1. Ian Paisley Jnr urges DUP to follow example set by McGuinness
Following Martin McGuinness’s resignation on Thursday, Ian Paisley Jr, the MP son of Ian Paisley has paid a glowing tribute to Martin McGuinness and urged the current Democratic Unionist leadership to follow the example set by the Sinn Féin veteran and his father.
Ian Paisley Jnr said he wanted to offer “humble and honest” thanks to Mr McGuinness after he announced his decision to quit frontline politics, praising the former IRA commander for “saving lives” during his personal journey to peace.
It was a remarkably warm tribute, which contrasted markedly from the more qualified reaction from current DUP leader Arlene Foster.
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2. America prepares for reign of President Donald J Trump
Donald J Trump, the New York property mogul and reality television star, will today appear before his biggest audience as he is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States at the Capitol in Washington.
In front of an estimated 800,000 people, the 70-year-old businessman will take the 35-word presidential oath with a hand on the Bible used to swear in Abraham Lincoln on 1861 and his predecessor Barack Obama in 2009 and 2013 and another Bible his mother gave him in 1955.
Mr Trump will be sworn in as by the US Chief Justice John Roberts shortly before noon (5pm Irish time) and you can follow the event as the unfold with our liveblog.
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3. At least three dead in Melbourne after car drives into pedestrians
A man deliberately drove into a street crowded with pedestrians in Australia’s second-largest city, killing at least three people, including one child, and injuring 20 others.
Police said the incident in Melbourne on Friday had no links to terrorism.
The chaos began in the early afternoon, after a man was seen driving in erratic circles in the middle of a major junction in the centre of the city, before he turned on to the Bourke Street Mall, a pedestrian-only road.
He deliberately collided with pedestrians. The man was arrested at the scene and there was no further threat to the public.
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4. Iarnród Éireann cuts to be resisted by seven Ministers
Seven Ministers of State have said they will resist any reduction in services at Iarnród Éireann, which has been identified as needing hundreds of million of euro to ensure its survival.
The development puts further pressure on Minister for Transport Shane Ross given four of his colleagues in the Independent Alliance are among those who have made a written submission to the National Transport Authority (NTA) on the future of the rail network.
The submission, seen by The Irish Times, also urges Mr Ross to “clarify the future role of railways in the Irish economy”.
Minister of State at the Office of Public Works Sean Canney, who wrote the submission, said he would not be in favour of a reduction in services.
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5. Rescue crews continue to search for survivors after Italy avalanche
Rescue crews are still searching for some 30 people trapped inside an Italian mountain resort flattened by a huge avalanche on Thursday morning.
Italy’s civil protection agency on Friday said the work continued throughout the night with searchlights, and would accelerate with the arrival of daylight.
So far two bodies have been recovered, and RAI state TV said two more bodies have been located in the snow.
The search has been hampered by snow blocking the only road in, concern the buildings would collapse and fear of a fresh avalanche.
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And finally: With just hours until the inauguration of Donald Trump, Kathy Sheridan writes that today will be terrifying, unlike the joy of Obama's inauguration in 2009.