Bird flu: what the latest outbreaks mean for Christmas – and are people at risk?
Bird flu virus has been found in two commercial turkey flocks in Carlow and Meath. [ ‘Batten down the hatches’: Turkey farmers worry amid bird flu outbreaks ]How has the Government responded to commercial outbreaks? Minister for Agriculture and Food Martin Heydon has introduced a compulsory housing order applying to chicken, duck and turkey farms, including free-range operations. More outbreaks could mean fewer turkeys available at Christmas with risk of higher prices. Bird flu can jump species, though humans are rarely affected.
Source:The Irish Times
November 07, 2025 01:05 UTC
Dessert challenge: Can you replicate this prize-winning apple dish?
His dessert, a refined combination of Sissy Red apples, honey and oats, was designed to celebrate Irish heritage, simplicity and skill. Con’s Sissy Red Irish apples are exceptional, and I wanted to highlight them as much as possible in this dish. Sissy Red apples, honey, oats (serves 4)For the apple Genoese150g apple puree3 egg whites, beaten to a stiff peak75g icing sugar75g ground almondsFor the apple panna cotta200g cream300g apple puree100g milk2 sheets of gelatine2 vanilla podsFor the for the candied oats100g water100g sugar50g oats400ml oil to fryFor the honey and apple custard3 egg yolks150g apple puree50g honey150g milk150g cream5g saltFor the compressed apple1 apple, brunoised50g apple juiceJuice of 1 lemonFor the apple puree8 apples, diced200g butter100g muscovado sugarMethodFor the apple pureePreheat the oven to 170c. For the honey and apple custardHeat the apple puree, cream and milk in a pot and warm slowly. Once the eggs are ribboned and the cream mixture warmed, slowly add the cream mixture to the egg and mix well.
Source:The Irish Times
November 07, 2025 00:54 UTC
JPMorgan hit with record fine from German finance watchdog
Germany’s financial watchdog BaFin has imposed a record €45mn fine on JPMorgan Chase for shortcomings in its anti-money-laundering controls. Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish TimesGermany’s financial watchdog BaFin has imposed a record €45 million fine on JPMorgan Chase for shortcomings in its anti-money-laundering controls. It is the largest fine BaFin has issued against a bank to date, as the regulator seeks to take a tougher stance on compliance and reporting failures. The previous record was a €40 million penalty levied on Deutsche Bank in 2015 for similar shortcomings. “The fine relates to historical findings and the timing of our Suspicious Activity Report filings did not impede any investigations by the authorities,” JPMorgan said.
Source:The Irish Times
November 07, 2025 00:28 UTC
Doctors gasped when reviewing injuries of dead boy (4), murder trial hears
Consultant paediatrician told the Central Criminal Court the deceased child had significant bruises 'from head to toe' consistent with physical abuse or non-accidental injuries. Dr Stephen O’Riordan, a consultant paediatrician, said the child had significant bruises “from head to toe” which were consistent with physical abuse or non-accidental injuries. She said a pathologist will say the child died due to a traumatic head injury in association with blunt force trauma to the stomach. The witness said he knew nothing more than that the boy had suffered a fall. This was “significant”, the doctor said, because it suggested the boy suffered trauma at a different time.
Source:The Irish Times
November 06, 2025 23:46 UTC
Friendship is something we ‘do’ – it does not just magically happen or keep itself alive
People who are connected to their family, friends, and community are happier and physically healthier than those who are less connected. This web of human relationships encompasses family, romantic partners, friends, and the wider community. They have a kind of latitude that allows for a directness we might not tolerate in romantic or family relationships. Friendships don’t necessarily have the scheduled events that are common in family relationships to provide for frequency. Think of friendship as a verb; an action word, friendship is something we “do” – it doesn’t just magically happen or mysteriously keep itself alive.
Source:The Irish Times
November 06, 2025 22:59 UTC
Israel carries out heavy airstrikes on south Lebanon
Photograph: Wael Hamzeh/EPAIsrael launched a series of heavy air strikes on south Lebanon on Thursday, causing confusion and panic among Lebanese locals. Israeli air strikes in Lebanon do not always come with warnings, but if they do the subsequent attacks can take hours or come within 30 minutes. Rescuers inspect the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Tayr Debba on Thursday. A noisy surveillance drone was audible in Adaisseh in the hours before the air strikes began, as it is on most days, locals said. A ceasefire between Israel and Hizbullah came into force on November 27th, 2024.
Source:The Irish Times
November 06, 2025 22:54 UTC
Eddie Jones: ‘The change in Irish rugby has been extraordinary’
Jones is still helping his team assimilate their 61-7 defeat to South Africa last weekend at Wembley Stadium. Jones had already made headlines before he and his team arrived at their hotel in Dublin. “O’Mahony was probably one of the most reliable Test players. The change in Irish rugby has been extraordinary, I think, absolutely extraordinary. And, you know, it’s a crisis in Irish rugby.”Come Saturday, if Ireland are beaten by the 13th-ranked team in the world, calamity might accurately describe it.
Source:The Irish Times
November 06, 2025 22:31 UTC
Would it not be better if children could take the books home from school?
