Lunchtime briefing: Trump's Inauguration; protesters take to the streets. Catch up on the headlines

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

IRELAND

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams has warmly welcomed Ian Paisley Junior's tribute to Martin McGuinness.

The Leader of Fianna Fáil is accusing the Transport Minister of acting like Pontius Pilate.

Landlords have been ordered to retract threats to impose charges on tenants as a direct result of the Government's rent control measures.

Over 4,000 complaints were made to Irish Water in the last quarter of 2016.

A South African model, who starred in RTÉ’s First Dates Ireland, has pleaded guilty to harassing celebrity chef Dylan McGrath.

The volunteers of Kerry Mountain Rescue Team have been praised at an inquest for risking their lives to recover from a steep ledge the body of a 66-year-old former marathon runner, who had climbed alone to the top of Ireland’s highest mountain, Carrauntoohil.

WORLD 

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Donald Trump takes over later in the world's most powerful job. His inaugural concert had a characteristically bombastic name – the Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration – but it didn’t quite look like it lived up to its title. Tensions have been growing as protesters took to the streets to oppose his presidency.

Eight people including two children have been found alive in the rubble of an Italian hotel that was engulfed by an avalanche, police have said, according to news agency Ansa.

Some 2,000 people were trapped in their vehicles overnight as heavy snowfall cut off several roads in eastern Spain, authorities said.

A British man has died while working on a stadium for the 2022 World Cup, organisers said.

SPORT

Munster boss Rassie Erasmus says players’ Head Injury Assessments are best left in the hands of club doctors rather than independent medics.

Jake Livermore has left Hull to join Premier League rivals West Brom on a four-and-a-half-year contract.

Eddie Jones has cited England's lack of leaders as one of the biggest stumbling blocks to future success.

Whether through bravery or naivety, it seems often to be the young who attempt the extraordinary in sport – and that was certainly true at Thurles Racecourse on Thursday.

OPINION

Martin McGuinness turned to republicanism after witnessing the oppression of nationalists but went on to forge warm bonds with former enemies, writes Daniel McConnell.

A year since a commission of investigation was promised into the ‘Grace’ foster home abuse scandal there has been no inquiry, and there’s no justice for the victims, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell.

BUSINESS

As many as 40,000 jobs could be axed, the national debt could rise by €20bn, and food exports could be hit with up to 50% tariffs as a result of a hard Brexit, according to Department of Finance officials.

A €10.5m investment in Midleton Distillery will help grow the industry for the next 30 years, according to owner Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard.

LIFESTYLE

Kevin Barry’s new play reconnects the Limerick writer with his old stomping ground of Cork, writes Des O’Driscoll.

SHOWBIZ

Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey indulged in a “cheeseburger and beer for breakfast” to pile on the pounds for his latest film role.

EXAMVIRAL

Scientists have worked out why everything doesn’t go dark and blurry when we blink.

VIDEO - OUR CHOICE

Over 1,300 school-children go head-to-head at biggest ever Dell EMC VEX Robotics competition final in Cork at the Nexus Centre in CIT.

TECHNOW

GAMES: Nintendo is considering adding video apps like Netflix to the Nintendo Switch following the console's launch in March.

FILM & TV: Mixed martial arts master Anderson Silva has signed up to star in the upcoming Chinese action movie, Made in Kowloon.

TECH: Apple is considering launching three new iPad tablets in 2017, as revealed in an article from DigiTimes.

MOST READ RIGHT NOW

There is no ‘Them’ and ‘Us’ in a representative democracy. People’s power rests in their vote, writes Victoria White