From snake bites to moth colonies: There’s shocking intensity to Australia’s natural world – The Irish Times
Photograph: iStockWhen I came home from Australia for a visit last autumn, my brother and I took a road trip. I planned to visit Kerry to do some research for a book I’m working on, and my brother kindly offered to drive me. For an Irish person, accustomed to the less capricious cadence of Irish seasons and creatures, Australia is a sort of cosmic shock. While the landing of my apartment building is hopefully not these moths’ natural habitat, there they have been each morning this week. In the meantime, I try to nurture a sense of awe in the face of Australia’s alien (to me) natural world.
Source:The Irish Times
November 05, 2025 19:32 UTC
Fire-safety concerns found during inspections at more than 50 asylum centres
A review by The Irish Times of all available reports for inspections on Ipas facilities so far this year found fire-safety concerns were raised in respect of more than 50 accommodation centres. There were no fire-safety concerns raised in the 2024 inspection, the most recent report available, of the Drogheda accommodation centre. Some inspections also raised concerns about how long evacuations took. A number of inspection reports raised concerns about overcrowding in some accommodation centres, which was also flagged as a fire-safety issue. Inspectors also identified fire risks from a number of e-scooters being charged indoors in the corridors of some accommodation centres.
Source:The Irish Times
November 05, 2025 19:31 UTC
Novo Nordisk loses further ground in obesity market
Novo Nordisk is continuing to lose ground in the obesity and diabetes markets, with the Danish drugmaker saying it expected sales and profit growth at the lower end of its guidance this year. The Ozempic maker, which is in the midst of a fierce battle with US rival Pfizer to buy obesity biotech Metsera, now expects 2025 sales growth of between 8 and 11 per cent at constant exchange rates. The updated forecast in its latest results is driven by lower expectations for sales of Ozempic and its other blockbuster weight-loss treatment Wegovy. Maziar Mike Doustdar, who was appointed chief executive in August after his predecessor was ousted following sharp falls in the share price, said the transformation plan had already created efficiencies. “We aim to accelerate on all fronts to be able to compete better in dynamic and increasingly competitive markets,” he said.
Source:The Irish Times
November 05, 2025 19:27 UTC
The Irish Times view on Coalition strains: it’s the little things that trip you up
It is more than five years now since Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael broke one of Irish politics’ last taboos and agreed to join together in coalition government. As Albert Reynolds ruefully reflected following the implosion of his own coalition, it’s the little things that trip you up. Since Yates is a former Fine Gael minister, many would have assumed he was speaking from that perspective. He chose not to share his commercial relationship with Fianna Fáil with listeners or colleagues. If this Coalition is to thrive rather than just survive, it will need to find a sense of forward momentum.
Source:The Irish Times
November 05, 2025 19:18 UTC
Irish arm of Italian bank to fund delivery of first playing pitch for Dublin’s Liberties
Mediolanum International Funds is set to fund a full-size community playing pitch for Dublin's southwest inner city. Mediolanum International Funds has announced plans to fund the delivery of the first, full-size community playing pitch for the southwest inner city. At an event in Dublin’s City Hall on Tuesday night, Mediolanum International Funds announced that it had raised more than €1.1 million for community initiatives across Dublin. Tom Magee of Sporting Liberties, an umbrella group of local sports clubs which has been spearheading the campaign for a playing pitch, said the impact of the project would “be felt for generations”. Dublin City Council has committed to delivering a separate playing pitch as part of its planned redevelopment of the nearby Marrowbone Lane depot site.
Source:The Irish Times
November 05, 2025 19:00 UTC
Jack Chambers endures silent tsunami of schadenfreude in the Dáil – The Irish Times
“I’m not going anywhere.”Fighting talk from Micheál Martin in an interview last week amid dark rumblings in the ranks over his handling of the presidential election debacle. Catherine Connolly ceased to be a TD after she won last month's presidential election. Then again, it was a happy day of sorts too for the deputy leader of Fianna Fáil. Former Fine Gael minister Ivan Yates. The Taoiseach was on his way to the Amazon Delta while his ill-fated presidential election candidate, Jim Gavin, is down the Swanee river.
Source:The Irish Times
November 05, 2025 18:55 UTC
British media sees red over Irish poppy refuseniks
There was a predictable mini furore this week in British media over Ireland footballer and Arsenal player Katie McCabe’s decision not to wear a poppy for a match last weekend. At this time of year, Irish people living in Britain sometimes feel the glare of attention over their decisions about wearing the poppy. I do not wear one but, of course, I have no issue with the Irish in Britain who do. It appears that the Daily Mail was the first British newspaper to report on McCabe’s decision to “DITCH” the poppy from her jersey last weekend in Arsenal’s match against Leicester. [ Finn McRedmond: Annual kerfuffle over the poppy does not point to an island ready for reunificationOpens in new window ]The Royal British Legion sells 30 million poppies each year.
