The FIA – or Federation International de l’Automobile – is the governing body of world motor sport. It is the organisation, made up of a multitude of member associations including Motorsport Ireland, which establishes the championships for Formula One, the World Endurance Championship, the World Rally Championship and many more. “If you have a set of regulations that are overly restrictive, you’re going to start to stifle great minds” Geaney adds. Red Bull's Dutch driver Max Verstappen (L) and Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli crash during the Formula One Austrian Grand Prix. Nothing different from a Formula One car having to stay on the track or face a penalty.

Date set for Cramlington by-election after councillor’s resignationVoters in Cramlington South West are set to go to the polls next monthView Image Ballot boxes in Northumberland (Image: Michael Muncaster)A date has been confirmed for a by-election in Cramlington triggered by a Reform councillor’s resignation on health grounds. Voters in the Cramlington South West ward will head to the polls for the by-election on April 16. Coun Knowles, who won the new seat for Reform last May, confirmed his resignation last week. ‌While most councils in the North East have a full set of elections in May this year, Northumberland held all-out elections last year and therefore has no elections at all. Article continues belowThe Greens, who currently have two councillors in Northumberland, are on 16% while the Liberal Democrats, who have three councillors on the county council, are on 13%.

Photograph: Andrew Conan/InphoThe state of Welsh rugby should concern everyone invested in the game. The talent, the physiques and more importantly the coaching on display when Blackrock played St Michael’s in the Leinster schools semi-final last Monday in Donnybrook indicates that Irish rugby has avoided the Welsh pitfalls. It was my performances for Young Munster and Garryowen that earned a call-up to the Ireland under-19s and, eventually, the Munster academy. Financially, Irish rugby appears to be on a sounder footing than the WRU. Ulster are on the rise again, while Munster and Connacht are adjusting to life under McMillan and Lancaster.

Alan Shearer makes extraordinary Tottenham relegation claim as Spurs stare down barrelTottenham's demise continued on Thursday night with another loss and relegation from the Premier League is a realistic possibility despite their stature, history and wealthView 2 Images Alan Shearer has put Tottenham's possible relegation into perspective (Image: (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images))Alan Shearer believes Tottenham getting relegated would be a shock on par with Leicester City's miracle Premier League success of 2016. He told Betfair: "It would be one the biggest Premier League shocks if they were to go down. I mean, what would be bigger, Leicester winning it, or Spurs being relegated? ‌"I could see spurs getting rid of Igor Tudor before the end of the season," he added. I've said all I can on Spurs, there's a real-life possibility that Spurs could be relegated and can you imagine that stadium in the Championship.

The State agency tasked with delivering affordable housing has sent more than 400 rent review notices to cost-rental tenants in the last six months. The Land Development Agency (LDA) confirmed rent reviews occur annually on the anniversary of a lease date, with yearly increases determined by the harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP). Private sector rent increases have been restricted to 2 per cent per year or the rate of inflation (whichever is lower) under the rent pressure zone regime. The LDA told Eoin Ó Broin, Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on housing, that 423 rent review notices have been issued to tenants since rent reviews commenced in September 2025. A spokesman said any rent increases, as determined by the HICP index, are “designed to ensure operating costs are covered throughout the life of the home and not just initially at rent setting”.

Ireland weather: Conditions will become more unsettled on Saturday, with spells of rain spreading from the Atlantic. Photograph: Bryan O’BrienSome dry weather is being forecast for the weekend but low temperatures are expected to create difficult travel conditions before rain returns. Met Éireann said Friday would get off to a cold start with widespread frost and ice leading to difficulties for some motorists. “Highest temperatures of 9 to 12 degrees in light to moderate southerly winds, fresher on Atlantic coasts,” Met Éireann said. “Lowest temperatures of -1 to 4 degrees generally, though it will be milder in Atlantic coastal regions, in light to moderate southeast winds,” Met Éireann said.

Pack a healthy lunchbox with plenty of snacks because there’s a mad March coming on the sporting front. A place in the league final is on the menu if they can keep their house in order. As the rain pelted down in Salthill last Saturday week, Roscommon supporters arriving early for the NFL encounter with Galway made their way to the warmth and comfort of city pubs. Weekend highlight: It’s a pity Everton couldn’t play all their Premier League games away from home after another great victory on the road against Newcastle United. Armagh have only scored one goal in their five Allianz NFL games — with Roscommon top of the pile on 11.

