Farmers have launched protests across the EU, blocking highways in France and Belgium and marching in Poland on Friday. French farmers protest against the government's handling of the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement yesterday. Photo: ReutersIrish farmers have organised a demonstration to take place on Saturday in Athlone over the EU-Mercosur deal. It's vital that the next free trade agreements are concluded swiftly," he said in a statement. A farmer rests on a tractor parked near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris during a protest against the French government's handling of the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement.

Dominic West has admitted his 'biggest sadness' is splitting from the mother of his first child - despite the fact that he went on to marry his current wife. The Wire star, 56, is married to aristocrat Catherine FitzGerald and the pair share four children. Asked if the end of his relationship with Polly was 'one of the big sadnesses' or 'shames' of his life, Dominic admitted: 'I suppose so, yes. He was keen to stress on the podcast this week that he and Polly have since rebuilt their relationship. He added that his mother, meanwhile, was 'probably more affected by the divorce' and 'it wasn't very easy for her'.

A video shared to Reddit shows the passenger and his wife struggling to sit comfortably in their ultra-basic economy seats, which were non-reclining. The Redditor declared: 'WestJet changed their seats, and this is how much leg room basic fares get.' Her mother claimed to be even more cramped, as she remarked, 'Well I'm going to be sharing my leg space with him'. Social media users also chimed in with their thoughts, as one said: 'Seat's a coffin, price is a joke. Another shared: 'People discovering WestJet’s new economy seats with 28-inch pitch, 2 inches less than before.

Bukayo Saka agrees new long-term Arsenal contractBy Philip Duncan, Press AssociationBukayo Saka has dealt Arsenal a major boost by agreeing to a new long-term contract with the north London club, the Press Association understands. The 24-year-old England international’s deal had been up for renewal at the end of next season. However, it is believed Saka has finalised terms on a five-year extension which safeguards his future with Mikel Arteta’s Premier League title-chasing side until 2031. Bukayo Saka has scored seven times for Arsenal so far this season (John Walton/PA) Photo by John WaltonSaka, a graduate of the club’s fabled Hale End academy, has scored 77 times across 290 appearances since he made his debut for the Gunners in 2018. Arsenal also invested £250million on signing eight new players in the summer transfer window.

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A huge wave crashes on a jetty at Le Conquet as Storm Goretti battered northwestern France. Photograph: Fred Tanneau/AFP via Getty ImagesIt will be a cold, bright day with only a chance of a little snow on high ground as Ireland appears to have escaped the worst of Storm Goretti. Met Éireann said a cold start is expected on Friday morning with frost and icy patches being slow to clear. Some scattered showers, mainly affecting parts of Munster, Connacht and north Ulster may be wintry with a mix of rain, hail and sleet, Met Éireann said. Saturday is also expected to be largely dry and bright with just a few showers, some of which could be wintry.

A recall notice has been issued for thousands of passports following a “technical error” which has resulted in incorrect details being printed on them, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed. The recall applies to passports issued between December 23 and January 6 after it emerged that they were sent out to recipients with the letters ‘IRL’ absent from within. “The Passport Service is aware of an issue affecting passports issued between 23 December 2025 and 6 January 2026,” a DFA spokesperson said. Stock image: GettyNews in 90 Seconds, Friday January 9“The Passport Service sincerely regrets this issue and apologises to affected citizens for the inconvenience caused. “Please return your passport book (and passport card if you had applied for one) to the below address immediately: Passport Return – Customer Care, Passport Service, 42-47 Lower Mount St, Dublin 2 – D02 TN83 Ireland.”

Just about every January we are treated to a nice break from the cold and snow. The thaw usually lasts a few days, bringing mild air with temperatures in the 60s and sometimes we see a 70 or better temperature. January is also a nice month to take a break from the cold snow and dirty cars. Temperatures in the 70s along with sunshine and a pleasant experience make for a nice break from the cold and dreary days of winter. A bit of sunshine and mild temperatures will lift your spirits whether it’s just our January thaw or a few days on a January vacation.

