Brexit talks to enter the 'tunnel' amid fresh hopes for deal
The European Union has given the green light for high-level Brexit talks to begin on proposals hammered out between the Taoiseach and the UK prime minister on Thursday.
The details of what they discussed are being kept highly secretive - however, the chief EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier outlined them to ambassadors from the EU 27 on Friday afternoon.
It means the talks will enter the 'tunnel’ over the weekend – Brussels jargon for highly-secretive talks between small groups of officials, aimed at hammering out a deal away from prying eyes.
Irish officials meet Turkish ambassador over Syria military action
Officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs have met with the Turkish ambassador to Ireland over his country's military action in Syria.
They met with Levent Murat Burhan on Friday afternoon.
In a statement, Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minster Simon Coveney says: "They reiterated Ireland's deep concern at the unilateral military action by Turkey in north-east Syria and emphasised our belief that renewed hostilities will further undermine stability and threaten progress achieved in the fight against Da'esh."
Green Party claims car comments made by Eamon Ryan "badly misrepresented"
The Green Party has apologised after it claims comments made by its leader Eamon Ryan over rural car-sharing schemes were "badly misrepresented".
It says: "Recent comments by Eamon Ryan regarding rural car-sharing schemes have been badly misrepresented online and in the media.
"We deeply regret the hurt this has caused to rural communities".
Terror investigation after five people stabbed in Manchester
Counter-terrorism police in England are investigating after five people were stabbed at a shopping centre by a man who was "lunging at multiple people".
A man in his 40s has been arrested on suspicion of serious assault, Greater Manchester Police said.
Footage from the scene in Manchester city centre showed an officer pointing a taser at a man lying on his front on the ground, with a second officer on top of him.
Man has three-inch tweezers removed from his urethra
A 22-year-old man has made it into the (medical) history books, after having a pair of three-inch tweezers removed from his urethra.
According to a recently released report from the Urology Case Reports, the object was lodged there for four years.
The patient told doctors he had no urological symptoms, fevers or chills as a result of the object being in his body.