German semiconductor firm Infineon Technologies has officially opened its new Cork office, which will include a research and development (R&D) hub, at City Gate Park in Mahon as part of its €60m investment to expand its Irish operations. Positions in the new office have already been opened online and include roles in analog design, digital design, architecture and verification. The company said these new hires will support the development of new technologies and products that help drive digitalisation and decarbonisation on a global scale. Enterprise minister Peter Burke welcomed “Infineon Technologies’ continued commitment to Ireland” with the opening of this new office in Cork. “This investment not only enhances Ireland’s deep-tech landscape, Infineon is also a critical part of the South West’s recognised semiconductor cluster.

A close reader from Cork, George Harding, writes to point out my recent two-column series A History of Ireland in Descriptions of Rain included “only one actual death” from precipitation. But as George points out, there is another notable death of the same era can also be attributed to rain. And although the victim there may not have been of Irish origin, the rain that did for him certainly was. George Boole (1815 – 64) is today remembered as the mathematician and philosopher who gave his name to Boolean Logic. George Boole died at Ballintemple on 8th December 1864, and is buried at the nearby St Michael’s Church of Ireland.

Garda whistleblower Lois West has said she felt like “a severed limb” who had just been “cut off” by her superiors after she raised her head “above the parapets” and testified to the Oireachtas about errors in homicide data. “They never wanted me back, I was too honest, I had too much integrity,” West told the Workplace Relations Commission on Thursday. West was joint deputy head of the Garda Síochána Analysis Service (GSAS) at assistant principal grade before taking extended sick leave. At the resumed hearing of her case on Thursday, West said there had been plans to expand the GSAS to meet the needs of An Garda Síochána. She said that she went back to work and “struggled on”, before her face broke out in “a very severe case of perioral dermatitis”.

Police 'visit' North Staffordshire school after 'incident'The school has contacted parentsView Image Moorside High School in Cellarhead Road, Werrington (Image: Stoke Sentinel)A school has issued a message to parents after an 'incident in the local community'. Moorside High School, in Cellarhead, sent the message yesterday morning. ‌It comes as Staffordshire Police later 'visited' the school. Police officers visited school to reassure us and to confirm that at no point was there any risk to pupils or staff." Get even more North Staffordshire exclusives - and it is freeArticle continues below

People inspect damage after an Israeli strike that targeted a Hizbullah financial institution in the Beqaa valley, Lebanon. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) forces have advanced beyond the five outposts that were maintained on the Lebanese side of the border following the November 2024 ceasefire and the Lebanese armed forces have pulled back 10km north of the border. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or Unifil, remains deployed in its positions and has not interfered with IDF operations. The Israeli military also said it had launched targeted attacks in Lebanon. Israeli officials say the aggressive military operation against Hizbullah is placing significant pressure on the group among its Shia base.

There are many reasons that I’m grateful to have grown up in the digital age. Anyway, what I was really hoping to talk about today is one of the greatest developments of the digital age: ghosting. Putting yourself out there, underwired bras, having to come to terms with the fact that you actually like men. They don’t know how easy they have it. The ghosting win-winI don’t have time to be wasting on that kind of thing.

And that remains a cherished memory of my very first trip to Belfast. People visiting the beloved St George's Market, old market hall in Belfast. One of the most popular tourist attractions in Belfast is the Titanic Quarter. The Titanic Belfast building towers over the area, with its design featuring an angular ‘hull’ that stands at the same height as that of the ill-fated ship. The Titanic Quarter, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Belfast.

The Government has urged people not to abuse retail workers at forecourts across the country amid rising fuel prices linked to the war in Iran. Enterprise minister Peter Burke met representatives from the fuel industry on Friday, where discussions focused on rising prices driven by changes in the commodity values of kerosene, diesel, and petrol. Mr Burke said the engagement with the fuel industry had been “constructive”, adding that the abuse of retail workers also arose during discussions. “It was brought to my attention that retail workers have come under significant abuse in recent days. Little control of pricingKevin McPartlan, chief executive of Fuels for Ireland, said the meeting with Mr Burke was positive.