Heavy rain fell on Indonesia’s corpse-littered city of Banda Aceh today, creating the conditions for cholera and other waterborne diseases to spread and adding to the misery of the thousands made homeless by the quake and tsunamis.

Five people escaped injury after two houses were extensively damaged in an arson attack early today.

Mark Carroll’s strong finish claimed him second place in the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run in New York on New Year’s Eve.

Locked doors at a Buenos Aires nightclub – some padlocked, others tied shut with wire – blocked or slowed the escape of many concert fans who fought to escape a fire that killed 175 people and injured hundreds, survivors and officials said.

Celebrities are launching a year-long campaign today to put pressure on governments to eradicate world poverty.

UK supermarket chain Waitrose is launching a logo giving nutritional information on the front of packs.

A number of price increases have kicked in with the start of the New Year.

A man is due in court this morning charged in connection with a serious assault in Co Meath last Monday morning.

The Health Service Executive has succeeded 11 health boards and begins operations today despite attempts by unions to halt it.

An increase in the old age pension is coming into effect today, bringing the weekly state pension to €179.

Health warnings are to start appearing on foods and drink advertisements aimed at children from today.

Changes in the Irish citizenship law, resulting from last June's referendum, are to be implemented from today.

The search resumed today for a 22-year-old Swedish man who went missing on the Mcgillycuddy Reeks in Co Kerry.

New Antrim manager Mickey Culbert has gone for a mixture of youth and experience ahead of Sunday's Dr McKenna Cup clash with the University of Ulster Jordanstown at Casement Park.

Dublin's U21s will represent the county in Sunday's O'Byrne Cup clash against Wicklow at Aughrim.

The Pope prayed for the victims of the Indian Ocean earthquake during a special midnight Mass in his private chapel early today.

Fermanagh are boosted by the return of Rory and Raymie Gallagher for Sunday's Dr McKenna Cup clash with Donegal.

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5 shook south eastern Sumatra in Indonesia today, sending residents in two cities running in panic from their houses.

Faulty equipment, poor communications and cumbersome bureaucracy were blamed today for the failure of nations around the Indian Ocean’s rim to warn of one of the world’s most devastating natural disasters.

Worldwide donations for tsunami relief approached the billion-dollar mark (€738.8m) today as the world’s ships and planes converged on devastated shores.

Iraq's prime minister Iyad Allawi issued a strong warning to the country's neighbours to crack down on militants infiltrating from their territory, saying his country’s patience was wearing thin.

The Coombe hospital in Dublin has announced its first birth of the year at 30 seconds past midnight.

Jonathan Spector’s loan move to Blackburn has been put on hold because of Manchester United’s growing injury crisis.

Charlton boss Alan Curbishley has advocated a more even distribution of television money so the Premiership can remain competitive.

Solerina has been confirmed on course for the AIG Irish Champion Hurdle at Leoparstown on January 23.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge believes there will always be a doping problem but claims great advances have been made to stamp out cheating in sport.

Gardaí are investigating a fire in an apartment complex in Galway City this morning in which 24 people were evacuated.

The race against waste steps up a gear in the New Year with a radical action plan to cut millions of tonnes of rubbish dumped by hospitals and universities.

More than 5,500 people are estimated to be homeless in Ireland over the festive season, it emerged today.

An unmarked garda car collided at speed with a pub on Dublin’s north side.

A group of British tourists escaped death by riding the tsunami on surfboards, they said today as they flew home from coastal areas of Sri Lanka.

An alert 10-year-old British girl saved her family and 100 other tourists from the devastating Asian tsunami – because she had learnt about the giant waves in a geography lesson, it emerged today.

A 43-year-old man appeared in court today charged with possession of cocaine worth £250,000 (€354,500).

The clean-up operation on the stricken island of Sri Lanka could take months, aid agencies warned today.

Fulham striker Luis Boa Morte and goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar are close to signing extended deals at Craven Cottage.

At least 11 people were killed and nearly 600 injured as Filipinos welcomed 2005 with daredevil revelry – but there were fewer firecracker blasts and less celebratory gunfire than in the past.

Liverpool, without Milan Baros and Harry Kewell, opted to leave the youngsters on the bench and play the senior men against the Barclays Premiership leaders.

Sweden greeted the new year with a national day of mourning today, flying flags at half mast and lighting candles for 3,500 of its citizens still missing in Thailand.

One of the biggest US military disaster relief missions in history kicked into high gear today as an aircraft carrier battle group arrived off the shores of tsunami-battered Sumatra and began launching helicopters heavy with supplies.

President Mary McAleese has praised the Irish people for their response to the devastation in Asia after the massive earthquake six days ago.

Six aftershocks jolted a remote southern Indian archipelago where villagers were fighting today to survive without water or food after Asia’s devastating tsunami.

A heroic father told today how he saved his family from the killer tsunami by strapping them into a palm tree using beach towels.

Police urged motorists to take care today after thunderstorms swept across Northern Ireland.

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso broke his ankle during the first half of today’s Barclays Premiership game against Chelsea.

Three young men have died in two separate overnight road crashes, it emerged today.

Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer was forced to sit and watch his side head into battle with Birmingham this afternoon after his comeback was wrecked by a fresh injury.

Luis Boa Morte was included in Fulham’s starting line-up as Chris Coleman’s men looked to halt a dismal run of six defeats from eight matches against Crystal Palace in the Barclays Premiership this afternoon.

Bolton’s highly-rated goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen was a surprise omission from the team on the day the transfer window opened.

