The Government has been accused of another “shocking waste of money” as new figures reveal it has spent €2.2m on external communications and media. €389,000 paid to Spark Foundry for Defence campaignsSome €389,000 was paid to media communications firm Spark Foundry for these campaigns. The Department of Finance spent €233,000, including €41,500 to MediaHQ between 2021 and 2025 for “press release distribution”. Mr Gould questioned why the department is outsourcing its press releases when it has a press office, as he accused the Government of "another shocking waste of public money". “€2.2m for help with spin is just another example of this government having no regard for taxpayers’ money."

Mikel Arteta hails Gabriel Martinelli mentality after Conor Bradley controversyBy Edward Elliot, Press AssociationArsenal boss Mikel Arteta praised the mentality of Gabriel Martinelli after he hit the headlines for the right reasons by scoring a hat-trick in a 4-1 FA Cup third-round win at Championship strugglers Portsmouth. Martinelli was widely criticised for throwing the ball at injured Liverpool defender Conor Bradley and then attempting to push him off the pitch during Thursday’s goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium. “That’s personality, come in and talk on the pitch,” said Arteta. Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino said of Martinelli: “We are really happy for him, he’s a great guy. “Everyone that knows him knows he’s a really kind kid.

QuestionWhat's the fastest way to report a power cut? If the power dies, check your fuse box first to ensure nothing has tripped, and if it has, try resetting it. The easiest place to check for and report an outage or issue is at PowerCheck using your mobile phone. This may show that your area has a reported fault already (a red exclamation mark) and will give an estimated restore time. If you don’t see any fault, there are a few simple instructions at PowerCheck to direct you to the right place to enter the fault report.

A child walks past garbage towards tent shelters housing displaced Palestinian families in Gaza City on January 11th. Photograph: Omar al-Qattaa/AFP via GettyIsraeli fire killed at least three Palestinians in two separate ‍incidents across the Gaza Strip, local health authorities said, as tension rises over ‍continued violence since an October ceasefire. The Israeli military said forces fired at a “terrorist” who crossed into the area under their control in the northern ⁠Gaza Strip, posing an immediate threat. Fighting has largely abated since Israel ‍and Palestinian militant group Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in October, two years into the war, but it has not stopped entirely. More than ‌440 Palestinians, most of them civilians according to Gaza health ⁠officials, have been killed since the truce, as well as three Israeli soldiers.

Inside Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's inner circle – footballer wife and trusted Man Utd alliesOle Gunnar Solskjaer has been tipped with a return to Manchester United in light of Ruben Amorim's sackingView 5 Images Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a rock to lean on in wife Silje (Image: 2020 James Gill - Danehouse)Former Manchester United striker and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is one of the favourites to take over at Old Trafford. View 5 Images Ole Gunnar Solskjaer waves from the stand alongside wife Silje and son Elijah in 2019 (Image: Getty Images)"I’ll spend some time with my family," he said. ‌View 5 Images Ole Gunnar Solskjaer poses with his sons Noah Solskjaer (L) and Elijah Solskjaer (Image: 2019 Manchester United FC)Michael CarrickCarrick has also been linked with a return to United since Amorim's sacking, perhaps linking up with Solskjaer in tandem. 2 during the latter's first spell as United manager. Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football.

Crucial 'super flu' symptoms to monitor as toddler left 'paralysed' by bugRIPPED FROM THE MAILLink: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-15446935/super-flu-cases-surge-gasp-air.htmlPictured: Sarah LopezMedical professionals have sounded the alarm following an outbreak of a lethal "super flu" sweeping the nation, leaving a toddler paralyzed and claiming young lives as medical facilities strain under pressure. Authorities say this rapidly spreading illness is fueling what could be one of the most severe flu seasons in recent memory. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed that at least nine children have died from the flu this season. ‘24-hour flu rule’ warning issued as hospital cases rise 9%Gruesome 'super flu' symptom as medics issue warning This vicious pathogen has been dubbed "super flu" due to its rapid transmission rate and the severe symptoms it inflicts, which include sky-high temperatures, debilitating fatigue, severe body and muscle aches, a persistent cough and pounding headaches. While she has since been released from the hospital, she continues to face challenges in recovering movement.