And Kearney, who won 95 caps for Ireland, as well as winning the Champions Cup four times with Leinster, admits that with some established Ireland players having struggled after last summer’s British & Irish Lions commitments, the lack of in-form alternatives is a concern. Having enjoyed a few legendary battles with his international colleague down the years, Kearney was not as convinced by that suggestion. He said: “I can very much get on board with Ronan O'Gara coming back to Ireland but coming back to Leinster, I'm not so sure about that. “I'd say he does have ambitions to come back to Ireland at some point. I would say ambitions come to Ireland and coach Leinster, maybe a little bit limited.”Rob Kearney joins Premier Sports' TV team as rugby fans across the UK and Ireland tune into 15 live games from round three of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.

Roddy Doyle, seen here at Cúirt, is one of the writers appearing at Doolin Writers’ Weekend. Photograph: Emilija JefremovaSign up to the Irish Times books newsletter for features, podcasts and moreAfter a few years’ hiatus, Doolin Writers’ Weekend is back in Co Clare. Writing is a lonely game and January can be a lonely month but Doolin is where you’ll find friendship, inspiration and the company of other writers who know the road. Tickets and full line-up at doolinarts.ie*In The Irish Times tomorrow, I preview across five pages of Ticket the best Irish and international fiction and nonfiction titles coming out this year. This weekend’s Irish Times Eason offer is An Post Irish Novel of the Year Nesting by Roisín O’Donnell, just €5.99, a €6 saving.

“We’re very aware that without the support of Irish taxpayers, this bank would have ceased to exist,” said Hunt. AIB – among the most rates-sensitive banks across the sector in Europe – couldn’t help but make record profits in recent years. It follows a series of false dawns for when Irish bank balance sheets would grow again, after contracting dramatically after the financial crash. Colin Hunt: 'There is significantly less talk about the green transition than there was a few years ago. Of big interest to investors will be guidance on how the bank plans to distribute excess capital over the period.

“There are certain words still part of the island dialect that I wouldn’t have come across because English is my first language,” Ó Cocláin explains. He is one of three Irish-speaking gardaí stationed on the island of Inis Mór. Ó Cocláin says it is “absolutely a must” for gardaí to be able to speak Irish if they are stationed in a Gaeltacht area. “The last time there were mounted police on the island was in 1911 when the RIC were stationed here,” Ó Cocláin says. Speaking at the time, Fianna Fáil TD Pat “the Cope” Gallagher, whose base is the Donegal Gaeltacht, said his priority was to get more guards into rural stations in his constituency and in the Gaeltacht.

Ryanair will remove three popular routes from Cork Airport in 2026 after relocating one of its four aircraft to another airport. The budget airline will stop flying from Cork to the Polish cities of Gdańsk and Poznań, as well as to Rome, Cork Airport has confirmed. Last July, Ryanair announced plans to move one aircraft from Cork to Shannon, citing lower fees at the mid-west airport. As a result, Cork Airport now has three Ryanair aircraft based there, while Shannon has four. In a statement to the Irish Examiner, a Ryanair spokesperson said the decision to cut the Cork routes was due to “lower-cost options elsewhere across the network.”Cork Airport is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), while the Shannon Airport Group operates Shannon Airport.

We've all noticed a spike in the number of news features regarding particle exposure, and the troubling reports on the ingress of microplastics in every part of the human body. There are some trusted ways that have been shown to significantly reduce the burden of microplastics we’re bringing into the home. Even plastic containers marked in the instructions as safe to be heated in the microwave or oven are likely to be shedding plastic directly onto the food. Decant foodstuffs packed in plastic materials into safe materials like glass before re-heating in the oven or microwave. As we learn more about the issues surrounding microplastics, just take a reasonable and measured approach to protect your health.

Alan Flynn, who has been appointed new head coach of the Padraig Pearses senior football team. Photo: Padraig Pearses GAA. Padraig Pearses appoint new senior coachPadraig Pearses GAA has confirmed the appointment of Alan Flynn as the new head coach of the club's senior football team. "He was manager and coach of the Galway U21 teams that won All-Ireland U21 titles in 2011 and 2013, and has also served as senior football coach with Clare, Kildare and Offaly in recent years," said Padraig Pearses GAA. Niall Murray was appointed as senior football manager in December following Frank Canning's departure from the role.