Munster could have back rower Brian Gleeson back in the selection mix for Friday’s URC derby at Ulster after the powerhouse forward returned to full training on Monday. “Yes, Gleeson trained today and we're hoping that he'll be in the mix,” Leamy said. “It's frustrating when young players get injured because they have these windows of opportunity to play and to progress and to reach their full potential. “I think they're showing a lot of quality there. Richie Murphy has done a really, really good job over the last while and they've got very good coaches in Jimmy Duffy and Mark Sexton and people like that, Willie Faloon, so they're really well put together and I saw them against Connacht the other night.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Trump declined to say how the attack had been carried out or by whom but confirmed the United States was responsible. Until now, the US has been pressuring Venezuela by conducting military strikes on boats it suspects of trafficking drugs and seizing oil tankers under sanctions. But the CIA drone strike took place inside Venezuela, likely on Wednesday. In a radio interview last Friday, Mr Trump said the strike had taken place two days before. The CIA regularly conducted drone strikes against terrorist targets in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and elsewhere during the Obama administration.

Inflation, state-induced costs and overreliance on the US market all resulted in a “mixed year” for Irish tourism, according to the CEO of the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation. Last week, the Confederation published its year-in-review, highlighting a 6pc drop in overseas visitors. The review also detailed concerns about over-dependence on US visitors and market competitiveness. The ITI CEO said: “Inflation in the overall tourism sector is up about 6pc per annum for the last three years. "So if there was volatility in the US stock market or the dollar euro exchange rate changed dramatically, Irish tourism would certainly be exposed,” Mr O’Mara Walsh said.

He then thought that perhaps it was the business model, or the funding or even the timing that mattered the most. The idea came in third followed by funding and the business model. From her experience she also ranks timing and a strong promoter or team as key contributors to success. Their innovation was a system that makes it hassle free for dentists to offer clear aligners (invisible braces) to their patients. The company is now looking at a substantial fundraising round to accelerate its expansion in the US and support new market entry.

For as long as most people could remember, Tynte House had been run as a guest house. But in May 2024, prospective customers were informed by the website that Tynte House would soon be closing “indefinitely”. The Tynte House residents joined Walshe’s running club and started to make friends with local librarian Maura Greene. The 22 contracts that ended in 2025 was a sharp rise on the four contracts ended in 2024. Sinn Féin spokesman on migration Matt Carthy said he believed the “whole veil of secrecy” around Ipas centre contracts was not acceptable.

Victoria Beckham danced with her rarely-seen father Tony Adams during her family Christmas celebrations without her eldest son Brooklyn. In one heartwarming clip that has warmed fans' hearts, Victoria can be seen dancing with her dad Tony at her Cotswolds home. The duo enjoyed the sweet dance to the Bee Gees classic More Than A Woman as David twirling his daughter during the impromptu routine. During her Netflix documentary earlier this year, Victoria had praised Tony for her humble upbringing and work ethics. She penned: 'David and Victoria giving their very best Barry and Barbra on Christmas Day xxx kisses from us both xx @davidbeckham.'

A call has been made for insurers to cut premiums after a levy on policies was reduced. The Insurance Compensation Fund levy is to go from 2pc to 1pc from the start of next January. He said: “The Insurance Compensation Fund is an important protection mechanism for Irish policyholders. “This reduction will benefit approximately 2.3 million private motor insurance policies and 1.3 million home insurance policies on renewal in January 2026.”He said the reduction in the annual percentage rate will reduce the level of motor insurance contributions by approximately €57m in the new year. The Motor Insurers Insolvency Compensation Fund is designed to cover outstanding claims in the event of a motor insurer going into liquidation.

Kill Bill star Lucy Liu delighted audiences at the Belfast Film Festival in November with a special screening of her latest movie Rosemead, and also received the Realta award. Northern Ireland Screen has promised “much to look forward to”. Both filmed in Northern Ireland in 2024. During the Cannes Film Festival in May, Northern Ireland Screen was presented with the Special Recognition Award at the Global Production Awards for its outstanding contribution to sustainable production. Richard Williams, CEO of Northern Ireland Screen, said 2025 had been a “truly exceptional year for Northern Ireland’s screen industry”.