More than 98 per cent (3,278) of early years services successfully renewed their registration by the required date, Tusla said. Seventeen creches face the possibility of being unable to open on Monday because they have not complied with the required registration process, according to Tusla, the child and family agency. The childcare service operators were required to renew their registration or complete their registration application before the end of 2025. Some have missed the deadline and face being unable to reopen on Monday after the Christmas break. From February 1st, 2025, Tusla began providing the Garda vetting application service for registered providers or anyone planning to submit an application to become a registered provider.

But even Paul McCartney once admitted the possibility of the band having a mayfly existence. Ian Leslie’s lovely John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs, a study of the relationship between (obviously) John Lennon and McCartney, received breathless reviews last year. Sean Ono Lennon, son of Lennon and Yoko Ono, triggered the debate in a recent interview with CBS News. “Sean Ono Lennon suggested his father’s music might fade from memory.”Why would this be so unlikely? If The Beatles fade into the mists then so does everything else from that decade’s creative nebula.

This generated almost €123m but is well short of the revenue generated in previous years. More than €151m was generated through TV licence sales in 2022 and this fell to €122.9m last year. Photo: GettyIn a statement, RTÉ said TV sales had been steadily declining prior to the 2023 drop-off. RTÉ is currently being funded through a mixture of existing licence revenue and a multi-annual state payment. It received €225m last year, including TV licence revenue.

An attempted clean-up brought back memoriesWhen you reach a certain age, one of the things you notice at the turn of the year is the “stuff” you have accumulated. Old newspapers, documents and books jostle with the detritus of life, from pieces of dead coral from Barbados to an old label that never made it onto a bottle of Guinness.

A fit and healthy Brisbane father-of-two had no symptoms, no pain, and no warning signs until a routine check-up revealed he had prostate cancer at just 45. For the first time, Mr Granfield's PSA, a protein in the blood linked to prostate cancer, was higher than normal. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has estimated there were 29,000 new prostate cancer diagnoses in 2025. As a result, the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia has called for men to speak more openly about prostate cancer. 'Our latest data paints a deeply concerning picture - prostate cancer is again on the rise, and it is increasingly striking men at younger ages.

Sue Ryder is launching major new NHS-commissioned palliative and end-of-life care services as part of a 10-year partnership with the NHS across Berkshire West and South Oxfordshire to offer more specialist support for people with complex, life-limiting conditions. Louise Lucio, regional director for Sue Ryder South East, said: "This is about making sure people in our local communities can get specialist care at the right time and in the right place." The scheme will bring together Sue Ryder services across Reading, Wokingham, Newbury, and South Oxfordshire to provide a wider range of care options. "Sue Ryder’s new-look services will help people remain at home where possible, supporting earlier discharge from hospital and reducing hospital admissions by providing timely, tailored support for families." Referrals to Sue Ryder’s services can be made by a hospital team or GP.

Cinema box office takings in Ireland plunged in 2025, with industry experts citing last summer's record heatwave as a key factor behind falling attendances. Irish cinemas recorded total box office takings of €95,257,295 last year, a 6.8% drop from the previous year's bumper figure of more than €102m. Global blockbuster A Minecraft Movie topped the charts, pulling in more than €5.4m at the Irish box office. However, most of the film's box office returns will be made this year. However, Ms Joyce predicted that box office returns will soar this year, with admissions even returning to levels last seen before the pandemic.

An average of nearly 300 people a day have added their names to the opt-out register for organ donation since legislation was introduced six months ago that makes every adult a donor unless they expressly withdraw their consent. HSE figures show 202 organ transplants for 2025, thanks to 97 organ donors, living and deceased, and their families. Dr Catherine Motherway, former head of the Limerick intensive care unit, told the Irish Examiner that the number of organ donors this year is down on previous years. "We know that this is not due to people not choosing to be organ donors. None of the potential organ donors this year had their names on the opt-out register," she said.

Video: ReutersIran threatened retaliation on Sunday against US military bases ‍and its arch-foe Israel which was on high alert in case president Donald Trump carried out his threat of attacking Iran to protect protesters. With the Islamic Republic’s clerical establishment facing the biggest demonstrations since 2022, Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack if force is used ‍on protesters. Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June last year, which the United States briefly ⁠joined by attacking key nuclear installations. Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah and a prominent voice in the fragmented opposition, said Mr Trump had observed Iranians’ “indescribable bravery”. In an interview with the Economist published on Friday, Mr Netanyahu said there would be horrible consequences for Iran if it were to attack Israel.