Catch-up with what you've missed today with our evening briefing

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

IRELAND 

Cork city's emergency flood response team is on standby after the ESB warned that discharge rates from the Inniscarra Dam may  hit their highest levels yet this winter.

The Labour Party is showing "anti-Catholic bigotry"  in its handling of access to primary schools, according to Senator Ronan Mullen.

The partner of a man who vanished a week ago said she’s losing hope of finding him alive.  Ciara Byrne, who is desperately trying to solve the mysterious disappearance of her partner, Diarmuid Twomey, in Cork last Sunday week, said she has told their two young daughters that “Daddy is lost”.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) has renewed its appeal for care and vigilance  on the roads after nine road deaths over the Christmas period.

WORLD

Police in England have launched a murder inquiry after a woman in her 80s was shot dead  at a care home.

A bride who worried that her wedding was in jeopardy of being washed-out due to rising flood waters  has managed to tie the knot in England.

SPORT

Leinster Rugby have announced that Ian Madigan will leave Leinster  at the end of the current season to join Bordeaux Bègles in the French Top 14..

These items could well become collectors’ items – Jose Mourinho-branded Manchester United scarves. With Mourinho out of work and current United boss Louis van Gaal under pressure, many people have predicted the arrival of the Special One at Old Trafford.

BUSINESS

Star Wars: The Force Awakens has reached 1 billion dollars at the box office,  reaching the milestone  with record-setting hyper speed.

A €21m industry got an unexpected boost this year with the celebrated Mrs Agnes Brown being chosen by one in five surveyed householders as Ireland’s favourite celebrity Christmas tree decorator.

ANALYSIS

Dog should not be given as presents for Christmas — the time of year when no one as the time or energy  look after them properly, writes Terry Prone

LIFESTYLE

RTÉ Investigates recent offering, Ireland’s Au Pairs,  made for uncomfortable viewing writes Esther McCarthy.

VIDEO

Labour will spend three times as much public money on public services than on tax cuts if returned to Government, Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin has said.

VIRAL

With so many homeless people living in Dublin, Ben Kealy decided to make sure they got a present this Christmas too.

Have you been paying attention to the headlines in the last 12 months? Put your political and celebrity knowledge to the test  and see if you can guess which news story we’re trying to tell through the medium of emoji.

SHOWBIZ

Amy Huberman always finds a way to make us giggle, and this time in a series of tweets  on what Christmas time is really about.

MOST READ RIGHT NOW

Cork city's emergency flood response team is on standby after the ESB warned that discharge rates from the Inniscarra Dam may  hit their highest levels yet this winter.