Don’t flip out, but the cost of making a simple pancake has jumped by more than a third since 2020. The Central Statistics Office’s (CSO) breakdown of pancake inflation, published to coincide with Shrove Tuesday, indicates the cost of a basic pancake mix – eggs, milk, and flour – has risen by 35.2 per cent in the last five years. Pancake inflation is higher than general food-price inflation, which was put at 27.3 per cent for the five-year period. Higher food prices reflect the lagged effect of higher energy prices. One consolation was that the price of sugar was flat as a pancake last year.

Henry Pollock, pictured during a training session at the England Rugby Performance Centre at Pennyhill Park, Bagshot, will make his England debut against Ireland on Saturday. Photo: Adam Davy/PA WireHenry Pollock will make his first England start in Saturday's Guinness Six Nations clash with Ireland as one of three changes in personnel to the side defeated by Scotland. Pollock, the 21-year-old British and Irish Lion who made his England debut in last year’s Six Nations, has won all seven of his previous caps as a replacement. Ollie Lawrence fills the number 13 jersey in his first appearance of this year’s Six Nations and Henry Arundell continues on the left wing. Replacements: J George (Saracens), B Rodd (Sale), T Davison (Northampton), A Coles (Northampton), G Pepper (Bath), S Underhill (Bath), J van Poortvliet (Leicester), M Smith (Harlequins).

The National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM) has warned flooding is a risk across the whole country whether or not a yellow rain warning is in place due to current conditions. Met Éireann has issued three separate yellow warnings for rain, wind and snow across 18 counties in the southeast. Whether or not a yellow rain warning is in place for a county, all areas will remain at risk of flooding.”A Status Yellow wind warning was issued for Dublin, Wexford, Wicklow, Meath and Louth. A separate Status Yellow rainfall warning has been issued for Cork, Waterford, Cavan, Monaghan, Tipperary, Waterford and Leinster – Dublin, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow. A Status Yellow rain and snow warning was issued for Donegal from 2am on Wednesday until 2pm.

Wild boar taking mud bath in area known as 'UK's wild boar capital'The video was taken in the Forest of DeanView 2 Images Wild boar taking a mud bath in the Forest of Dean (Image: SWNS)A wild boar has been captured enjoying a mud bath in what is known as the UK's capital for the species. ‌The footage was taken by wildlife photographer Zbigniew Waćkowski, 49, on a trail camera in the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire. ‌It depicts a feral pig taking a mud bath in an area where the population of the species has seen a significant increase. View 2 Images Wild boar taking a mud bath in the Forest of Dean (Image: SWNS)‌Gloucester-based Zbigniew shared his love for the Forest of Dean, saying: "I first visited the Forest of Dean four years ago and I completely fell in love with the place. Boars were hunted to extinction in the UK 700 years ago but re-established themselves in the Forest of Dean in the 1990s.

Liverpool icon Jurgen Klopp lands new job after Man Utd issue response over 'offer'Liverpool icon Jurgen Klopp has been spotted at the 2026 Winter Olympics after confirming he would have a big role to play for one eventView 2 Images Jurgen Klopp rang the ball for the final lap of the Biathlon at the Winter Olympics (Image: BBC )Legendary Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has secured himself a new role... at the Winter Olympics. That's because he'll be at the 2026 Winter Olympics to ring the bell for the final lap of the men's biathlon relay. ‌Moreover, Klopp is reported to have idolised the legendary biathlete, Ole Einar Bjorndalen, who bagged 14 Winter Olympics medals throughout his career. View 2 Images Jurgen Klopp has revealed his love for several winter sports including the Biathlon relay (Image: PA)‌"I love all alpine skiing, I love all cross-country skiing disciplines, I love biathlon. Showcasing his love for the sport, Klopp has previously filmed a documentary with Bjorndalen, with the football coach saying: "I don't think Ole Einar has bigger admirers than me.

Her comments come amid media reports which claimed that Mr Culleton was due to arrive back in Ireland today. Mr Culleton (38) has been held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) officers at a facility in El Paso, Texas since last September. She said the court entered a temporary order staying his removal for the next 10 business days. “Culleton has resided in the United States for nearly two decades and is married to a U.S. citizen. He has no criminal entries since living in the United States.

Pape Matar Sarr has demanded the release of the 18 Senegal fans who have been detained in Morocco since a highly contentious Africa Cup of Nations final last month. Sarr missed the final due to illness but his Senegal team-mates won 1-0 against tournament hosts Morocco to be crowned AFCON champions for only the second time in their history. Tuesday marked 31 days since the AFCON final and taking to X, Sarr called for his compatriots to be released from their imprisonment - labelling their current situation an 'injustice'. Last month, the Morocco and Senegal FAs were fined almost £1m between them following the AFCON final chaos. Pape Gueye then scored in extra-time with a brilliant strike and his goal proved decisive in giving Senegal a second successive AFCON title.

