11.01.2010 e-metro.ie Pressure was mounting on Peter Robinson yesterday after unionist rival David Trimble called for him to resign as the Norths first minister. Mr Trimble claimed Mr Robinson had lost his authority following the exposure of his wife, Iriss affair P9 news Pressure on Robinson to resign A team of budding Irish scientists have found blondes really are more dumb. The fourth-year students from Portadown came up with what they called an unconventional method to test the traits of blondes, brunettes and redheads P13 news Its official: Blondes are dumb Alex Fergusons frustration at Manchester United failing to regain top spot in the Premier League has been compounded by the news Dimitar Berbatov may need exploratory knee surgery P24 sPORT Op gives Fergie the Blues China overtook Germany as the worlds top exporter after December exports jumped 17.7 per cent for their first increase in 14 months, in another sign of Chinas rise as a global economic force P19 Business China is new top exporter Tiger Woods allegedly spent Christmas with lover Rachel Uchitel and gave her cash and sex as a present. The golfers divorce from his wife has also been finalised, she is reported as claiming P8 GuiLTY PLeAsuRes Tigers Christmas The big two-doh! Simpsons creator on 2 decades P14 Minister defends his crisis holidayTRANSPORT Minister Noel Demp- sey last night defended holidaying abroad during the biggest freeze in 40 years, claiming the public did not need to hear from him. Although the State faced dwindling supplies of salt to grit roads, Mr Dempsey insisted nothing more would have been done had he been here. The Fianna Fil TD said he cut short his week-long family break in Malta because of the controversy surround- ing his absence, but said he was enti- tled to a holiday. I dont see that they [the public] needed to see or hear from me, Mr Dempsey said. He arrived back in the country yesterday morning via Bristol five days after leaving after his flight from Malta was cancelled on Saturday as a result of heavy snow in Dublin. Attending his first meeting of the Emergency Response Co-ordination Committee, Mr Dempsey insisted there was nothing he could have done about the weather. I can understand that people who were having difficul- ties... particularly on Wednesday, that people would be annoyed. But I dont think I would have been able to pre- vent the weather from happening whether I was in the country or out of the country. Mr Dempsey said the forecast before he left was for cold and dry conditions with a few wintry showers. And he defended the need for a break, saying he had obligations out- side of the world of politics. I have family commitments as well as every- body else, he said. I think people are entitled to a holiday. Im entitled to look after family commitments. Yesterday, Met ireann warned sleet and snow of up to 5cm in the south would spread northwards, possibly turning to rain in the east. But forecasters predicted an end to the snow and ice by Friday, when tem- peratures are expected to rise. The AA said it responded to 1,013 breakdown call-outs last Monday the highest in its 100-year history. By Colm Kelpie This portrait of James Joyce as a snowman drew quite a crowd in Phoenix Park yesterday, as hundreds of Dubliners went there to play in the snow. Unfortunately, the life of this frozen Ulyss-skis was brief, and he collapsed shortly afterwards Picture: F. N Dhgin Finnegans flake Big Freeze goes on Pages 2-7 index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html