Ottoline SpearmanThe public consultation relating to pets on public transport closes on Friday. Under the proposal, small animals can travel on public transport if they are in carriers, on someone's lap or on the floor without blocking aisles or doorways. Larger dogs may travel if kept on a lead and muzzled, though access may be refused when services are busy. The policy, proposed by the National Transport Authority (NTA), relates to the bus, rail and Luas services that are part of the Transport for Ireland (TFI) network. To review the proposals and submit your feedback, visit the National Transport Authority Consultation Portal.

Declan Lynch: Clearly the listeners of Today FM don’t realise this, but Zombie, far from being the best, is not even a good record. It is a bad record

Israel’s targeting of Iran’s South Pars gasfield, the largest natural gasfield in the world, was seemingly done without US consent. Iran only needs one guy with a rocket launcher standing on the shore to make the Strait of Hormuz inoperable. With the skies controlled by Israel and the US, weaponising energy by blocking tanker traffic and attacking energy infrastructure in the region was Tehran’s only play: economic warfare to combat conventional warfare. Iran’s Shahed drones cost $20,000-$30,000 to make, while the US F-16 jet missiles used to intercept them cost $400,000. Israel’s targeting of Iran’s South Pars gasfield, the largest natural gasfield in the world, seemingly done without US consent, and Iran’s retaliatory strike on Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG complex mark a worrying escalation.

A man has been charged in relation to a fatal three-car crash which happened in Co Limerick last month. The incident happened on the N24 near Grange West, Boher, on Friday, February 13. The driver and sole occupant of one of the cars involved, Áine O'Reilly, was pronounced dead at the scene. The sole occupant of the second car involved, a man aged in his 40s, was brought to UHL for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. He has since been charged and is due to appear before Limerick District Court on Friday morning.

Central Bank governor Gabriel Makhlouf didn’t rule out an increase in interest rates next month should data signal the need for such a step, though said it’s impossible to commit with uncertainty so high. The ECB governing council member told Bloomberg Television that he “can well understand” markets bets for two hikes this year — which is part of the ECB’s baseline. He stressed, though, that he and his colleagues will take a calm and careful approach to formulating any response.

A wise philosopher (Patrick Freyne) at a party once told me the world is divided into biscuit eaters and biscuit hiders. If a packet of biscuits was opened and demolished in 24 hours, did it even exist if no one else got to eat any? They will ask silly questions like: “Where have the delicious chocolate coated biscuits that I bought a week ago gone? People are injecting themselves with bootleg peptides and GLP-1s bought from the internet. I will eat the biscuits.

Conlan arrived in Rio as favourite to take the gold, having won the World Championships in Qatar the previous year. In 2021, too late for it to be of much use to Conlan, the McLaren report on boxing was published. Michael Conlan makes his feelings clear following his highly controversial defeat to Vladimir Nikitin at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil. Prior to Gill, he lost in world title fights against Leigh Wood in 2022 and Luis Alberto Lopez in 2023. “When you think he hasn’t won a world title, it doesn’t feel real.

Sick, elderly and disabled people living in a Co Sligo retirement village have described the moment they learned they were due to be evicted as “gut-wrenching” and “very frightening”. Stewart lives in one of 27 purpose-built special needs houses in the Sonas Retirement Village in Enniscrone. That’s what everyone kept telling us to do years ago – move into a retirement village. It felt this was final.”Justin Carroll (58), who has MS, at his home in Sonas Retirement Village in Enniscrone, Co Sligo. Independent councillor Joe Queenan has been advocating on behalf of the residents with the landlord and Sligo County Council, but to no avail.

Tusla plans to call six or seven witnesses to the section 32 inquiry to determine the age of the young person in its careTusla believes a young person in its care, who came to Ireland as an unaccompanied asylum seeker last year, is an adult. Brian Barrington, barrister for the teenager’s court-appointed advocate, said Tusla had carried out an “assessment of eligibility for services” – in effect “an assessment of whether [the young person] is or is not a child”. He said legally the young person remained a minor. “The court will determine if [the person] is a child or an adult. A date for the section 32 inquiry into the young person’s age could be expected to be set on Tuesday, he said.

Heimir Hallgrímsson admits he was “proven wrong” by Séamus Coleman’s international revival which fuelled Ireland snaring next week’s World Cup playoff berth. Coleman’s inactivity at Everton convinced the Ireland manager to drop his captain for the start of the campaign but the 37-year-old started all four qualifiers upon his recall, culminating in November’s late victory over Hungary. “Let’s just make this easy - Séamus proved me wrong,” said Hallgrímsson when asked yesterday by the Irish Examiner why his selection criteria has altered. “I said I wanted to sign even after the (World Cup) tournament but there was big pressure from the association for me to sign before these playoff matches,” he explained. The striker’s ankle problem required surgery last week, the extent of which means unfortunately, like Josh Cullen, the World Cup will come too soon if Ireland progress.

Fuel costs may be reduced next week after indications from hauliers that excise cuts will be included in a suite of measures to be announced by the Government. However, government sources insisted on Thursday night that nothing had been decided and all options were still on the table. Asked after the meeting if ordinary motorists would benefit, Mr O’Brien said he could not go into specific details. "If the government were to increase the diesel rebate, they would only be supporting one sector and short-changing the general public. “Any measures that the Government takes next week need to fulfil two primary objectives,” Mr Harris told Mr Doherty in the Dáil.

Unions have clashed with Aer Lingus over disciplinary investigation procedures at the airline that they say disadvantage workers and are legally flawed. Aer Lingus, in some circumstances, removes names and other details from documents used in disciplinary proceedings, investigations and meetings with witnesses. Fórsa is demanding a meeting with airline management with an “absolute expectation” that this will put a stop to such practices, says Connell. Fórsa included a copy of Connell’s letter to Aer Lingus management in the newsletter, setting out the union’s concerns at the disciplinary practices. It also advises anyone attending witness meetings to clearly state that they “do not consent” to their statements being used for any other purpose than that of a witness meeting.

Arne Slot tweaked his system against Galatasaray - and Mo Salah had his best game this season. This is why Egyptian's new role gets the best out of him, masks his flaws... and could even prolong his Liverpool career, writes LEWIS STEELE

They are most visible in Scotland, northern England, North Wales, and Northern Ireland, but during intense solar storms, the lights can be seen much further south. However, over the next few nights, the Met Office has said that sightings of the Northern Lights are “most likely” across Scotland but also “perhaps” into northern England too. Timelapse of the Northern LightsIn a post on X, the forecaster shared on Thursday evening (March 19): “Keep an eye out as there is a chance of seeing the northern lights over the next couple of nights. Is 2026 a good year for the Northern Lights in the UK? “Oxygen produces green and, at higher altitudes, rare red auroras, while nitrogen creates blue and purple hues.”Have you ever seen the Northern Lights in the UK?

And one lip-reader has claimed that the pair exchanged some sweet words, with Kate complimenting Camilla's appearance. Speaking to the Daily Express, Nicola Hickling said she believes Kate opened the conversation with: 'Good morning, how are you? Camilla as sophisticated in a pink wool crepe dress by Fiona Clare and a pink beret shaped hat by Philip Treacy. JOKES ABOUT JOLLOFIn moment of levity during his speech, the King also spoke about one of Nigeria's most beloved exports - jollof rice. The King and Queen then arrived at the Royal Dais in central Windsor, near the castle.