Recorded crime figures down across most offence groups in 2025Across most offence groups, the number of recorded crimes in Ireland fell by the end of 2025, when compared with 2024, according to newly released figures from the CSO. ​The biggest decreases were in homicide and related offences (down 25%), burglary and related offences (down 21%), kidnapping and related offences (down 21%), and robbery, extortion and hijacking offences (down 11%). ​Sexual offences decreased by 10%, with the number of crime incidents dropping from 3,449 in 2022 to 2025. ​Jim Dalton, statistician at the CSO, said: “Recorded Crime statistics published today for October, November, and December (Q4) 2025 showed that recorded crime incidents fell for most offence groups between 2024 and 2025. The most significant of these were incidents of Homicide & Related offences, Kidnapping & Related offences, Burglary & Related offences, and Robbery, Extortion & Hijacking

Viktor Gyokeres' hat-trick moved Sweden a step closer to qualifying for the World Cup as Graham Potter's side beat Ukraine in their semi-final on Thursday. Arsenal star Gyokeres was the hero for his country in a 3-1 victory over Ukraine in Valencia. Sweden will host Poland at the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm on Tuesday, with the winner booking a place at this summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. 'We as a group dream a lot about a World Cup and so do I,' Gyokeres told Viaplay. Potter's men are now just one win from a place at the World Cup, with Robert Lewandowski's Poland standing in their way after they came from behind to beat Albania 2-1.

Data manager and cloud platform provider Qumulo is expanding its Irish operations with the launch of its European Software R&D hub in Cork. The opening will see over 50 new jobs created across R&D and customer success in the next three years. For Qumulo's global customers, this new site in Cork will also see an expansion of its Customer Success team in the region. Qumulo said its new R&D and customer success hub in Cork is a recognition of the challenges and opportunities presented by the new global, digital landscape. The new Cork team will research and develop solutions to enable the secure transfer of exabyte-scale workloads across the globe, as well as deliver data requirements to power next-generation enterprise applications.

Jacqueline Jossa has been sighted for the first time on Friday since the truth about the end of her marriage to Dan Osbourne was revealed this week. It has been revealed that Jacqueline, 33, was unable to move past Dan's past daliances during their relationship and he could no longer cope with her 'behaviour'. Following the news, a glum looking Jacqueline was spotted driving through Essex wearing a pair dark sunglassses in her black BMW 4x4. However, over the years, Jacqueline publicly supported her husband and they tried to rebuild their relationship and move forward. At the time The Sun claimed that Dan sent 'flirty messages' to his former Celebrity Big Brother co-star Gabby - months after the pair vehemently denied claims that they'd had an illicit tryst.

The HSE paid at least €306m to just five private, for-profit companies for the provision of disability services in 2025, the Irish Examiner can reveal. The HSE estimated its funding for disability residential services at €1.7bn in 2024. He said: "Approximately €526m in 2025 to around 220 for-profit disability providers is a very significant sum. It does not show how much relates specifically to residential services, how much relates to children as against adults, or what the exact expenditure was. Roughly 16% of residential services are now provided by for-profits, a figure which has doubled in just the past five years.

Jameson owner Pernod Ricard's shares have tumbled by around 20 per cent over the past 12 months. Photograph: Aidan CawleyShares in Pernod Ricard, the French drinks giant behind Jameson and Powers Irish whiskey, rose on Friday after the group confirmed it is in merger discussions with Jack Daniel’s whiskey owner, Brown Forman. “Following recent speculation in the press, Pernod Ricard confirms that it is in discussions regarding a potential business combination with Brown-Forman,” the group said in a statement. Pernod Ricard was created through a merger in 1975, and its founding family remains involved as shareholders and managers in the group. Its group chief executive is Alexandre Ricard, who ran Irish Distillers and was based in Dublin for a period.

Donegal County Council has granted planning permission for a new petrol station next to the site of the Creeslough tragedy in which 10 people were killed. Several families bereaved by the 2022 explosion had objected to the application, saying it would be “profoundly insulting and disrespectful”. There are a total of 17 conditions attached to the permission granted to Annette and Danny Martin Lafferty. At least two of the families bereaved by the tragedy have indicated they are likely to appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála. A decision on the new application for a service station by Donegal County Council was not due until April 1.

