But the proposal is just the latest stage in the negotiations rather than their conclusion. ‘We don’t really care about the Europeans’The Trump administration’s latest proposal for peace in Ukraine, as reported first in Axios and later by other media, appears to be a settlement mostly on Moscow’s terms. Ukraine would have to recognise Russian as an official state language and grant formal status to the local branch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Although European capitals were not consulted during the latest talks, they could still have an opportunity to influence the negotiations. In the days that followed, Ukraine and its European allies persuaded Trump to slow down the process and to demand that both sides agree to an immediate ceasefire first.

According to Dublin Archdiocese’s financial statements for 2024, based on current cost assumptions, existing reserves will be exhausted within 16 years. In the archdiocese’s financial statements for 2024, it says that, based on current cost assumptions, existing reserves will be exhausted within 16 years. With 1.1 million Catholics, the archdiocese is served by 361 priests, a majority of whom are elderly. The second (“Share”) collections, in support of parishes, raised €5.7 million in 2024, compared to €5.6 million in 2023. To address the decline in numbers of priests, the archdiocese has introduced a pastoral strategy called “Building Hope”.

Mr Trump sought to flip that script after signing the Bill in a posting to Truth Social that pointed out Epstein’s ties to the Democratic Party. “Perhaps the truth about these Democrats, and their associations with Jeffrey Epstein, will soon be revealed, because I HAVE JUST SIGNED THE BILL TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES!,” Mr Trump wrote on Wednesday night. Mr Trump wavered on the issue for years before finally succumbing to political pressure. After Mr Trump indicated his approval of the Bill, Republican holdouts swiftly moved it through the House and then the Senate. A photograph of Ghislaine Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein that was shown to the court during her sex trafficking trial in New York.

Former minister for finance Paschal Donohoe felt political pressure from his colleagues in government to spend more “every moment of every day”, he told the Irish Times Inside Politics podcast in his final interview as an Irish politician. Paschal Donohoe’s last interview Listen | 57:34Mr Donohoe said he was “always worried” by the prospect of corporation tax revenues drying up. But let’s say it was to happen ... we would be facing into that with a surplus of €9 billion. “The second thing that would then happen is, let’s say that shock was to hit us in two to three years’ time. Profile of Minister for Finance stepping down for role at World BankOpens in new window ]As he leaves Irish politics, Mr Donohoe said that he would recommend the life to anyone.

Photograph: Declan DohertyIce, frost, hail, sleet, snow and hazardous driving conditions are expected on Thursday morning following overnight freezing conditions. The impacted counties are forecast to experience hail, sleet and snow showers with some “modest accumulations” of snow in some areas, especially on high ground, according to the forecaster. Met Éireann’s Rebecca Cantwell said the expected hail, sleet and possibly snow would result in “icy stretches and possibly hazardous travelling conditions.”She said Thursday would be “another cold day with frost and icy patches slow to clear”. Scattered showers, mainly falling as rain or sleet, will become increasingly isolated through the day with increasing sunny spells. Highest temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees are expected, alongside winds reaching strong to near gale force strength along Atlantic coasts.

Studies of the plant-focused portfolio diet suggest those who follow it reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. What is the portfolio diet? Similar to the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet, the portfolio diet emphasises fibre, healthy fats and plant sources of protein. A group of naturally occurring plant compounds called phytosterols (or plant sterols) are also key components of the portfolio diet. Because the study found only associations between the portfolio diet and lower cardiovascular risk, it could not prove that the diet directly reduced them.

Daniel Cronin’s family’s counsel told the court it was their case that the farmer had cardiac symptoms but he was treated as a sore throat and 'it cost him his life'. Photograph: Bryan O'BrienThe family of a Cork farmer who had a heart attack and died, hours after an out-of-hours doctor over the phone treated his symptoms as a sore throat, has settled a High Court action over his death. She said on December 15th he attended the out-of-hours service with mild throat symptoms. Counsel said Dr Issou rang Mr Cronin and dealt with the matter as a sore throat. Outside court, Cronin’s son, Brendan on behalf of the family said they felt very let down by what had happened.

But the iPhone 17 Pro has plenty going for it, too. After a more extended test, the iPhone 17 Pro has cemented its place as my favourite iPhone. The camera has always been the Pro model’s standout feature, giving people a compelling reason to upgrade from the standard iPhone, and the iPhone 17 Pro is no different. Everything elseApple has added a new colour, with the 17 Pro now coming in an eye-catching orange. VerdictThe iPhone 17 Pro may not have the instant wow factor of the iPhone Air, but it earns its price tag.