BBC Breakfast viewers were delighted as a beloved presenter returned after months away - and called for a permanent comeback. Tuesday's (December 30) instalment saw Ben Thompson and Nina Warhurst hosting on the red sofa. Sharing her new colleague News At One's editor Richard Frediani's post about joining his team, Nina wrote: 'Hanging up the high-viz & hairnet as I join the BBC’s News At One. Richard's tweet read: 'Delighted to welcome Nina Warhurst as a regular presenter of the News at One from April. Earlier this month, Nina shared a poignant tribute while preparing herself for the first Christmas without her father.

A radiation warning sign in the so-called Red Forest, one of the most radioactive areas in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, Ukraine, March 2023. In a letter dated May 23rd, 1988, Elizabeth A J Attridge at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in London suggested “it gives less hostages to fortune to emphasise that the food chain was safeguarded in 1986 by measures taken”. According to the draft memorandum, “the radioactive cloud” from Chernobyl passed over Northern Ireland on the weekend of May 3rd and 4th, 1986. The Northern department had been alerted by its UK-wide counterpart “to the potential problem just before the weekend” and an “action team” was set up on May 4th. To ensure unsafe levels of radiation did not enter the food chain emergency orders controlling the movement and slaughter of all sheep in those areas were introduced in September 1987.

A black and white colobus monkey has been born at Fota Wildlife Park in Co Cork. The monkey was born on October 30th to parents Freya and Juggs, with the park now inviting the public to help choose a name. Freya was born in December 2017 and arrived at the wildlife park in January 2022 from La Palmyre Zoo in France. Fota Wildlife Park is inviting members of the public to help name the new baby colobus monkey. Suggestions for a name for the baby monkey are being accepted via the Fota Wildlife Park website.

The pressure to boost electricity capacity comes amid surging demand, including from heavy industrial consumers of power such as data centres. But internal files from the Minister’s department and ESB Networks show tension over constraints on future electricity supplies for housing, in north Dublin particularly. [ Emergency measures needed to increase electricity capacity for new housing, says ESB chiefOpens in new window ]The Minister met the leaders of EirGrid and ESB Networks on October 9th, according to a department note. “The number of houses and apartments connected by ESB Networks in the year to the end of November 2025 was over 16 per cent higher than the 2024 figure nationwide, with the Dublin area again being the busiest for new connections,” ESB Networks added. “We are advising developers to give ESB Networks as much notice of their requirements as possible, and to have a connection agreement with ESB Networks in place prior to starting a new development.”

John Lydon has claimed his Sex Pistols bandmates all failed to reach out after the death of his wife Nora Foster. John, who was known as Johnny Rotten during his Sex Pistols days, said he did not hear from bandmates Steve Jones, Paul Cook or Glen Matlock. Speaking to The Times, he said: 'I expected some kind of connection when Nora died, but nothing.' Following her death, John had 'wallowed in alcohol and sadness and self-pity,' he told Metro, but the singer has since come out of that struggle. The group's line up has changed a number of times over the last 40-plus-years with Lydon remaining a constant member.

Whether it all delivers the hoped-for appeal to younger audiences remains to be seen. A nagging sense remains, though, of an absence of any truly convincing vision of what RTÉ could or should look like in 10 years’ time. In the second Trump administration, media companies have faced intense pressure through regulatory threat and litigation. At least South Park will still hold people accountableOpens in new window ]If that is true of media, it is even more true of social media. [ Should we ban social media for under-16s?

‌According to the Mail, the Red Devils are targeting the 24-year-old in a cut-price deal that would bolster boss Amorim’s depleted midfield options. ‌Questions mark hang over the long-term futures of Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte while injuries to Mainoo and skipper Fernandes have left United short in the middle of the park. The crisis forced Amorim to use 18-year-old academy prospect Jack Fletcher for 45 minutes against Newcastle United on Boxing Day and even push centre-back Lisandro Martinez into midfield away at Aston Villa. “It was a decision where – after having two seasons in men’s football – I wanted to be part of a team and squad, ideally starting too. I knew I wasn’t going to get that at United so I made the decision to move here.