Ireland is moving to outlaw imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, but Taoiseach Micheál Martin has ruled out widening the measure to cover services, saying such a step is “not implementable”. The legislation, designed to ban the import of goods from those settlements, cleared Cabinet this morning and the Government intends to have it signed into law within weeks. Speaking to reporters ahead of the Cabinet meeting, Mr Martin said extending the bill to services could carry consequences for…

Israel says it has killed Hamas's newly installed armed wing commander in Gaza, only days after killing his predecessor, as it ramps up military pressure in the enclave and broadens its campaign in Lebanon. The Israeli military said Mohammad Odeh was killed in an operation in Gaza tomorrow. Hamas has not issued an official statement, though a message from Odeh's family said he was killed alongside his wife and son. Gaza health officials said six people were killed in the same Israeli strike, including at least one woman, and…

Europe is sweltering through a punishing heatwave this week, with temperatures surging to levels rarely seen this early in the year. The continent is heating faster than any other on Earth, and its reach into the rapidly warming Arctic is helping drive the trend. Record May temperatures were shattered in Ireland, France and the UK on Monday and yesterday, and forecasters say the intense heat is far from over as even hotter conditions loom in the days ahead. At the center of the episode is a so-called "heat dome" — a mass of…

A surge in Israeli strikes across southern Lebanon killed 31 people yesterday, Lebanon’s health ministry said, as Israel signaled it was stepping up its campaign despite a truce in the war with Hezbollah. At the same time, Hezbollah said its fighters were confronting Israeli troops who had moved into the southern town of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, while the Israeli military said it was widening its ground offensive. In a statement, the health ministry said 31 people were killed in the attacks and 40 wounded, among them at least…

Europe is sweltering under an unusually early blast of heat, with forecasters warning that a powerful "heat dome" is driving temperatures far beyond what is typical for this point in the year. The surge came after a record-setting Monday, when France registered its hottest May day ever recorded, according to the national weather agency, while the UK also hit unprecedented highs. Meteorologists say the spike is being fuelled by a mass of hot air from northern Africa, trapped beneath a high-pressure system over western Europe…

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 26, 2026 — An International Rescue Committee (IRC) alert warns that a fast-moving Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC risks becoming the deadliest on record unless the international community acts immediately. In a Watchlist Flash Alert issued today, the IRC highlights three stark dangers: the epidemic is outpacing the response; persistent conflict and displacement are raising the chance of cross-border spread; and deep cuts to global aid have left health systems in eastern DRC far…

Days before turning 80, US President Donald Trump has undergone his annual medical examination, a routine presidential event unfolding against renewed scrutiny of his health. Mr Trump, the oldest person ever sworn in as president, has frequently contrasted his own physical and mental stamina with that of his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden. Still, his latest medical and dental evaluation at Walter Reed Military Hospital outside Washington comes as questions linger over reports that he has seemed drowsy in meetings and over…

A year after thieves pulled off a stunning robbery at the Louvre and vanished with jewellery valued at about $100 million (€88 million), the audacious crime is now heading to the big screen, according to a publisher. French filmmaker Romain Gavras — whose credits include the 2025 Hollywood film Sacrifice starring Anya Taylor-Joy, as well as music videos, most recently a hypnotic schoolboy choreography for GENER8ION — will take inspiration from the investigative book Main basse sur le Louvre (A grab at the Louvre). Flammarion…

Israel’s military has reportedly pushed deeper into southern Lebanon, with Israeli media saying troops have begun ground operations beyond the so-called "Yellow Line" — an area extending about 10km inside Lebanese territory. Until now, Israeli forces had been operating within the self-declared "Yellow Line", where they have carried out widespread demolitions even though a ceasefire has been in place since 17 April. "The IDF has begun ground operations north of the Yellow Line in southern Lebanon," Israel's Kan public…

BP has removed Irish chairman Albert Manifold with immediate effect, saying today that the decision followed concerns over governance standards, oversight and conduct, just months after he was brought in to help steer a strategic reset. His exit, after roughly eight months in the role, adds to a turbulent period for the oil major, which has been rocked by scandal and repeated upheaval at the top. Less than three years ago, former BP chief executive Bernard Looney was dismissed after misleading the board about personal…