‘I’ve listened’: Education Minister confirms no SNA reductions from SeptemberBy Gráinne Ní Aodha, Press AssociationThere will be no cuts to special needs assistants (SNAs) across schools in Ireland for the coming academic year, Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton said. It came after the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) told several schools they could lose part of their SNA allocation. “I’ve listened, and that’s why it is important to put a hold on this process, to listen to the concerns. "Did the government want to encourage children who require SNAs to continue in mainstream education or to go to specialised education?" SNAs had no confidence in the Council for Special Education, and it appeared that the government did not have confidence in the Council either.

North East M&S cafe among 14 to close as statement issuedThe closure was a shock to North East shoppers. ‌The latest cafe scheduled to close is the M&S cafe located on Barn Road in Congleton, Cheshire. As M&S Food seeks to take pole position at the top of many people's grocery lists, the changes have had to be made. One of the cafe closures that impacted the North East was Bishop Auckland in County Durham. ‌It includes hundreds of new stores across England, as well as a slew of M&S Food stores in Scotland and Wales.

This is the moment a dine-and-dasher appears to pluck hair from his head and put it in his food to avoid paying for the bill, just months before the same stunt was pulled at a different restaurant. Owner of the independent restaurant, Charlie Hester, said they refused to pay for their £70 bill and began swearing at staff before he asked them to leave. He said he thought it was 'crazy' when he saw a video on TikTok shared by The Dial restaurant earlier this month and told everyone at work. 'I've been in hospitality since I was 15, I know what a hair in food looks like. They spent around £70, they were eating their food, and then the guy complained there was hair in his food.

Olly Alexander has revealed that he 'abused his body' and partied excessively during his teens as he struggled to come to terms with his sexuality. The singer, 35, who rose to prominence as the lead vocalist of English pop band Years & Years, opened up while appearing on the latest episode of Paloma Faith's podcast, Mad Sad Bad with Paloma Faith, on Tuesday. During the candid conversation, Olly reflected on finding fame, battling denial about his sexuality, and his wild partying years in London. Listeners can listen to the full interview with Paloma Faith on Mad Sad Bad now. 'I knew it was never really going to be an option for me, but it did feel like a fork-in-the-road moment.’

A massive public archive of declassified US government files vanished just one day after President Trump ordered the release of all UFO-related documents. Black Vault has become a go-to resource for anyone wanting to see exactly what the government has quietly made public over the last 80 years. Troves of declassified files the public can freely search through on the Black Vault detail military base reports, witness testimonies, and even CIA directives since the 1940s and 50s which have been unsealed without widespread public knowledge. However, The Black Vault's host allegedly ruled out corruption, pointing to a deliberate erasing of the declassified files. That leaves the possibility of hackers breaching the server through vulnerabilities, including weak passwords, outdated software, or phishing attacks.

Everton full-back switch leaves more questions than answers as midfielder needs restingEverton match analysis from Chris Beesley after the Blues went down 1-0 at home to Manchester United on Monday eveningView Image Bryan Mbeumo of Manchester United and Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton (Image: Paul Currie/Shutterstock)We’ve heard of false number nines but what about false full-backs? Ironically, given their current struggles in the position, the pair of them are still sat alongside him on the Everton bench. ‌Kings of Africa struggle on their returnTalking of reputed interest from Old Trafford in Everton stars, Manchester United are one of a long list of potential suitors who certain outlets have claimed are tracking Iliman Ndiaye. ‌Options increasePerhaps with his available options going up, it can be a case of quality over quantity when it comes to the outings for the likes of the aforementioned Gueye and several others among Everton’s squad going forward. The task going forwards will be how to best deploy these options in reserve in what is increasingly a squad game.

Max Verstappen has intimated that he could quit F1 in the near future amid his displeasure at the sport's new regulations for this upcoming season. The 28-year-old is contracted with Red Bull Racing until the end of the 2028 season, with that deal worth £40million-a-year. 'I definitely see myself nearing the end,' the four-time world champion told the Up To Speed ​​podcast when discussing his future. 'I want to live my life; you only live once, and I don't want to spend 25 years driving a car. Verstappen's words echo his sentiment in 2022 when he signed a new deal with Red Bull until 2028.

