EVERY EVENING, TheJournal.ie brings you a round-up of all the day’s main news as well as the bits and pieces you may have missed.

• The former Mayor of Naas Darren Scully has revealed he fears for his job and says he and his family have been threatened following his controversial remarks about Africans earlier this week which led to him being described by many as a racist. In a tearful radio interview this morning he insisted this was not the case.
• Michael Noonan has said that the €1.3 billion that will be needed to prop up Irish Life and Permanent will come from funding already accounted for in the Budget.
• The Vatican has confirmed its new Papal Nuncio to Ireland. Monsignor Charles Brown, an American, will take up residency in Dublin despite the Irish embassy in the Vatican being closed earlier this year.
• Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s mother Eithne has died, the government confirmed today. The 93-year-old passed away earlier today. Political leaders have offered their condolences.
• Today, with news that the British government is preparing for the possible collapse of the eurozone currency, we’ve been asking if you think the euro will survive given the turmoil the single currency has undergone over the past week. So far, more than half of your think it will not.
• Gardaí have arrested three men after seizing pipe bombs, firearms, ammunition and cash in south Kilkenny as part of an ongoing investigation into robberies and aggravated burglaries in the area.
• In south Dublin a man is being held by Gardaí after a teenager was stabbed in the early hours of this morning in Rathmines.
• Anti-austerity protests have been taking place in Dublin today ahead of the budget next month. We’ve put together a gallery of images from the demonstrations.
• Meanwhile, the government has confirmed newspaper reports that the Budget will be delivered over two days next month. The joys.
• You may have read earlier this week about the viral sensation that is Fenton the dog being chased manically by his owner through a London park. There have been numerous You Tube spin-offs since but we particularly like this one from the classic Christmas favourite Home Alone 2, check it out:

• Speaking of Christmas, ever wanted to know where your presents come from? Santa obviously but for those shopping online they may well be using Amazon whose vast storage facility is really something you must see in this gallery of photos.
• Reading this on your smartphone? Battery about to run out? Well scientists in Limerick have made a discovery which could mean an end to short battery life on smartphones.
• If you haven’t yet heard the remarkable story of Monique Van Der Vorst, then check this out. The former paralympian is now hoping to compete at future Olympic games after she amazingly regained the use of her legs.
• George Michael is suffering from severe pneumonia which has forced him to cancel his European tour. There are growing fears for the health of the popstar as a result.
• A busy day in the Premier League with plenty of goals and drama. Find out why Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is not a happy man tonight.
• Leinster had a lucky escape in Italy where they were brought all the way to the wire by Treviso. Read what happened here.
• Finally, if you will be sitting down to enjoy the X Factor tonight then you may enjoy this video mash-up of the numerous and seemingly endless Republican Party presidential debates in the US spliced with judges’ verdicts on X Factor USA. The result? Hilarious put-downs of Rick Perry, Herman Cain and co (Hat tip to New York Magazine)

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