Ireland’s suburbs, as charted in this week’s series in The Irish Times, offer a portrait of a country in motion. The shape of suburbia is also shifting, driven by rapid population growth, economic strain and uneven investment. Within the new suburbs themselves, residents report thinly stretched services and limited civic amenities. What is dispiriting is that the same mistakes are being made despite repeated commitments to best planning practice. History suggests that residents of these new suburbs will build strong communities regardless; previous generations showed the same resilience.

Rei Momo on Drury Street, Dublin 2: a place where you can order, eat, drink and laugh. Rei Momo began as a pop-up after Bootleg closed and has settled into its skin. Interior of Rei MomoInterior detailRei MomoFrango peri peri (peri peri chicken)Pork chop with pineappleWe finish with pastel de doce de leite (€7) – long, twisted strips of fried pastry standing upright in a pewter pot, glistening with dulce de leche. Rei Momo feels made for Christmas get-togethers – bright, boisterous, full of life – powered by a VOID Air Vantage Soundsystem that turns dinner into celebration. Rei Momo is the place to go when you’ve had enough of tasting menus and long explanations.

IRFU chief executive Kevin Potts has defended ticket prices for internationals at the Aviva Stadium and strongly rejected claims that Ireland’s home matches have increasingly become corporate days out. Category A tickets for this Saturday’s game against South Africa (kick-off 5.40pm) were set at €160, tickets prices for Ireland home games having increased by around 80 per cent in the last dozen years. Ireland fans celebrate Mack Hansen’s try against Australia at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday. Photograph: Gary Carr/InphoHe added: “We have to charge prices that fill the stadium and deliver the revenues we need. “Our ticket distribution across Ireland has not changed since we opened the Aviva Stadium back in 2010.

Pundit and former politician Ivan Yates told TDs and Senators he “deliberately” didn’t tell his podcast co-host Matt Cooper that he provided media training to Jim Gavin during the recent presidential election. Mr Yates, a former Fine Gael TD who served as minister for agriculture in the mid-1990s, was axed from the Path to Power podcast earlier this month when it emerged he had coached Mr Gavin, Fianna Fáil’s candidate. He served as a Fine Gael TD from 1981 to 2002, and was minister for agriculture from 1994 to 1997. A number of committee members asked Mr Yates if he regretted saying that Fine Gael should “smear the bejaysus” out of Catherine Connolly during the presidential election. Mr Yates also told the committee he was concerned about plans to regulate podcasts.

Lorna Lynch SC, for the defendant, said the sensitive information was originally submitted as evidence by the plaintiff, Ms Little. Mr Kean, for Ms Little, told the court that the sensitive information originated from CHI in the first instance. Ms Haughey told the court she had been placed in “very invidious position” where highly sensitive personal health data had been sent to her “in unredacted form”. She said she believed the sensitive personal health data was ”not relevant, nor germane” to her client’s legal action against CHI. Among other things, Ms Little claims she was deprived of her right to call witnesses in her defence, introduce exculpatory documentary evidence, challenge erroneous findings of fact, or examine witnesses.

Photograph: Nick BradshawAttempts to write gender equality out of global climate agreements are “crazy” and “cruel”, former president of Ireland Mary Robinson has said. Mrs Robinson was speaking at the Cop30 climate summit in Brazil, where countries are trying to devise a new Gender Action Plan. “Gender equality is a precondition for effective climate action,” Mrs Robinson said. “We have had to fight to maintain agreed language around gender equality in every negotiation,” she said. The European Union is among a number of negotiating parties at Cop30 pushing for an ambitious Gender Action Plan.

Paschal Donohoe said he ‘made some big decisions’ before the last general election and had considered not running. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PAFormer minister for finance Paschal Donohoe has admitted he considered not running in the 2024 general election. Mr Donohoe resigned from the Cabinet on Tuesday to take up a post with the World Bank. Mr Donohoe told RTÉ radio’s Today with David McCullagh that he “always had an understanding” with Mr Harris that the occasion could arise that he would leave the Government. Mr Donohoe said he “made some big decisions” before the last general election and had considered not running, but then decided to do so.