive a 7.30am inspection, called due to the threat of severe frost overnight.

FOOTY Facts proved himself on course for a crack at the Thyestes at Gowran Park in three weeks when slamming veteran Hardy Eustace in the Kathleen Clarke 80th Birthday Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday, when snow showers resulted in the County Kildare track adopting a seasonal look.

NEPTUNE STADIUM, the arena that revolutionised Irish basketball and which is, to many, still the spiritual home of the game on this island, is 25 years old this weekend and it is fitting that the home team should host their long-time arch rivals, DCU Saints, in the Nivea for Men SuperLeague to tip off the celebrations this afternoon (4 pm).

Motorists were warned to avoid travelling today due to hazardous driving conditions as the big freeze continued into the New Year.

Politicians and church leaders today paid tribute to the legacy of Cardinal Cahal Daly, who died last night in Belfast City Hospital at the age of 92.

Two people were being questioned by detectives today after a man died following an assault.

President Mary McAleese is extending best wishes for the new year.

Paris jazzed up the Eiffel Tower with a multicoloured, disco-style light display as the world basked in New Year’s festivities with hopes that 2010 and beyond will bring more peace and prosperity.

Iran’s opposition leader was defiant today in the face new threats – including calls by hardliners for his execution – and said he was ready to die in defence of the people’s rights.

Police said a speeding bus lost control and crashed into a canal, killing 18 people and injuring another 56 in southwestern Bangladesh.

The pope today called for the respect of all people without discrimination and the protection of children from war and violence during a Mass marking the start of 2010.

India and Pakistan today exchanged lists of nuclear facilities as part of an accord which prohibits them from attacking each other’s nuclear installations.

Freezing temperatures have decimated racing’s New Year programme.

Fakenham have abandoned this afternoon’s meeting due to frost.

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce is expected to make several changes to his starting line-up for the FA Cup third round tie at Aston Villa.

Wigan goalkeeper Mike Pollitt is on stand-by to replace Chris Kirkland for the FA Cup third round visit of Hull tomorrow.

Burnley defenders Tyrone Mears and Stephen Jordan are both suspended for the trip to League One MK Dons in the FA Cup.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez will resist the temptation to make wholesale changes to his side for tomorrow’s FA Cup third round clash at Reading.

Stoke will be without Ryan Shawcross for tomorrow’s home FA Cup third round tie against York with the defender serving a suspension following five bookings.

Rangers will be without striker Kenny Miller for Sunday’s Old Firm derby after he failed to overturn his red card against Dundee United.

Alex McLeish admits the lack of home-grown players on duty in this week’s Portsmouth-Arsenal clash is “worrying” for the future of English football.

Niall McGinn insists he has no desire to leave Celtic.

West Ham quartet Mark Noble, Scott Parker, Danny Gabbidon and Herita Ilunga are all struggling with hamstring injuries ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup third round clash with Arsenal.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish will be forced to change his line-up – the first time for eight matches – for the FA Cup clash with Nottingham Forest at the City Ground tomorrow.

Hull are set to make wholesale changes for tomorrow’s FA Cup third-round tie at Wigan.

Portsmouth will not be allowed to play on-loan Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara in their FA Cup third-round tie against Coventry at Fratton Park.

Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka is back from a calf injury for the FA Cup clash against Watford at Stamford Bridge.

Fulham defender Brede Hangeland will undergo a fitness test on tomorrow morning before it is decided whether he will play against Swindon Town in the afternoon.

Aston Villa winger Ashley Young returns to the squad for tomorrow’s FA Cup third-round tie against Blackburn.

Tottenham pair Aaron Lennon and Benoit Assou-Ekotto have groin problems and are ruled out of the FA Cup clash against Peterborough at White Hart Lane.

Joncol is likely to be ridden differently when he looks for compensation in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on February 10.

Veteran duo Gary Neville and Paul Scholes are expected to return as Manchester United face Roses rivals Leeds for the first time in six years.

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is likely to stick with the 11 men who claimed a Barclays Premier League point at Blackburn for tomorrow’s FA Cup third round clash with non-league Barrow.

Celtic defender Gary Caldwell returns from suspension for Sunday’s Old Firm derby.

Bolton midfielder Gavin McCann is pushing for a place in the starting line-up in tomorrow’s FA Cup third round tie against Lincoln at the Reebok Stadium.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks set to rotate his squad for the FA Cup third-round tie at West Ham on Sunday.

Alpha Ridge may seek a second consecutive victory in the Galmoy Hurdle after proving a disappointment over fences at Leopardstown.

Ireland internationals John Muldoon and hooker Sean Cronin return to the Connacht side to tackle Leinster in the Magner's League at The Sportsground tomorrow.

This afternoon’s meeting at Cheltenham goes ahead after the track passed a second inspection.

Dual Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace has earned honourable retirement following defeat at Punchestown on Thursday.

A 19-year-old man was stabbed today in an early morning attack in Co Down.

The death has taken place of the former Labour Party Minister Justin Keating.

The failed prosecution of five private US security guards accused of murdering innocent Iraqi civilians was dismissed as a farce by angry relatives today.

Selected tips for courses in the UK and Ireland.

A British Army bomb disposal expert died following an explosion while helping to clear IEDs in Afghanistan.

Secret talks between American negotiators and Peter Moore’s captors were being held without the British Government’s knowledge, the father of the freed British hostage claimed today.

One man died and another is in a critical condition following a shooting in London in the early hours of this morning, police said.

Stephen Ferris is back for Ulster as they contemplate tomorrow’s Magners League tie against Munster at Ravenhill.

Ireland internationals Girvan Dempsey, Trevor Hogan and Mike Ross will start for Leinster against Connacht in tomorrow's Magners League derby at The Sportsground (KO: 4pm).

The lowest number of deaths on Irish roads was recorded last year, new figures show.

A number of Bus Eireann services, particularly in Leinster were still cancelled, delayed or disrupted due to bad road conditions this afternoon.

Completion of this afternoon's meeting at Cheltenham was again thrown into doubt after some riders and trainers expressed concerns about the ground following the first race.