On the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Taoiseach Micheal Martin said it was “extremely important” to show solidarity with Ukraine. It comes after Ireland’s main opposition party Sinn Fein opposed the 90 billion euro EU loan to Ukraine, comprising 60 billion euro in military funding. (PA Graphics)At the weekend, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said two Sinn Fein MEPs voted against it because “we also know that spending tens of billions more of taxpayers’ money on more and more weaponry is not the way to resolve this conflict”. I think that the happiest person in the world, if the Sinn Fein policy was to be adopted, would be President Putin. “Sinn Fein supports sustained humanitarian, financial and political assistance to Ukraine, including support for reconstruction and the protection of vital public infrastructure and services.”

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor enjoyed a private naked massage in a bedroom at Buckingham Palace - all paid for using a cheque from the Palace, the Daily Mail can reveal. South African Ms Giannelloni provided the Daily Mail with an invoice showing Buckingham Palace settled the £75 bill directly from a Coutts account. Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Ms Giannelloni said: 'I got to the room and Andrew was stood there in a robe,' she said. During one of the two appointments Ms Giannelloni had with Maxwell, the socialite told the masseuse: 'I am going to introduce you to someone more famous than God.' There were no personal security guards in the room or outside, according to Ms Giannelloni.

Address : The Slopes, Knapton Road, Monkstown, Co Dublin Price : €1,595,000 Agent : Sherry FitzGeraldArriving at the Slopes on Knapton Road in Monkstown feels a little like pulling on to the set of a 1970s film. The land around the entrance was intentionally kept flat so cars can turn easily before exiting. Entry is into what the owners call the “penthouse”, and it is only once inside that the full layout becomes clear. Constructed on steel and cast concrete columns, it is elevated to create a floating effect and to maximise its relationship with the garden. Rooftop entranceEntrance hall known as the 'penthouse'LivingroomKitchenAt entrance level a staircase runs down through the three floors, giving a view of the layers below.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington estimates Russian military dead and wounded to number 1.2 million, of whom 325,000 were killed. The same study estimates Ukrainian military casualties at 600,000, of whom 140,000 killed. In Operation Spiderweb last June, Ukraine destroyed $10 billion worth of Russian military aircraft with just $100,000 worth of drones. “Ukrainians no longer believe in security guarantees, that it will work out, that anyone will defend them. Ukrainians believe only in the weapons they hold in their hands.”

But it worked out.”After being accepted to a year-long course in data analytics at the University of Limerick (UL) that December, Silva “couldn’t really work nights any more”. Having lived in three parts of the country, Silva feels each represented “different times in my life, different periods”. It was a really different phase of my life. Silva is now happy with the life he has built and plans to stay in Ireland for at least another three years. “From then on, I don’t know, I still have this desire to live in a different country even than Ireland.

Her late husband had always been a named driver. “And sure enough: if I quote for myself – 46-years-old, driving licence since 2000, zero claims, zero convictions, zero penalty points – the premium is around the same €620. But when I run the exact same quote and simply add my late husband’s name back on, the price magically plunges back to around €450,” she says. Navigating life alone with my young children is challenging enough but I didn’t expect bereavement to come with a €200 surcharge from the insurance industry.”She expresses the hope that we might “be able to help untangle this. The company declined to publicly respond to the specifics of her case and instead issued the following statement.

Ksenia Samotiy: I chose Ireland because it was the furthest place from Russia – now I’m proud to call it my second homeFrom the kindness of the people to the beautiful scenery, spice bags and even the seagulls, I’ve fallen in love with the country that offered me shelterUkrainian refugee's emotional return to home city after four years in IrelandKsenia Samotiy Today at 06:30It has been four years today since the war started, and nearly as long since I came to Ireland.

Valenza on Tuesday was charged with 31 offences including 11 counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of administer stupefying drug. He was also accused of seven counts of using a carriage service to menace and harass, six counts of stalking and four counts of recording in breach of privacy. Valenza was already on a good behaviour bond imposed in February after pleading guilty to using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence. Valenza had also pleaded guilty in December last year to another charge of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence in relation to a different woman. That charge was eventually dropped and Valenza pleaded guilty to using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence in relation to the same Queensland woman.