Source:The Irish Times
November 05, 2025 18:38 UTC
‘Significant’ staffing shortages in stroke units, report finds
According to the report, there was a 13 per cent increase in hospital stroke admissions, from 6,089 in 2021 to 6,882 in 2024. During this time, the number of stroke unit beds has increased 2 per cent from 239 to 244. Stroke units are vital for the outcome of such patients, significantly reducing mortality and disability through the use of multidisciplinary teams. [ Is one long walk better for you health than several short walks?Opens in new window ]The National Stroke Strategy 2022 to 2027 outlined a desire to ensure the stroke units “are properly staffed and not just ‘signs over doors’”. “Every hospital now has a stroke unit, but too few patients are actually being treated in them,” he said.
Source:The Irish Times
November 05, 2025 18:04 UTC
Met Éireann forecasts rain showers amid ‘changeable’ weather in Ireland
Photograph: Bryan O’BrienWeather conditions for the remainder of the week will be “changeable”, although rain spells will continue to dominate. After a wet start to the week, with status-yellow rain warnings issued by Met Éireann for four counties on Monday, the forecaster has predicted more showery days ahead. The rain will gradually clear northwards, leaving conditions drier for the afternoon and evening with just patches of light rain or drizzle. Starting with patches of light rain or drizzle, more frequent spells of rain will move northwards overnight, clearing to isolated showers in the south by morning. Rain and mist will clear during the morning and the cloud will gradually clear eastward too, leaving sunny spells and just isolated showers.
Source:The Irish Times
November 05, 2025 18:03 UTC
Win a family pass to the première of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootropolis 2.
In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootropolis 2, rookie cops Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) find themselves on the twisting trail of a great mystery when Gary De’Snake (voice of Ke Huy Quan) arrives in Zootropolis and turns the animal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before. The film also features the voices of Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, Idris Elba, Patrick Warburton, Quinta Brunson, Nate Torrence, and Shakira, who returns as Gazelle. From the Oscar®-winning team of Disney Animation chief creative officer Jared Bush and Byron Howard (directors) and Yvett Merino (producer). Zootropolis 2 opens in cinemas from Friday, November 28th.
Source:The Irish Times
November 05, 2025 17:09 UTC
EU states locked in negotiations on 90% emissions-reduction target
The Republic and many other states are under serious pressure to meet existing EU targets to cut emissions by the end of this decade. The longer-term targets for 2040 would bind the EU to a 90 per cent cut in emissions, on the way to it becoming climate neutral by 2050. The Government said it would support the 2040 plan, after receiving assurances that states that fell short of earlier climate targets would not be “unfairly penalised” by crippling billion-euro fines. Spain’s left-wing climate minister, Sara Aagesen Munoz, said the 90 per cent target was a “red line” that the EU could not backtrack on. Several concessions have been put on the table to get national capitals to buy into the 2040 target.
Source:The Irish Times
November 04, 2025 22:58 UTC
CCTV tracked murder accused as he walked close behind Irishman (87) in London
Footage played in court showed Mr Mackey, who was frail and walked with the aid of a stick, soon after leaving his home near Kayani Avenue at about 4.34pm. Prosecutors said the footage showed Mr Augustine, who was not known to the victim, happening upon the scene at about this time. CCTV, the prosecutors said, showed Mr Augustine hanging around outside leaning on railings and “seeming” to be on the phone. Footage showed the accused walking close behind the elderly Irishman as he made his way home. CCTV then showed Mr Augustine retracing his steps back out of the walkway one minute and 48 seconds later.
Source:The Irish Times
November 04, 2025 22:58 UTC
Former IT worker jailed for role in Thornton Hall pig stabbings
In June 2024, security guards at Thornton Hall in north Dublin found two pigs with stab and slash wounds, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Tuesday. After his arrest, Jackson told gardaí his actions “had nothing to do with god or colour” and that “it’s not the people’s fault”, meaning immigrants, the court heard. The court heard it’s believed the footage is of Jackson driving the pigs from Cavan. The court heard he has made a payment of €1,000 to an animal welfare trust. Counsel said Jackson told them that “he did not want anything to do with these people”.
Source:The Irish Times
November 04, 2025 21:58 UTC
Is one long walk better for your health than several short walks?
A new study suggests that going on longer walks may have more health benefits than taking the same number of steps a day over multiple short walks. Photograph: Nicholas Sansone/New York TimesA new study suggests that going on longer walks may have more health benefits than taking the same number of steps a day over multiple short walks. The analysis looked at people who took fewer than 8,000 steps per day; most participants took fewer than 5,000. This data shows only a correlation; it does not prove that taking longer walks is healthier than spacing your steps out over the day. “Some is better than none; more is better than some,” said Hannah Arem, a public health researcher at MedStar Health Research Institute in Washington.
Source:The Irish Times
November 04, 2025 20:48 UTC
Shein races to contain sex dolls scandal in France
The sex doll controversy comes a day before Shein is due to open its first permanent store in Paris. French authorities opened an investigation into Shein and three other ecommerce platforms on Monday after receiving alerts about sex dolls resembling children being sold by multiple third party sellers on their sites. Shein said it had suspended its “adult products” category on its marketplace and imposed a global ban on sex doll sales. The furore around the sex dolls adds to a lengthy list of controversies involving Shein. AliExpress, Temu and Wish are also being investigated by French authorities for selling sex dolls with a childlike appearance.
Source:The Irish Times
November 04, 2025 19:49 UTC