Real Madrid 'prepare six-man fire sale list of superstars who could exit this summer' - including £34.3m signing
Real Madrid are reportedly planning a major summer overhaul that could see as many as six first team stars leave the club. The Spanish giants have endured a turbulent campaign in 2025-26, with boss Xabi Alonso sacked in January. And, according to BILD, Real are set to dramatically reshape their squad this summer as they attempt to return to winning ways. The report suggests that as many as six players may depart the club, with Austrian defender David Alaba top of the list. Elsewhere, Alaba's fellow defender Antonio Rudiger is also likely to exit when his deal expires in the summer.
Source:Daily Mail
March 17, 2026 09:33 UTC
Samsung backs Irish energy firm GridBeyond in €12m funding
Company has raised tens of millions of euro since 2010 launchGridBeyond says that its technology enables “real-time orchestration of distributed assets”Irish smart energy firm GridBeyond has secured an investment from Samsung’s venture capital arm as part of a €12m fundraising. GridBeyond works with companies to design a path to net-zero emissions by optimising energy usage. Samsung Ventures invested in the firm as part of a €12m equity round alongside existing shareholders including Alantra’s Energy Transition Fund, Klima, Energy Impact Partners, Mirova, ABB, Constellation and Act Venture Capital. GridBeyond says its technology enables “real-time orchestration of distributed assets”, including utility-scale renewable generation, battery storage, and energy demand, across multiple market and grid services. A spokesperson for Samsung Ventures said GridBeyond has positioned itself as a “key enabler” of smarter energy systems and greater grid resilience.
Source:Irish Independent
March 17, 2026 09:31 UTC
‘My son has Down syndrome and he's the light of our whole world’
Gazing at her newborn, Joanne saw her husband’s side of the family — and also features suggesting he might have Down syndrome. “He’s fantastic, a superstar, the light of our whole world. “If the doctor suspects someone has given birth to baby with Down syndrome, I go chat with the parent,” she says. “A lot of the time these parents are confused, they didn’t know they were having a baby with Down syndrome. It affects education outcomes, employment opportunities, and independence later in life.”Challenging stereotypesCelebrity chef, cookbook author,and mum-of-three Gina Daly discovered she was pregnant with Gene, who has Down syndrome, on World Down Syndrome Day.
Source:Irish Examiner
March 17, 2026 09:30 UTC
Llewellyn King: Loving Ireland for its contradictions
State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, CanadaZip Code
Source:The Herald
March 17, 2026 09:03 UTC
Offaly speakers address conference on impact of Just Transition fund
Helen Bracken of Fox Convert Farm in Kilcormac was among the speakers at a recent conference in Abbeyleix on the impact of the Just Transition fund. Offaly speakers address conference on impact of Just Transition fundSpeakers from Offaly were among those who addressed a Midlands Ireland conference in Abbeyleix which was designed to highlight examples of the impact the EU Just Transition Fund has had on this region. She noted the role that Just Transition funding has played in enabling these initiatives which are creating employment and strengthening the community. McDonnell, widely known in Athlone as 'Viking Mike', outlined how Just Transition funding had allowed him to transition from diesel to HVO (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil), reducing negative environmental and marine ecological impacts. It is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the EU Just Transition Fund Programme 2021-2027.
Source:Irish Independent
March 17, 2026 08:51 UTC
Westmeath County Council celebrates ‘National Impact’ win at LAMA awards
Seanie Morris, STEM engagement officer, Laois County Council; Siobhan Grealy, STEM engagement officer, and Christine Collins, digital/broadband officer, Longford County Council; Antoinette Brennan, digital/broadband officer, Laois County Council; Kelley Keogh, STEM engagement officer, Westmeath County Council; Ray Bell, digital/broadband officer, and Dean Hodge, STEM engagement officer, Offaly County Council. Westmeath County Council celebrates ‘National Impact’ win at LAMA awardsWestmeath County Council are celebrating after winning the National Impact Award at the LAMA All Ireland Community and Council Awards. The Midlands STEM team have been recognised with several awards over the past few months. The National Impact Award was one of the most prestigious awards of the night, and highlights projects that are making a positive and lasting impact at a national level. It is a coveted award to win, and a huge recognition of the work taking place in the midlands through STEM engagement.
Source:Irish Independent
March 17, 2026 08:49 UTC
Interpol: Fraud up by 70% and will escalate further due to AI
Reported fraud surged by almost 70% in Europe in 2025 — the largest rise across the world, Interpol has said. Interpol said there has been a “global surge” in AI-enhanced fraud schemes such as sextortion which, although mainly targeting adults, is also ensnaring minors. €382bn worldwide fraud billInterpol’s global financial fraud threat assessment said losses from fraud across the world amounted to an estimated $442bn (€382bn) in 2025. Interpol said financial fraud was among the “most threatening” crimes globally, along with drug trafficking and money laundering. “AI-enabled financial fraud schemes are very likely to further expand and escalate, as they are estimated to be 4.5 times more profitable than non-enhanced fraud tactics,” the report said.
Source:Irish Examiner
March 17, 2026 08:36 UTC
Is it time for the EU to start talking to Russia after four years of silence?
It is a question European leaders and their governments have increasingly been mulling, in both private discussions and public commentary. Given all the skin they have in the game, European leaders feel frustrated at being cut out of the negotiations. The right-wing nationalist suggested normalising relations to turn back on the tap that supplied Europe with Russian oil and gas. Agreeing a peace settlement and regaining access to cheap Russian energy was “common sense”, De Wever told Belgian newspaper L’Echo at the weekend. “In private European leaders agree with me, but no one dares to say it out loud.