A Joe Cole goal sealed the win for Chelsea in today's 1-0 win over Liverpool.

Kevin Phillips returned to the Southampton line-up for this afternoon’s encounter with Manchester City – but there was still no place in Harry Redknapp’s squad for James Beattie, whose departure from St Mary’s is due to be confirmed in the next 72 hours.

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe was not in the squad for the New Year’s Day clash with Everton at White Hart Lane.

Chelsea celebrated in front of their fans at Anfield as if they had already won the championship. It may be a few months away yet but after their fourth straight league victory they will take some stopping now.

Justin Hoyte made only his second Barclays Premiership start for Arsenal after Lauren failed a fitness test on a knee injury ahead of their New Year’s Day game at Charlton.

Aston Villa were boosted by the return of defender Jlloyd Samuel and midfielder Gavin McCann who had missed the Christmas programme with groin and knee problems respectively.

A woman was subjected to a vicious sexual assault by two men as she made her way home on New Year’s Eve.

Norwich had Mattias Jonson, Damien Francis and Simon Charlton all back from injuries to boost their Premiership survival fight at mid-table Portsmouth, Francis returning after six games out with a fractured cheekbone.

A number of flights from Dublin and Shannon have been disrupted today, following unofficial industrial action at Shannon and freak winds in Dublin.

A teenager has appeared before a special sitting of Limerick district court charged in connection with an incident last night which left a Garda unconscious and in hospital.

Agencies in the Asian disaster region say they need qualified personnel to help manage the huge emergency operation.

Saboteurs blew up an oil pipeline south of Baghdad today, causing a huge fire.

Chelsea began 2005 with a 1-0 win at Liverpool to remain clear of their rivals at the top of the Barclays Premiership.

The three people who died in two separate road accidents early this morning have been named.

Fulham 3 Crystal Palace 1

At least 12 soldiers were killed fighting communist rebels in Nepal’s remote mountainous east today, officials said.

AIB ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE RESULT:

Four men have been injured in a shooting incident in Dublin this afternoon, after two men fired shots at the group in the St Dominic's Park area of Coolock, on the northside of the city, shortly after 12pm.

Aston Villa 1 Blackburn 0

Newcastle 2 Birmingham 1

Tony McCoy was hit with a seven-day ban for careless riding on third-placed Gotno Destination in the closing race at Cheltenham today.

Charlton 1 Arsenal 3

Tottenham 5 Everton 2

Man City 2 Southampton 1

Portsmouth 1 Norwich 1

Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie was furious with referee Dermot Gallagher for failing to take action against Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar in today’s 3-1 Barclays Premiership defeat.

Ulster 23 Connacht 14

Newcastle boss Graeme Souness is facing a major injury crisis after seeing his side end their seven-game winless run with a victory over Birmingham.

Here is the latest tally of foreigners confirmed dead from the quake and tsunamis throughout southern Asia, according to their countries’ foreign ministries.

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce has confirmed that the club have been given permission to talk to Burnley striker Robbie Blake after agreeing a fee for his transfer.

The search for a 22-year-old Swedish man who went missing on the Mcgillycuddy Reeks in County Kerry has been called off for the night and will resume at first light.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger fears defensive lynchpin Sol Campbell will be ruled out of next week’s clash against Manchester City.

About 150 followers of a retired army major seized a police station early today in a remote Andean town, demanding the resignation of President Alejandro Toledo. At least seven people were wounded in a shootout during the takeover.

The known death toll from Asia’s earthquake and tsunami catastrophe passed 124,000 today as a deluge from the skies added to the misery in many of the affected nations.

Llanelli 35 Newport-Gwent 26

Munster 19 Leinster 13

Middlesbrough 0 Manchester United 2

A senior Irish diplomat in South East Asia has said for the first time that Irish people may have died in the tsunami disaster, it emerged tonight.

Dozens of families were clearing up storm debris tonight after a “mini-tornado” damaged around 100 houses in the Republic of Ireland.

Alex Ferguson has sent a warning shot across the bows of Premiership title rivals Chelsea and Arsenal by claiming “no-one is playing as well as us”.

A teenager left orphaned and homeless after tsunamis swept the Sri Lankan coast was gang raped in the hours that followed, a top official said today.

Murdered Irish-born aid worker Margaret Hassan was tonight posthumously awarded the Tipperary International Peace Prize.

A teenager who is claimed to be the first person known to have survived rabies without a vaccination went home today after nearly 11 weeks in the hospital, officials in the United States said.

A mother of two from Scotland wept tonight as she waited anxiously to hear the fate of three generations of her family, feared dead as a result of the Asian tsunami disaster.

Nationwide drug treatment courts could help stamp out drug abuse in society, it was claimed tonight.

Anguished Argentinian families struggled today to identify bodies and plan funerals for relatives killed in a Buenos Aires nightclub fire that killed at least 186 people and injured more than 700.

Rescuers were today ready to give up hope of finding more survivors in Indonesia’s shattered Sumatra island, one week after tsunamis wrought death and destruction on a massive scale across Asia.

Up to 20 Irish people are still missing after the Asian tsunami disaster last week.

Police in the North are investigating an incident when two men forced a taxi driver to drive a suspect device to the Grosvenor Road police station on Saturday night.

Up to 60 households in Co Meath have no electricity this morning after freak winds brought down power lines.

Top Irish musicians and entertainers have been asked to consider taking part in a cross-border telethon in aid of the victims of the Asian disaster.

The search resumes this morning for a 22-year-old man missing in Macgillycuddy's Reeks.