Brexit deal will prevent “chaos and an atmosphere of conflict” - Tusk

The European Council President has said the new Brexit Withdrawal Agreement will prevent “chaos and an atmosphere of conflict” between the UK and the EU.

At a press briefing after the European Council endorsed the new agreement, Donald Tusk said the new deal had been “positively assessed by Ireland.”

“I said from the beginning that we would always stand behind Ireland and not force a deal unfavourable to Dublin,” he said.

He noted that the UKs acceptance of customs checks at points of entry into the North will “will allow us to avoid border checks between Ireland and Northern Ireland and will ensure the integrity of the Single Market.”

What exactly is in the new Brexit deal

After days of intense and fraught negotiations, the EU and UK have reached a new Brexit deal.

The European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has hailed it as a "fair compromise", while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson welcomed it as a "great new deal".

It still needs to be passed by the British parliament - with the DUP already saying they do not support it.

But what exactly is in that new Brexit deal?

Pence announces Turkish ceasefire in northern Syria

Turkey has agreed to a ceasefire in Syria, provided Kurdish fighters withdraw from a 32km ‘safe zone’ on the border between the two countries.

US Vice President Mike Pence made the announcement following talks with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.

He said US forces had already begun to facilitate the safe withdrawal of Kurdish troops from the area.

He said Turkey has agreed to engage in no military action against people living in the city of Kobani just south of the Turkish border.

“Extremely offensive sign” placed over Cork welfare office

The Department of Social Protection has said it removed an “extremely offensive sign” from one of its Cork offices as soon as it became aware of it.

It comes after the words ‘Job Path Macht Frei’ were placed above the entrance to the Intreo office on Hanover Street in the city.

The lettering mirrored that of the infamous "Arbeit macht frei" sign placed over the Auschwitz concentration camp.

The slogan, which translates as ‘work will set you free’ appeared over a number of Nazi concentration during the holocaust.

CAB targets individual over construction industry extortion

Nine searches have been carried out in counties Limerick, Cork and Waterford as part of an investigation into the payment of protection money by the construction industry.

Four homes, a business premises, and the offices of an accountant, architect and a motor dealership were searched today by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB), with the Garda Armed Support Unit assisting in the operation.

The investigation is targeting the "assets and activities" of a person involved in the provision of building services and unlicensed security services.

A number of items were seized in the operation - including a Rolex watch, an Audi SUV, electronic storage devices and financial documents.