Ireland suffer defeat against Belgium in Pro League debut
Mia Jennings in action for Ireland in their FIH Pro League game against Belgium in Abbotstown. Photograph: Nick Elliott/InphoFIH Pro League: Ireland 1 Belgium 2Ireland’s FIH Pro League debut ended in defeat at Abbotstown on Wednesday, but they put up a gutsy show against Belgium, ranked third in the world, losing by just a 2-1 margin in the end. And Ballenghien doubled that advantage just after half-time when she dived to deflect the ball in to the roof of the Irish net. Ireland rallied well, Mia Jennings denied a goal on her debut when the Belgian goalkeeper make a smart save, Róisín Upton and Charlotte Beggs coming close too. England, who were beaten 3-1 by Belgium in their opening game on Tuesday, are up next for Ireland.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 20:11 UTC
Iceland is fifth country to boycott Eurovision 2026 in protest of Israel’s participation
Iceland will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, the country’s public broadcaster RUV said on Wednesday, after organiser the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) last week cleared Israel’s participation. Iceland was among the countries that had requested a vote last week on Israel’s participation. But the EBU decided not to call a vote on Israel’s participation, saying it had instead passed new rules aimed at discouraging governments from influencing the contest. Iceland has never won the song contest but came second in 1999 and 2009. The Eurovision Song Contest dates back to 1956 and reaches around 160 million viewers, according to the EBU.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 19:54 UTC
European shares flat ahead of Fed decision
(Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)European shares ended flat on Wednesday, as investors adopted a cautious stance in advance of the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision, while also parsing a slate of corporate announcements. Market attention centred on the Federal Reserve’s rate decision later in the day, where the central bank is expected to trim interest rates by 25 basis points. EuropeAn index of automakers led losses, down 1.5 per cent, dragged lower by a 4.8 per cent drop in luxury carmaker Ferrari. LondonBritain’s blue-chip FTSE 100 edged up on Wednesday, supported by gains in banking stocks as investors awaited the US Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision. Policymakers are also due to update their economic and interest rate projections for the coming quarters.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 19:47 UTC
US Federal Reserve delivers third consecutive rate cut
US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell: the central bank maintained its outlook for just one cut in 2026. Photograph: Caroline Gutman/The New York TimesThe US Federal Reserve delivered a third consecutive interest-rate reduction and maintained its outlook for just one cut in 2026. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted nine-to-three on Wednesday to lower the benchmark federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.5-3.75 per cent. It also subtly altered the wording of its statement suggesting greater uncertainty about when it might cut rates again. Following the last rate cut in October, several officials warned of persistent inflation, indicating their hesitancy to support another reduction.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 19:42 UTC
New York judge clears release of Epstein-related grand jury documents
File photograph: PA WireA United States judge on Tuesday cleared the US justice department to release grand jury documents in the criminal case against Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who is in prison for sex trafficking underage girls with the deceased financier. The documents could also shed more light on Epstein’s ties to rich and powerful people, including Mr Trump. He previously amplified conspiracy theories about Epstein and vowed to release the files but now says they are a Democratic hoax aimed at distracting from his administration’s accomplishments. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence following her 2021 trial conviction for child sex trafficking and other offences, though she maintains her innocence. During an interview with a top justice department official in July, Maxwell said she never saw Mr Trump behave inappropriately.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 19:41 UTC
RTÉ will outsource Lotto draws in cost-saving drive, Kevin Bakhurst tells media committee
RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst said the acceptance rate for the broadcaster's voluntary exit offers is around 63 per cent this year. Mr Bakhurst, a former BBC News executive, also said that he has not applied for the vacant director general role at the BBC and is “very happy” in his current job. So we’re still very hopeful indeed of 100 exits this year from RTÉ,” Mr Bakhurst said. In response to questions from Social Democrats TD Sinéad Gibney, Mr Bakhurst also confirmed plans to outsource National Lottery programming as part of its cost-saving initiative. Asked by Ms Gibney if management is targeting any other programmes, Mr Bakhurst said: “The Lotto will be going out, because that costs a lot of money to do.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 19:36 UTC
Luas Green line remains out of service amid power fault
Luas staff said the service disruption has been caused by a power fault. Photograph: Sam Boal/Collins PhotosThe Luas Green line in Dublin, which has been affected by a power fault, is not expected to resume full operations by the peak commuter period this evening. Luas operator Transdev apologised for any inconvenience caused, confirming in an update at 4.30pm that the Green Line is still entirely down. On its website, the Luas operator said the service disruption has been caused by a power fault, the cause of which it cannot yet confirm. “Multiple Luas technicians are on site and are working systematically along the Green Line to identify the source of the fault,” it said.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 18:23 UTC
Pretax profits at clamping company dip
