LIVE: Fuel Protests, as it happens
LIVE UPDATES: Gardai move to enforcement stage with fuel protest in third day16:35: Taoiseach has called for the blockades to be stood down, wanting to protect peoples rights and keep the economy going. 15:00: Fuels for Ireland say some forecourts are now running out of fuel as a direct result of the blockades. If access to fuel terminals and refineries is obstructed, fuel cannot be loaded and delivered as normal. 14:00: Irish Road Haulage Association continuing to work with the Government and will not be engaging in protests. 10:43: Gardai say ongoing protests at fuel depots and refineries no loner 'tolerable' and shift to enforcement stageAn Garda Síochána have issued a statement regarding the protests.
Source:Irish Independent
April 09, 2026 21:53 UTC
BA to reduce flights to Middle East when services resume in July
British Airways will reduce flights to the Middle East and use the freed-up planes to offer more direct services to Asia and Africa. The airline will not resume services to the Gulf until at least July, when it will offer significantly reduced flights to Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv, it said on Thursday. It will drop Jeddah in Saudi Arabia as a destination and will reduce services to Riyadh from mid-May. BA is a sister airline of Aer Lingus, which would feed some passengers into these services out of Heathrow. Virgin Atlantic, which briefly restarted Dubai and Riyadh services within days of the conflict beginning, has also cancelled its services into Riyadh for the foreseeable future.
Source:The Irish Times
April 09, 2026 21:49 UTC
Ireland needs 5,000 additional hospital beds to cope with ageing population, conference told
Ireland needs 5,000 additional hospital beds to cope with its ageing population and “must at least have a plan” for substantially increased provision in the future, the new president of the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has said at its annual general meeting in Killarney. Prof Matthew Sadlier acknowledged the number was “big” and said it might be regarded as aspiration “but it is what Ireland needs”. He said the country’s health services traditionally had a different demographic breakdown to many other European countries because of mass emigration, and that had spared the health service some of the strain experienced elsewhere, but “now we’re catching up”. “Dublin has 20 different locations where you can turn up when you need attention between maternity hospitals, eye and ear hospitals, separate paediatric hospitals, separate general hospitals,” he says. Newcastle Gateshead, which is an equivalent sized city in the United Kingdom, has one super big hospital.
Source:The Irish Times
April 09, 2026 21:47 UTC
Limerick fuel protesters undeterred by Defence Forces removal threat
Demonstrators manning blockades at Foynes Port on Thursday were resolute in their determination to stay put, even in the face of threats that the Defence Forces would be deployed to remove them. At least a dozen parked tractors and lorries barricaded both entrances in the village of Foynes to the fuel depot. The mood was tense but determined, and by 3pm the numbers of demonstrators gathered had more than tripled. As the day wore on and the rain lashed down, demonstrators gathered in vans or took shelter in the shadows of parked tractors and lorries. The Defence Forces don't want to do anything because they know what we are doing: We're respectful, we're a peaceful protest."
Source:Irish Examiner
April 09, 2026 21:43 UTC
Liverpool consider £33m Premier League star to replace Mo Salah as transfer demands emerge
Salah will depart without serving the final year of the contract he signed last April and the Premier League champions are now faced with the daunting prospect of replacing a club legend. A host of different names have already been linked with the Reds as the end of the season draws closer, including players who currently belong to Premier League rivals. And Minteh is the latest to mentioned as a possible summer target after finding his feet at Brighton, per The Mail. Yan Diomande is another player in the frame, with the report noting that the RB Leipzig winger has been scouted extensively by the Premier League giants. "Signed from Hull City in 2017, Robertson has won two Premier League titles, a Champions League, the FA Cup and two League Cups, as well as the FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Community Shield.
Source:Daily Mirror
April 09, 2026 21:37 UTC
‘The toilet overflows in my house’: Dublin tenant says neighbour’s sewage flows in to her home
Lynsey McGrath, who lives in the Mercer House flat complex in Dublin 2, is experiencing mould and sewage leaking from an exterior drain pipe. Photograph: Chris MaddaloniA special needs assistant living in a Dublin City Council flat complex has described a “nightmare” she is experiencing with sewage coming up through her toilet and into her home. “When it’s blocked, every time someone flushes in the flats above me, the toilet overflows in my house. Lynsey McGrath, who lives in the Mercer House flat complex in Dublin, is experiencing mould and sewage leaking from an exterior drain pipe. He couldn’t wear it.”The Mercer House flat complex in Dublin.
Source:The Irish Times
April 09, 2026 21:33 UTC
Second weekend closure of Hull's North Bridge postponed
Second weekend closure of Hull's North Bridge postponedResurfacing works are being carried out ahead of an eight-week closure of Drypool BridgeView Image North Bridge, in Hull (Image: Hull City Council)The second planned weekend closure of Hull’s North Bridge has been postponed. Last month, Hull City Council announced the crossing would fully shut for two weekends for resurfacing works. In a statement, a Hull City Council spokesperson said: “The second full closure of North Bridge, due to take place from 6am on Saturday 11 April until 6am on Monday 13 April, has been postponed. The authority said that, by carrying out North Bridge repairs now, “it will prevent the damaged areas from worsening, which could otherwise lead to an unplanned closure later in the year”. Article continues belowWhen the closure takes place, North Bridge will be shut to all road users, cyclists, and emergency vehicles.