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The use of GPS tracking devices to monitor and trace dogs that attack sheep flocks should be considered, the Joint Oireachtas Agriculture Committee was told. As many as 4,000 sheep are killed or injured by marauding dogs in up to 400 attacks on farms and hillsides countrywide every year. Frances MacAodhain, Department of Agriculture principal officer, with responsibility for animal identification and movement, said all those ideas were worth exploring. Consequently, the department is committed to ensuring that microchipping legislation evolves in light of new challenges and opportunities,” she said. Dr Mary McCarthy, principal officer for animal welfare, assured the committee the department was very much aware of sheep worrying and focused on it.

Pothole 'blitz' taking place in North LincolnshireThe council says it is 'fixing the roads people actually use every day and doing it efficiently'View Image Pothole repairs are taking place in North Lincolnshire (Image: North Lincolnshire Council)A co-ordinated "blitz" is taking place to tackle potholes and damaged pavements across dozens of locations in the Isle of Axholme. ‌North Lincolnshire Council says it has already made significant progress, with hundreds of potholes addressed over the past fortnight. ‌Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “Residents are rightly fed up with potholes. More durable, permanent repairs are scheduled for the spring and summer when weather conditions are more favourable for roadworks. Cllr Tim Mitchell, cabinet member for sustainability and transformation, added: “We’re addressing the potholes across North Lincolnshire but we’re being co-ordinated and targeted in our approach - that makes it more efficient."

An American who killed his girlfriend's mother with a fruit bowl in a Bali hotel room and stuffed her body into a suitcase has been released from prison. Unbeknown to her mother, Heather had secretly invited her boyfriend Tommy Schaefer, using her mother's credit card to purchase a $12,000 first class flight for him. The pair placed her body inside a suitcase and left it in the trunk of a taxi outside the resort. However, CCTV footage showing Sheila and Heather arguing in the hotel lobby and further evidence undermined their account. Kerobokan Prison Governor Hudi Ismono confirmed Schaefer's release on Tuesday, saying: 'Today, Tommy Schaefer is released and we have handed over him to the Immigration.

Photograph: iStockAlmost 100 people die each week in Ireland from illnesses caused by tobacco products, according to a new report by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. It’s time for Government to lead again and to focus on elimination of tobacco harm for once and for all,” Kavanagh said. “Stalled reductions in smoking rates and the continuing scale of harm caused by tobacco products mean we have no time to waste. Ireland has led the world before in its efforts to tackle tobacco harm. They have also passed legislation to improve regulation of vaping products, nicotine pouches and other tobacco products that could be introduced for sale in the future.

“It is Alzheimer’s.” In a tiny windowless office in the bowels of the hospital the air was sucked out of the room. My mum, Ferga, exhaled and said, “Oh God”, as I sat there feeling my world disintegrate – she was the epicentre of my heart. The appointment was brief; there’s no intensive treatment regime to follow, no chance of a cure. We renamed it Ally-Zee – Alzheimer’s is such a loaded word; it’s heavy, sad and scary, and we wanted to disempower it. I knew that as I sat with her stroking her hair she knew she was loved and that she loved me.

The lotto player purchased their ticket online and are among the highest wins so far this yearA lotto player in Co Kildare has started off the week celebrating after they discovered that they had become Ireland’s newest millionaire. A Daily Million player in Kildare got their week started off in style after scooping the top prize of €1 million in the 9pm draw on Monday night, February 16. The lucky player purchased their ticket online and have now taken their spot on the roll call of highest wins so far this year. The winning numbers in the 9pm Daily Million draw on Monday, February 16 were: 09, 22, 27, 31, 33, 39 and the bonus was 37. The eager winner has already made contact with the National Lottery prize claims team and arrangements are now being made for them to visit Lottery Headquarters to collect their €1 million top prize.

Nightmare Stoke-on-Trent council tenant kicked out over son's unruly behaviourGareth Machin had set fire to his neighbour's curtains in a row over a womanView Image Pretoria Road in Etruria (Image: Google Maps)A nightmare tenant has been evicted from his Stoke-on-Trent council house - after his son set fire to a neighbour's home in a row over a woman. Stoke-on-Trent County Court heard the property in Pretoria Road, Etruria, had become the centre of 'serious criminal activity'. ‌As a result, Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) team secured a court possession order for the house after a hearing held earlier this month. The council then became aware of the conviction in July 2025 and subsequently served a Notice of Seeking Possession – an eviction notice used due to proven anti-social behaviour - on the tenant on August 14 last year. ‌Speaking after the tenant's eviction, Councillor Duncan Walker, cabinet member for safe and resilient communities, said: “We take anti-social behaviour extremely seriously and will act swiftly where criminal activity puts residents and neighbourhoods at risk.