Source:The Irish Times
March 17, 2026 08:34 UTC
Drama comes before kick-off as Shelbourne and Bohemians play out tense draw
Both teams clash during the warm-ups ahead of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division match between Shelbourne and Bohemians at Tolka Park. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/InphoPremier Division: Shelbourne 0 Bohemians 0Tension surged throughout this Tolka Park derby clash following a pre-match flare-up between both sets of players and the respective coaching teams. Clashes between these neighbours tend to be energised at the best of times, but Tolka Park was simmering. Zane Myers of Bohemians runs past Jack Henry-Francis of Shelbourne during the game at Tolka Park. SHELBOURNE: Speel; Gannon, Rossi, Ledwidge; Caffrey, Norris (Kelly 65); McInroy, McInroy, Henry-Francis (Lunney 71); Caffrey, Wood (Freitas 89), Lundgren (Coote 65); Boyd (Martin 71).
Source:The Irish Times
March 17, 2026 08:33 UTC
Hugo Keenan could make Leinster return for trip to Glasgow on Saturday
Hugo Keenan is in line to play his first game of the season after recovering from a broken thumb. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/InphoIreland fullback Hugo Keenan could be back in the Leinster squad as early as this week for their United Rugby Championship (URC) match against Glasgow on Saturday in Scotstoun Stadium (kick-off 5.30pm). Irish secondrow James Ryan is a doubt for the Glasgow game. “We’ll just manage James [Ryan] this week, so it’s sort of a week of rehab for him and then let’s just see. James Ryan is a doubt for Leinster's trip to play Glasgow on Saturday in the United Rugby Championship.
Source:The Irish Times
March 17, 2026 08:25 UTC
Family release first picture of ‘kind and thoughtful’ teen after meningitis outbreak
Juliette had been a pupil at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School in Faversham for seven years and was characterised by headteacher Amelia McIlroy as "incredibly kind, thoughtful and intelligent. This follows confirmation from a third school, Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, that one of its Year 13 students has been hospitalised with meningitis. Simon Langton Grammar joins Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School and Norton Knatchbull School in Ashford in confirming cases. At the University of Kent, students were notified on Sunday of a confirmed meningitis death, with hundreds queuing for antibiotics during the outbreak. A statement from Norton Knatchbull School confirmed that a Year 13 student had been admitted to hospital with a confirmed case of meningitis.
Source:Daily Mirror
March 17, 2026 08:13 UTC
Oscars 2027: Which films will be up for best picture? Donald Clarke predicts the nominees
For the past decade or so we have, after each Oscar ceremony, had a stab at guessing the next year’s best-picture nominees. The OdysseyDirected by Christopher NolanThe Odyssey: Matt Damon as Odysseus in Christopher Nolan's film. We write a few days before release, and this is the sort of film whose Oscar chances depend on box-office returns. Photograph: Niko Tavernise/Universal Pictures and Amblin EntertainmentIs there room for two Spielbergian science-fiction flicks in the list (Project Hail Mary makes explicit reference to Close Encounters of the Third Kind)? Sandra Hüller – also in 1949 and Project Hail Mary, above – co-stars.
Source:The Irish Times
March 17, 2026 08:11 UTC
I’m a citizen of almost everywhere and nowhere. Am I Irish? Taiwanese? Singaporean?
“Anyone could walk the streets at 3 or 4 in the morning in Singapore and nothing would happen to them. I feel I’m a citizen of almost everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Then I went to international school, and developed this international, third-culture kid accent, an American-British sort of accent. This list includes Trinity College, UCD, Copenhagen Business School and Bocconi Business School in Milan, among others. You know, that’s definitely something.”We would like to hear from people who have moved to Ireland in the past 10 years.
Source:The Irish Times
March 17, 2026 08:01 UTC
Taoiseach: Ireland will not join mission to reopen Strait of Hormuz
However, Mr Martin ruled out any Irish involvement. “We don’t have that offensive military capacity in any shape or form, so obviously its not something that’s on our agenda,” Mr Martin said. “Successive Irish Governments have pursued and supported a rules-based approach to global conflict,” Mr Martin said. The Taoiseach said he did not have a specific gameplan for meeting with Mr Trump. The Taoiseach acknowledged that politics is “unpredictable” but said he is looking forward to his engagement with Mr Trump.
Source:Irish Examiner
March 17, 2026 08:00 UTC
Anti-racism advocate to raise large number of foreign-born missing children with Government
The still large numbers of migrant children remaining on Ireland’s missing persons lists are to be raised with the Government by the special rapporteur on racism. Dr Ebun Joseph is to cite research carried out last year by the Irish Examiner, which found more than 130 children and young people who have disappeared across Ireland since 1977 remain missing. While they include the well-known names of Kyran Durnin from Louth, Philip Cairns from Dublin, Ciara Breen from Louth, and Mary Boyle from Donegal, the majority of the missing children are migrants and have not become household names. The missing person reports stopped mentioning the nationality of the missing children in 2017. As special rapporteur for racial equality and racism, Ebun Joseph has recently read the research and said she was “in shock” when looking at the faces of the missing children.
Source:Irish Examiner
March 17, 2026 08:00 UTC