“Ehm, Mary, shouldn’t you hand that up with the other books, they’re school property?”“Oh, no sir, this is my own copy. The majority of books (textbooks for every subject, including novels and plays in English) stay in the school for the next cohort to use. This has long been the case in some schools, but has become more prevalent with the introduction of the book scheme. Unfortunately, teaching these books, books from a variety of worlds, is proving increasingly difficult. The solution is simple; let the book scheme be what it said it should be, free books.
Source:The Irish Times
November 06, 2025 22:15 UTC
Orange Order sends letter of complaint to King Charles after he prayed with Pope Leo
Pope Leo greets King Charles at the Vatican during the British monarch's state visit to the Holy See in October. Photograph: Vatican Media/PAOrange Order leaders have written to Britain’s King Charles to express their “disappointment” after he prayed with Pope Leo XIV in Rome last month. “Nonetheless, the fact remains that in his 2023 coronation oath, King Charles swore to ‘maintain in the United Kingdom the Protestant Reformed Religion established by law’,” it said. Nevertheless, it is important to remain steadfast in the Reformed faith, even in the face of opposition,” it said. “The Protestant faith historically and theologically is a world apart from Catholicism,” he told the BBC.
Source:The Irish Times
November 06, 2025 22:05 UTC
Dublin Zoo strongly rejects TD’s claims of animal mistreatment, sexual harassment of staff
Photograph: Dublin ZooAllegations of mistreatment of animals, sexual harassment of workers and financial irregularities at Dublin Zoo made in the Dáil by People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy have been “vehemently” rejected by the zoo authorities. His allegations included “very serious animal welfare issues culminating in the deaths of numerous animals and the disappearance of whole species from the zoo”. He is still a senior manager at the zoo.”Highlighting animal welfare issues, Mr Murphy said workers at the zoo “are outraged at the neglect and mistreatment of animals”. He said a pregnant cheetah was moved from Cork’s Fota Wildlife Park to Dublin Zoo at Halloween. “All have been fully investigated through independent reviews carried out by the relevant authorities and found to be either unfounded or historic and already resolved.”Dublin Zoo said it “strongly refutes the animal welfare allegations”.
Source:The Irish Times
November 06, 2025 21:34 UTC
Russia says forces have advanced in key Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk
Buildings destroyed by invading Russian forces in Pokrovsk, Ukraine, in October 2024. Photograph: Tyler Hicks/New York TimesRussia’s defence ministry said on Thursday that its forces had advanced in the battered Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk and were fighting house-to-house battles in a bid to eject Ukrainian forces from the city. Russian forces are just a few kilometres away from closing their pincer movement around Pokrovsk and neighbouring Myrnohrad and are also closing in on Ukrainian forces in Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region. Yuri Podolyaka, one of Russia’s top war bloggers, said Russia had tactical control of Pokrovsk but that in Myrnohrad Ukrainian forces had blocked themselves behind heavy defences. Ukrainian forces were also seeking to attack from the northwest.
Source:The Irish Times
November 06, 2025 21:33 UTC
Witness for McGregor side in alleged whiskey deal case has serious health difficulties
Photograph: Leonardo Fernandez/Getty ImagesA witness for the Conor McGregor side in the alleged “whiskey deal” case against the mixed martial arts fighter (MMA) has serious health difficulties and as a result he is seeking an adjournment of the action, the High Court heard. An appeal by Mr McGregor was rejected and he has since applied to the Supreme Court for a further appeal. Mr Lobov originally claimed he made an oral agreement about the whiskey brand in a gym in September 2017. Mr McGregor said he was in Ibiza that September and could not have been present on that date. Mark Lynam SC, who heads Mr McGregor’s new legal team, said there were two separate difficulties and one related to serious health difficulties of one of the McGregor side’s witnesses.
Source:The Irish Times
November 06, 2025 21:30 UTC
Missing the LPT deadline: what happens now?
Even if you have missed the local property tax deadline, you are still required to make a return. But it notes in that letter that it will “continue to seek submission of your LPT return and confirmation from you of your property valuation”. I don’t agree with local property tax. Revenue will not clear the sale of any property where there is outstanding local property tax due, or where your LPT returns are not up to date. In certain circumstances, you can defer payment of local property tax fully or in part.
Source:The Irish Times
November 06, 2025 19:38 UTC
‘Batten down the hatches’: Turkey farmers worry amid bird flu outbreaks – The Irish Times
Turkey farmer Billy Gray: 'My biggest worry is for the people I supply to.' This week, two outbreaks of highly pathogenic bird flu have been detected among turkey flocks in counties Carlow and Meath. The news has prompted Mr Gray to “batten down the hatches and keep the head down” to minimise any risk to his birds on Feighcullen Farm. It has a serious knock on to the supply chain.”Mr Gray has also put other restrictions in place on his farm. “There is significant input into 250 turkeys and it’s a significant loss if it was to hit us,” she says.
Source:The Irish Times
November 06, 2025 19:14 UTC
Immaculate five-bed in boutique Rathfarnam development for €1.75m
It’s a boutique, gated development; the old walls still surround part of the land and the river Glin runs through it. “This is the most important room,” says the owner’s seven-year-old daughter, leading the way to a large playroom on the left-hand side of the hall. A stunning guest bathroom completes the hallway; it has moody dark tiles shot through with traces of gold. With plenty of working space and a five-ring gas hob, this is a kitchen made for an ambitious cook. The attic is vast and has potential for going up another level – neighbours have created cinema rooms or home gyms.
Source:The Irish Times
November 06, 2025 18:57 UTC