January 22: Today’s top stories in 60 seconds

Storm Isha aftermath sees transport cancellations and 235,000 customers without powe
Storm Isha has now passed – but it had a significant impact on travel, and tens of thousands of people have been left without power.
The Journal

Woman, 20s, dies following road crash in Co Louth
A woman has died following a crash in Co Louth in the early hours of this morning. The woman, who was in her 20s, died after a van she was a passenger in crashed into a tree in Carnalogue, near Louth village, at around 1.50am. A second passenger, a man in his 20s, was taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, where his injuries are believed to be non-life threatening. No other injuries were reported. The road has been closed for a technical examination and local diversions are in place.
RTÉ

Ian Bailey’s death will not halt cold case review of Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder
A Garda cold case review of the investigation into the murder of film producer Sophie Toscan du Plantier is to continue, gardaí said, despite the death of chief suspect Ian Bailey on Sunday. Mr Bailey, who died from a suspected heart attack, was twice arrested for questioning about the murder of Ms Toscan du Plantier at her holiday home at Toormore near Schull on December 23rd, 1996 but he was never charged after the Director of Public Prosecutions reviewed the Garda file and concluded there was insufficient evidence to prosecute. However, he was convicted in absentia in France in 2019 of the voluntary homicide of Ms Toscan du Plantier and sentenced to 25 years in jail but French attempts to have him extradited to France on an European Arrest Warrant failed after the High Court refused to approve his extradition.
The Irish Times

Alarm over road deaths surge as one county equals its total 2023 fatalities in just 21 days
One county has matched its entire 2023 road death toll in just the first 21 days of the new year. Three people have died in road accidents in Kildare over the first three weeks of 2024 – the equivalent to the entire number of deaths recorded in the county over the course of 2023. In the whole of 2022, Kildare had four road deaths. A total of 12 people have died on the roads nationwide so far in 2024, a hike of 33pc on the same period last year, when nine people lost their lives. The 12 deaths involved seven.
Independent.ie

New owners of former Cork Debenhams store progress plans for hotel development
Intersport Elverys, the owner of Cork former Debenhams site, has scooped up another three properties on Maylor Street as part of a plan to develop a hotel and other accommodation facilities in the heart of Cork City. The acquisition of 38-40 Maylor Street, in addition to the city’s iconic store which it bought last May, is being hailed as a “pivotal step” in helping restore city centre fortunes. While the deal was done off-market and the price was not disclosed, the properties were due to go to market for in excess of €1.5m. A spokesperson for Intersport Elverys said the group’s latest purchase will “breathe new life into previously vacant space in the heart of the city”.
The Irish Examiner

Ron DeSantis drops out of presidential race and backs Trump
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Donald Trump. He quit ahead of the Republican primary election in New Hampshire, where he was polling in the single digits. Mr DeSantis was once considered a strong contender for the party’s nomination – but on Sunday he said he did not “have a clear path to victory”. Nikki Haley, Mr Trump’s last remaining challenger, said she was the “only one” able to beat US President Joe Biden.
BBC News

Greater Manchester Police failures have left paedophile ring at large for seven years, whistleblower claims
A whistleblower who resigned from Greater Manchester Police has told Sky News the force’s child protection investigation unit where she worked is “not fit for purpose” and that failures have left a paedophile ring at large for at least seven years.  In her resignation letter last year, she said: “I don’t feel like we’re making things better for these kids. In fact, I think we’re making it worse.” She also said that her work with the victims only served to “re-traumatise them” and “leave them hanging”.
Sky News

New Brexit checks ‘pose existential threat’ to UK fruit and flower growers The UK’s fruit and flower growers face an “existential threat” from new post-Brexit border checks that could damage business and affect next year’s crops, the country’s biggest farming body has said. The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) warned that changes to import rules in April, which will impose checks at the border for nearly all young plants coming into the country, could cause long delays and result in plants being damaged or destroyed. Martin Emmett, the NFU’s chair of the horticulture and potatoes board, said: “There is a concern that border control points can pose an existential threat to horticultural businesses in this country.”
The Guardian

Today’s forecast
Today will be breezy and blustery with some very strong gusts in the west and northwest. There will be sunny spells and scattered showers, some heavy with a chance of hail and isolated thunderstorms. Most places will become dry this evening as the showers become isolated. Highest temperatures of 6 to 9 degrees with fresh to strong and gusty westerly winds, very strong in the west and northwest. Mostly dry early tonight, with just isolated showers. Rain and drizzle will develop in the southwest and will spread northeastwards to all areas overnight. Breezy at first with a fresh to strong and gusty westerly wind. It will become calmer for a time, but then a fresh to strong southerly wind will develop later. Lowest temperatures of 2 to 7 degrees. A Status Yellow Wind warning has also been issued for counties Clare, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry.
Met Éireann