Source:Daily Mirror
April 09, 2026 21:22 UTC
Andy Robertson says 'I'll never accept it' after Liverpool icon's exit confirmed
Andy Robertson says 'I'll never accept it' after Liverpool icon's exit confirmedAndy Robertson has released an emotional statement after it was confirmed the Scotland international will leave Liverpool at the end of the season following nine years at AnfieldView 2 Images Andy Robertson confirmed he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season (Image: LFC TV)Liverpool defender Andy Robertson has admitted he feels better that the news of his exit has been revealed. He told the official Liverpool website: "I think I feel better now that it’s out in the open. Andy Robertson to leave Liverpool this summer as club release statement READ MORE :"The closer it gets, the more and more questions you start to get. He will join Mohamed Salah in bidding an emotional Liverpool farewell in May. View 2 Images Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson will leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
Source:Daily Mirror
April 09, 2026 21:20 UTC
France is talking to the Iranians, and it’s paying off
France described them as tourists who had been taken as “state hostages” to be used by Iran as bargaining chips. Nevertheless, Esfandiari’s house arrest in France was lifted just after the news broke that the teachers would be allowed to leave Iran. Iran says that vessels from “non-hostile” countries can pass through, but traffic through the strait has been reduced to a tiny fraction. France was the first country to call for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council in response to the US and Israeli attacks. We have to build a new order,” Macron told students in an address in Seoul, South Korea last week.
Source:The Irish Times
April 09, 2026 21:08 UTC
Sharlene Mawdsley and Sophie Becker to lead Ireland team at World Relays
Olympians Sharlene Mawdsley and Sophie Becker will spearhead the Irish team at next month’s World Athletics Relays in Botswana, a key qualifying event for upcoming global championships. Ireland will have teams in the women’s 4x400m, mixed 4x400m and women’s 4x100m. He’s joined in the mixed 4x400m by emerging athletes Seán Doggett and Fintan Dewhirst, who went one-two at last month’s national indoors over 400m. The Irish women’s 4x100m team returns to the event for the first time since 2021. “We’re excited to travel with three strong squads in pursuit of 2027 World Athletics Championships qualification and in preparation for August’s European Athletics Championships,” said Christian Malcolm, Athletics Ireland’s High Performance Sprints Lead.
Source:Irish Independent
April 09, 2026 21:07 UTC
‘My father and mother lost friends over what’s happened in USA’ – Patrick Hickey says fans should have no fears at World Cup
Patrick Hickey with his SSE Airtricity Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month Award for March at Dalymount Park. Photo: SportsfileAny hopes that the US-born Bohemians man Patrick Hickey had of attending games at the World Cup finals in his native land have been dashed by circumstances. As a grandson of Kerry and Mayo folk, and carrying an Irish passport, the Dublin-based 27-year-old had hoped to jump on the bandwagon to support Heimir Hallgrimsson’s side, but of course Ireland did not qualify.
Source:Irish Independent
April 09, 2026 21:07 UTC
Andy Robertson to leave Liverpool at end of the season
Andy Robertson described his Liverpool career as a “hell of a journey” as he announced a trophy-laden nine years at Anfield will end this summer. “I’ll always look back on amazing memories at this football club, I’ve put my heart and soul into the club for nine years and I’ve not got many regrets. “But from minute one I came into this football club, I wanted to be successful. I wanted to try to bring trophies back to this football club, try to help put us back on to a place where I believe this football club belongs. “I’m still fully focused on trying to end this season as positively as possible, to help these lads and to try to give a few more good moments to the fans,” Robertson said.
Source:Irish Independent
April 09, 2026 21:07 UTC
Rory McIlroy opens Masters title defense with 67 after Jack Nicklaus touts his chances to repeat
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Source:The Herald
April 09, 2026 21:06 UTC
Andy Robertson to leave Liverpool this summer as club release statement
Andy Robertson to leave Liverpool this summer as club release statementLiverpool left-back Andy Robertson will depart the Premier League champions when his contract expires at the end of this season, the club announced on Thursday nightView 2 Images Andy Robertson will leave Liverpool at the end of the season (Image: James Gill/Danehouse)Liverpool have announced that their long-serving defender, Andy Robertson, will leave Anfield at the end of his contract this summer. Robertson, 32, joined Liverpool back in 2017. But he will now depart the club in the coming months, with the Premier League champions confirming the news on Thursday night. "Liverpool FC can confirm Andy Robertson will bring his Reds career to an end at the conclusion of the current season," a message on their official website read. Robertson becomes the second high-profile Liverpool player to announce his departure from the club in recent weeks after Mohamed Salah first did so last month.
Source:Daily Mirror
April 09, 2026 21:01 UTC
Liverpool confirm Andy Robertson will LEAVE at the end of the season: Star, 32, to depart Anfield following nine years with the club after rejecting January approach from Tottenham
Andy Robertson will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, the club has confirmed - with the Scotland captain the latest talismanic figure to call time on their spell at Anfield in recent weeks. 'After nine hugely successful campaigns at Anfield, the Scotland captain will leave the club upon the expiry of his contract this summer,' a statement issued by Liverpool on Thursday read. Andy Robertson will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, the club has confirmed'However, celebration of Robertson’s Liverpool legacy is firmly on hold until the conclusion of the campaign, with the No.26 fully focused on helping the Reds end 2025-26 as successfully as possible.' But Robertson admitted in March that he was keen to stay at Anfield until he was 'no longer needed'. The Reds will need the support of their defensive stalwart at the business end of the season amid a worrying downturn in form.
Source:Daily Mail
April 09, 2026 21:00 UTC