The small uptick in prices to 4 per cent in the year to December does not mean that the cost-of-living crisis is back. The markets have been betting on a reduction as soon as May but that could now be put back. Nevertheless, there could be a further rise in the index this month as a result of a 5 per cent increase in the energy price cap. After that, barring unexpected accidents, there is little reason that the consumer prices index should not hit the 2 per cent target by summer. The bottom line for most Britons is that wages are more than outpacing inflation and consumer prices and interest rates should fall as the year progresses.

She said: “It is a very difficult day for our public sector workers. Mr Heaton-Harris has made clear he will extend that deadline and introduce further legislation to ensure continued delivery of public services in Northern Ireland. “Today’s strike will be disruptive for people across Northern Ireland. “I understand the serious concerns that people across Northern Ireland have about the impact this action will have on vital public services,” he said. “While public sector pay is devolved, the UK Government has offered a fair and generous package worth over £3 billion which would address public sector pay and provides more than £1 billion to stabilise public services.

Anderson, IN (46016)TodaySnow showers early with a steadier snow developing late. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Snowfall around one inch..TonightSnow showers early with a steadier snow developing late. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Snowfall around one inch.

Aiden McGuire, The Downs GAA club, proposed the €1m donated by JP McManus be put towards the new centre of excellence in Westmeath. Call to put €1m JP fund towards centre of excellenceA leading Westmeath GAA club has called for the €1m funding from businessman JP McManus to go towards the planned centre of excellence in the county. "The centre of excellence has to be paid for and it will be there for all units of the GAA in Westmeath." There was concern that this could not be covered by donating the €1m directly to a centre of excellence. The chairman stressed that ladies football and camogie are fully included in the plans for a centre of excellence.

Manchester United paid Raine Group £24.9m ($31.5m) to broker Sir Jim Ratcliffe's £1.3bn bid for a 29 per cent stake in the club. Reports in France have suggested PSG will attempt to cash in on former Manchester United target Goncalo Ramos because of doubts whether he is a good fit for their team. Sir Jim Ratcliffe could be at risk of having to sell his 25 per cent stake in Manchester United in just 18 months. Manchester United winger Amad Diallo appears to have quashed rumours of a loan move to Championship side Middlesbrough. THE ATHLETICGranada are confident of securing Manchester United winger Facundo Pellistri on a loan deal for the remainder of the campaign.

He was an ardent supporter of both the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup, enjoying the team spirit and unique atmosphere that those events encapsulate. He received the Billie Jean King Cup Media Award from the ITF in 2022 and the LTA’s own President’s award for Media Services to Tennis in 2016. He is survived by his wife Lucy and three children. No one journalist supported Davis Cup or Billie Jean King Cup more throughout the years. Our thoughts go out to his wife Lucy and three children.

"When I was in my 20s, I worked retail, as people in their 20s frequently do. That would be the man who waited outside for me every night for about two weeks. He'd frequently 'visit' me during the day to 'chat,' and he'd ask what time I got off work. But it didn't matter whether I answered or not because our hours were posted, and all he had to do was wait. "One night I avoided him by slipping out the back, and the next day he came and told me all about how hurt he'd been.

The tableaux revolves around the theme Vikasit Goa, Vikasit Bharat, depicting Tapaloka Yog Kshetra, Goa’s marine life and Jal Jeevan Mission. The Goa government has selected artiste Sushant Khedekar to the work related to conceptualisation, designing, fabrication and presentation/display of Goa tableaux during the nine-day Bharat Parv. The fabrication work of Goa tableaux has already been commenced at Rashtriya Rangshala camp. So far 60 per cent work of tableau has been completed, according to the Department of information and publicity under whose auspices the Goa tableau will be displayed. This year, the Republic Day Cultural pageantry will see participation of sixteen States from across the country.

The transportation timings have been set as 10 am to 12 noon and from 2 pm to 5 pm. The limit of 50 trucks per day as against 230 trucks which were plying though the village roads since January 8 this year. By public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition, the petitioners had prayed to stop transportation of mining ore through the village road of Mayem village in Bicholim taluka. The road through the Mayem village was never used for ore transport in the past. The petitioners apprehended that attempt to reuse the village road to transport mineral ore would result in renewed damage to the village road and dust and noise pollution for the villagers and cause serious hazard for the village community.

Numbers using public transport hits record highMuireann DuffyPublic transport usage recovered from its Covid-19 slump to reach record highs last year, figures from the National Transport Authority (NTA) show. Overall, there was a 24 per cent increase in public transport usage on 2022's figures, and a 5 per cent increase on the previous record set in 2019. Public transport figures for the three years from 2020 to 2022 were all impacted by the Covid pandemic. Commenting on the figures, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said public transport turned a significant corner in 2023. He said the public transport usage figures ae "really encouraging", adding: "It shows that when you provide good transport services people flock to them, in both urban and rural areas."

Local boutique to closeAnother high profile local business is closing its doors. La Carm boutique in Moate is set to cease trading today (Wednesday). A closing down sale has been ongoing in the shop at Main Street for some time. The Moate closure comes on foot of several others in the Athlone area in the hospitality sector in recent weeks and months. To the shock and disappointment of many, the popular Corner House Bistro closed for the final time on Saturday last.

Workers are demanding that pay awards made to counterparts elsewhere in the UK are introduced in Northern Ireland. Setting public sector pay is a devolved issue in Northern Ireland. Unions on strike represent workers right across the public sector in Northern Ireland so disruption is expected to be substantial. Northern Ireland is currently in the grip of severe winter weather with ice and snow already causing travel and schools disruption. Nipsa, one of the largest unions in Northern Ireland, has called for a campaign of “civil disobedience” to protect public services in Northern Ireland.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy with Blackstone chief executive Steve Schwarzmanleft (left), JPMorgan Chase chief executive Jamie Dimon (second left) and ArcelorMittal chief executive Lakshmi Mittal on the opening day of the World Economic Forum in Davos. Ahead of his main address to the forum, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy met business leaders including the JP Morgan bank chief executive Jamie Dimon. READ MOREDimon apparently introduced himself to Zelenskiy — “I’m Jamie Dimon from JPMorgan Chase. God bless you.” Not much else is known about the meeting or what these two disparate figures discussed as it happened off-piste. Besides war and the deteriorating global security situation, the biggest theme of this year’s Davos event is the disruptive impact of AI technologies.

Mr Li told them it was a “great pleasure” to make their acquaintance and passed on the greetings of Chinese president Xi Jinping. The two shook hands and Mr Li asked about Mr Higgins’ visit to his home province of Zhejiang. Warmly welcoming Mr Li at the state reception room, Mr Higgins said that he remembered his state visit to China and Mr Xi’s visit to Ireland in 2012 while he was vice-president. A band from the Irish Defence Forces played as Mr Li inspected the soldiers. Mr Varadkar said Ireland is seeking a strong and constructive relationship with China built on “trust and respect”.

Jack Crowley and Johnny Sexton during Ireland squad training in Tours, France, in October 2023. With Sexton now retired Crowley is ready to step in and aspire to be a commanding figure. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/InphoIt would be true to Andy Farrell’s nature to largely stick with the players who saw him through a World Cup cycle that nearly was when this year’s initial Six Nations squad is announced on Wednesday at 2pm. Johnny Sexton’s retirement will lead to the most profound team change that the Irish coach must make. Jordan Larmour, one of the more painful World Cup omissions along with Joey Carbery, has grabbed attention in recent weeks with busy, eye-catching play with Leinster.