World Cup play-off semi-final: Czechia 2 Ireland 2 (Czechia won 4-3 on pens)Italia ’90 was the last time Ireland won a penalty shootout and those scenes won’t be recreated this summer after a third successive failure on spot-kicks. Read More Czechia v Ireland: World Cup road ends in despair after penalty shootout defeatHurt from this one will linger, given the commanding position Ireland squandered. Those misses would eventually sting Ireland with five minutes left. Of more concern for Ireland was Soucek ghosting in during the first period to blaze a close-range volley over the crossbar. He was stretchered off to make way for debutant Harvey Vale, the last incident before the dreaded penalties sunk Ireland.

Mohamed Salah's private behaviour left Liverpool hero shocked at transfer decisionMohamed Salah has confirmed his imminent Liverpool exit and a former colleague has shared insights into the Egyptian forward's true characterView 2 Images Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was taken aback by Mohamed Salah's Liverpool exit announcement (Image: In The Mixer)Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has revealed his shock following Mohamed Salah's announcement regarding his Liverpool departure. ‌He arrived during the summer of 2017 and in the same transfer window, Oxlade-Chamberlain joined him after departing Arsenal. ‌With Salah announcing his forthcoming exit in an emotional message directed at supporters and staff who have assisted him throughout his spell at Liverpool, Oxlade-Chamberlain has conveyed surprise while emphasising what distinguishes the 33-year-old as exceptional. He'd gone to Italy and then he comes to Liverpool and he just turned into an animal. He's one of those players, I always say they're special players, where if I'm having a bad game I'm useless to everyone.

Waterford’s annual Darkness Into Light walk on Saturday, May 9, is not going ahead this year in the wake of a decision by Pieta House to relocate its Waterford city base. Local organisers of Darkness Into Light (DiL) made the decision at recent meeting, after it emerged that Pieta House, who benefit from the fundraising walk, are to move the service from their current premises at 20 Waterside, Waterford city.

Donald Trump has extended his deadline for Iran to open the strait of Hormuz by 10 days to April 6 after saying talks are “going very well”. Iran has strenuously denied it is “begging to make a deal”, as Trump claimed, and continued its retaliatory strikes across a swathe of the Middle East on Thursday. In the meantime, we’ll just keep blowing them away.” Later Trump added: “They want to make a deal. Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said Tangsiri had been “directly responsible for the terror operation of mining and blocking the strait of Hormuz to maritime traffic”. Iran in effect closed the strait, a critical waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes, to almost all shipping in the first days of the conflict.

Doctor Amir Khan's morning water habit that 'flushes out toxins' and costs next to nothingDr Amir Khan says it can also kickstart your metabolism, improve brain function, and support healthy skinDr Amir Khan says it can work wonders for your health (Image: getty)Many of us struggle in the mornings, finding it difficult to shake off the grogginess following a night's sleep. ‌The medical professional is NHS GP Dr Amir Khan, recognised for dispensing health guidance across social media platforms and daytime TV programmes. His advice is straightforward - consume a glass of water upon waking each morning. Dr Khan said: "You know what I've started doing every morning, before I even have my first cup of coffee? Every organ in our body relies on water to function - water constitutes between 40-62 per cent of our total body weight.

Celebrity Traitors star Joe Marler was left sobbing after suffering a concussion so severe he forgot he had children. Appearing on this weekend's edition of The Jonathan Ross Show, Joe recalls injuries from his rugby days. Discussing his time on Celebrity Traitors, Joe says: 'I had so much fun, mate. On Celebrity Traitors, Joe went on to reach the final - alongside David Olusoga, Alan Carr, Cat Burns and Nick Mohammed. The Jonathan Ross Show airs on ITV1 and is available to stream on ITVX.

An England superfan has put his £350,000 house up for sale to fund a seven-week trip to the World Cup this summer in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Andy Milne, 62, has become a recognisable face at England men's and women's football matches after a picture of him wearing a Three Lions shirt and holding a replica World Cup trophy at Qatar 2022 went viral. Milne, a retired teacher now living in Thailand, is planning his tenth World Cup following England. He has since followed England to eight further men's World Cups, as well as attending the Women's World Cup in Australia in 2023, where Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses made the final. On the unofficial secondary market, the cheapest tickets for England and Scotland's group games are already listed at more than £450.

Arnold Schwarzenegger taught his love child, Joseph Baena, the tricks of his trade as he prepared for his first bodybuilding competition. The seven-time Mr Olympia, 78, joined his nepo baby son, 28, in the gym as they were seen perfecting one of Arnold's signature moves. After a session of pumping iron at the gym, Joseph was seen shirtless, flexing his bulging biceps, as his father attempted to correct his form. Arnold looked worlds away from his Mr Olympia heyday as he was seen wearing a black T-shirt, shorts and knee-high socks. He's a great person to look up to, and he's the smartest man I know,' Joseph told ET in 2023.