‘Hello from hell, we are still alive’ – Iranians in Ireland wait in fear as blackout cuts off familiesAfter shopkeepers protested the nation’s failing currency at the end of last year, Iran saw people gather for the country’s largest demonstrations on January 8 and 9. A crackdown that followed has led to the death toll crossing 2,500. For Iranians living around the world, it meant a familiar dread for their family’s wellbeing has returned.

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‌The Brazilian gem, who also holds a Croatian passport, has just completed a transfer from Dinamo Zagreb to NK Kustosija. ‌Sources close to the teenager believe he is widely regarded as among the best 2009-born talents in all of world football. Barcelona sporting director Deco is a huge admirer of the player and has a great working professional relationship with Belinho's agents. Both Arsenal and Manchester United have put extra emphasis into signing young talent for the future in recent years. Manchester United have also clinched the signing of Colombian midfield talent Cristian Orozco from Fortaleza.

All other CAO courses can be added or removed from your application list up to the final change-of-mind deadline on July 1st. For further education (FE) programmes, you must indicate which PLC courses you are applying for on your initial application to each college. Between February 5th and March 1st, any CAO applicant may change a course choice for a fee of €10. Many of these countries have invested in their third-level infrastructure for centuries and have sufficient places to accommodate most aspiring applicants. In recent decades, due to lower birth rates, fewer young people are seeking third-level places, so places are more readily available.

“I’m really thankful that Ireland, the country, saved our lives,” says Zahra Haidari. When the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Haidari (32) knew she had to get out of Afghanistan quickly. He always supports me with everything.”When US forces pulled out of Afghanistan, Haidari and her family went to a safe house in another part of the country. The couple were loaned a house in Dublin by an Irish judge. Haidari believes hospitality is something Irish and Afghan people share; she has been welcomed into many Irish homes.

By Bairbre Holmes, Press AssociationThe Taoiseach should take up an invitation to visit the White House on St Patrick’s Day if one is extended, the Minister for Social Protection has said. Dara Calleary was asked by reporters if the turmoil caused by US president Donald Trump over Greenland should cause Micheál Martin to reconsider the traditional annual trip. He responded, “very few countries get the opportunity” of “access to the president of the United States of America on an annual basis for a number of hours”. Mr Calleary said: “At whatever point those issues will be, in the middle of March, it’ll be a chance for a face to face discussion for dialogue, which is always important at any time, particularly in times of pressure.”He added it is “really important” dialogue and communication is “kept open”. He said he hopes the Taoiseach would take up the opportunity “if the invitation arrives”.

The competition authority has launched an investigation into anti-competitive behaviour in the small electric appliances sector over issues relating to potential price controls on resold items. The investigation relates to a suspected re-sale price maintenance (RPM) arrangement between a manufacturer, a distributor, and multiple retailers operating in Ireland. The agreement may specify a fixed or minimum re-sale price or a specified minimum margin, decided by the supplier. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) conducted an unannounced inspection at the premises of an Irish-based distributor in June 2025 as part of this investigation. Independent adjudication officers of the CCPC may impose financial sanctions on a business which has been found to have breached competition law.

My question is in regard to an owners’ management company (OMC). The retention of this security patrol has become contentious as the contract now costs €70,000 annually and has made the OMC annual service charge very expensive. If they decide to discontinue it, they can remove it from the annual service charge budget. The relatively low threshold for approving the annual service charge budget exists for a good reason. There is always a risk that members may vote only for the lowest possible service charge, leading to a funding shortfall that hampers proper management.

Gardaí are struggling to catch gang members launching fireworks and other missiles at passing cars and engaging in anti-social behaviour in Cork’s largest county town’s park because the area lacks public lighting, where youths congregate in large numbers. “It is essential that we install public lighting in the park. I have been speaking with An Garda Siochana following the spate of anti-social behaviour incidents we had in October. They informed me that having lighting in the park would discourage anti-social behaviour, and indeed make their job easier in patrolling the park at night,” Mr White said. Municipal chairman and Independent councillor Ben Dalton-O’Sullivan said if gardaí believe lighting the park would help curb anti-social behaviour, the council should support them.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella speaking on the 0pening day of the 2026 during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos. Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini / AFP via Getty ImagesMicrosoft chief executive Satya Nadella has warned that artificial intelligence (AI) risks becoming a speculative bubble unless its use spreads beyond big tech companies and wealthy economies. “For this not to be a bubble by definition, it requires that the benefits of this are much more evenly spread,” said Mr Nadella. However, Mr Nadella said he was confident that AI would prove to be transformative across industries, such as helping to develop new drugs. “So the [intellectual property] of any application or any firm is, how do you use all these models with context engineering or your data?” Mr Nadella said.

Main PointsEmmanuel Macron has invited Donald Trump to talks in Paris about his plans for Greenland. In a closely watched speech at Davos, von der Leyen said the sovereignty of Greenland and Denmark was “non-negotiable”. We need to change with it,” von der Leyen said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos on Tuesday. In a text message to Mr Trump, Mr Macron said:“I do not understand what you are doing on Greenland”.

Other students may already know that college isn’t the ideal choice for them, but may feel pressured into it anyway. ApprenticeshipsApprenticeships offer the best of both worlds – a college experience while working and being paid to learn. They can also be a stepping stone to third-level, with a number of places reserved for PLC students to progress into college in various courses, including science, nursing, law and engineering. Then, once they pass their exams, the student’s course automatically transfers to the higher education institution (college or university). “If you know, 100 per cent, what you want to do in college, go ahead with the CAO.

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ first-round match at the Australian Open against Shintaro Mochizuki was suspended for approximately seven minutes on Tuesday after a ball kid threw up on the court at Margaret Court Arena. After a brief pause in play, the pair took to the court again for the third set, but umpires were again forced to stop proceedings shortly after, after a ball kid took ill on the side of the court. It is understood that the youngster had thrown up at the back of the court, with medics rushing to their aid. One girl was helped from the court by Tunisian star Moez Echargui during qualifying last week after she had collapsed on the court. Tennis Australia later confirmed that she was thankfully OK.Another ball kid worryingly collapsed during Zeynep Sonmez’s win against Ekaterina Alexandrova on Sunday.

This time it promises to be a meeting for the ages, amid Donald Trump’s push for control of Greenland. IDA Ireland’s Michael Lohan tells him that his agency would consider severing ties with Elon Musk’s X if it is found to be breaking the law. Cantillon delves deeper into the possible Bawag bid for PTSB, while also running its rule over the state of the Irish stock exchange. Upscale retailer Donnybrook Fair is set to close its store in the Dundrum Town Centre this weekend, staff have been informed. Management told staff at the location last Wednesday that the store’s final day of trading will be Saturday, January 24th.

Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States as Melania Trump holds the Bible at the US Capitol in Washington, on January 20th, 2025. There is a counter argument that within the United States not a lot has changed in the past year when it comes to kitchen-table economics. President Donald Trump and vice-president JD Vance after Mr Trump's inauguration ceremony as the 47th president on January. This may be Trump’s last year as the only relevant player on the stage. I think that president Trump self-evidently has a need for these dramas.