Pretax profits at Dublin Street Parking Services fell by 1 per cent last year. Photograph: Alan BetsonPretax profits at the firm contracted to clamp illegally parked vehicles in the Dublin City Council area last year dipped marginally to €712,580. The pretax profits last year fell by 1 per cent from the €720,366 recorded in 2023. Quarterly purchase orders published by Dublin City Council show that the company last year received €7.99 million (Incl VAT) in payments from the local authority. The clamping company recorded post-tax profits of €607,158 after incurring a corporation tax charge of €105,422.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 18:14 UTC
Europe’s failure to agree online child protection laws a ‘collective shame’, says Minister
The failure to agree European-wide online child protection laws is to the “collective shame” of political institutions, the Minister for Media has said. The Minister suggested the app, which has already been developed and will be tested early next year, could also set age limits for pornography websites. Over the course of a press conference on Tuesday, Mr O’Donovan described the slow pace of online child protection at EU level as “disappointing”, “tiresome” and a “failure”. He spoke as the Dáil heard a ban on social media for under-16s “amounts to putting a sticking plaster on a gaping wound”. Most social media companies already have an age limit of 13 which “just isn’t being enforced”, she said.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 18:03 UTC
When the plane’s wheels screech down on the Dublin tarmac, I exhale a deep sigh of relief
The ESB Christmas ad Coming Home, set to the haunting tones of Goin’ Back by Dusty Springfield is among them. While Dad drives in the peaceful solitude of his car to pick up the prodigal son at the train station. For me, it’s when the plane’s wheels screech down on the tarmac in Dublin or Shannon that I exhale a deep sigh of relief. In August last, talk of a friends’ night away to mark the passage into our fourth decade was defeated by tight schedules. Would you like to share your experience with Irish Times Abroad, something interesting about your life or your perspective as an emigrant?
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 18:00 UTC
Mass eviction on Mountjoy Square: ‘I don’t know where to go with the babies’
“I don’t know where to go with the babies. She is one of at least four tenants who have been told they must leave their apartment in the three-storey Georgian building at 61 Mountjoy Square West in Dublin 1. Now the tenants at 61 Mountjoy Square West have been told they must vacate the 17-unit building early next year, and many are nervous about what lies ahead of them amid a housing crisis, with high rents and a shortage of available properties. 61 Mountjoy Square West. While her rent at 61 Mountjoy Square West has been manageable, her living conditions have been far from ideal and she says the apartment is in need of urgent repairs.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 17:17 UTC
Q&A: Travelling to the US? Check your social media posts first
US authorities are planning to ask visitors for details of their social media accounts covering the past five years as part of the review for entry. Compile a list of your social media accounts, from the most used to the ones you have almost forgotten about. There are some third party services that can help clean up your social media history. If your views have moved on, your social media footprint should too. Don’t deliberately leave out informationWe may all have a few social media profiles that are unused and forgotten.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 16:43 UTC
Fine Gael councillor asked garda superintendent to ‘sort’ speeding ticket, court hears
Retired garda superintendent Eamonn O’Neill and four other serving gardaí are accused of unlawfully interfering with pending or potential road traffic prosecutions. Photograph: Brendan GleesonA Fine Gael councillor asked a garda superintendent to “sort” a speeding ticket for him, a trial heard Wednesday. Text messages exchanged between Limerick County Fine Gael councillor Liam Galvin and Garda superintendent Eamon O’Neill were heard in evidence at the trial of Mr O’Neill, now retired, and four serving gardaí. The image allegedly sent by Mr Galvin to Mr O’Neill was accompanied by a text message that said: “Please read, chat later.”In response, Mr O’Neil texted Mr Galvin: “A decent lady”, to which Mr Galvin replied: “sort her so”. Mr O’Neill also argued that “internal circulars and reports within An Garda Síochána allow for such behaviour”.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 16:26 UTC
Centres of attention: The trio of backs knocking on the door for Ireland
The progress made by Jude Postlethwaite, Dan Kelly and Hugh Gavin makes for a reasonable case study on the topic. They represent centres of attention as far as the Ireland senior management is concerned, an assertion that’s supported by recent evidence. Gavin went on the Simon Easterby-led Emerging Ireland tour to South Africa later that year and made an obvious impression. Hugh Gavin in action for Ireland during the Test against Portugal in July. Kelly, who can play both centre positions, has requalified for Ireland since and was given his opportunity against Spain.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 16:07 UTC
US plans to start checking tourists’ social media over last five years
The plan is the latest in a series of measures from the Trump administration aimed at restricting entry to the US. Photograph: Paulo Nunes dos Santos/The New York TimesThe US is proposing that foreign visitors provide their social media history over the last five years to enter the country. US Customs and Border Protection “is adding social media as a mandatory data element” as part of the screening process for travellers entering the US under the Visa Waiver Program, according to a Department of Homeland Security notice posted on Wednesday. The State Department said in December it would expand social media review requirements for H-1B visas for high-skilled workers, urging applicants and dependents “to adjust the privacy settings on all of their social media profiles to ‘public.’” In June, it ordered a review of student visa applicants’ social media presence. The US has been on track for a sharp decline in foreign visitors and spending by tourists this year.
Source:The Irish Times
December 10, 2025 15:19 UTC