The Irish Press - News from Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Drogheda, Galyway, Ireland and the world

At Miramar Beach in Peru's popular resort of Ancon, there are no bathers despite the summer heat. Instead, it teems with workers in coveralls cleaning up an oil spill.

Two retired drivers dominated on the second day of the Monte Carlo Rally on Friday as Sebastien Loeb led French compatriot Sebastien Ogier.

Steven Gerrard has revealed his surprise that former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez took on the challenge of managing rivals Everton.

Thousands of people attended an annual anti-abortion rally Friday with their hopes raised this year that the conservative-majority Supreme Court will overturn the landmark ruling that legalized abortion in the United States 50 years ago.

Chile's leftist president-elect Gabriel Boric, whose victory at the polls last month unsettled the markets, on Friday named the country's Central Bank governor as his finance minister in a young, diverse and woman-majority cabinet.

France captain Antoine Dupont is among Toulouse players who have tested positive for Covid-19, club president Didier Lacroix said Friday.

US President Joe Biden is to host German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Washington in February, a US official said Friday, denying reports of a spat between the two leaders.

Former Wales hooker Richard Hibbard announced his retirement from all professional rugby union with immediate effect on Friday.

Washington and Moscow's top diplomats agreed Friday to keep working to ease tensions over Ukraine, with the United States promising a written response to Russian security demands next week and not ruling out a presidential meeting.

President Joe Biden on Friday praised Intel's plans to spend $20 billion on a new US semiconductor facility, hailing the "historic" investment even as a global chip shortage fans the inflation wave weighing on his leadership.

Covid-19 vaccines and boosters continued to have very high efficacy against severe outcomes during the Omicron wave of the virus, a large real-world study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed Friday.

Quinton de Kock won a stroke-filled battle with rival wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant as South Africa clinched their one-day international series against India at Boland Park in Paarl on Friday.

Princess Rita Jenrette Boncompagni Ludovisi has the rarest of guilty pleasures: gazing up at the world's only Caravaggio mural, as she practises yoga in her Roman villa.

Underperforming Egypt and Senegal hope Liverpool stars Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane can recapture their Premier League form when the Africa Cup of Nations enters the last-16 stage in Cameroon.

At least 70 people were killed in an air strike on a prison and at least three children died in a separate bombardment as Yemen's long-running conflict suffered a dramatic escalation of violence on Friday.

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has praised his side's never-say-die attitude but said the club still need to strengthen despite a good run as he prepares for Sunday's showdown against his former club Chelsea.

South Korean champion Cha Jun-hwan hit a new personal best score in the men's short programme to take the lead at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships Friday in Tallinn.

Toulouse president Didier Lacroix said on Friday the club will "take legal action" after European Champions Cup organisers cancelled this weekend's home game with Cardiff and left the holders at risk of missing out on the last 16.

The exit of energy titans TotalEnergies and Chevron from Myanmar's billion dollar gas industry has been hailed by rights groups, but analysts say it will not significantly weaken the generals and may even enrich the military in the short term.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel admitted his side need to improve their attitude for Sunday's Premier League clash with Tottenham if they are to avoid a battle just to remain in the top four.

Scott Jamieson clung on to his one-shot lead in gusty conditions at the Abu Dhabi Championship on Friday as Rory McIlroy needed a birdie on the final hole to avoid missing the projected cut.

Rafael Nadal said on Friday that his foot injury last year was so bad he thought he might never play tennis again.

US semiconductor giant Intel on Friday announced a $20 billion investment to build two new semiconductor plants in Ohio, as a global chip shortage fans the inflation wave weighing on Joe Biden's presidency.

World cycling's governing body UCI announced on Friday an easing of Covid-19 health protocols for the 2022 season because of the good vaccination coverage of the peloton and team monitoring.

Sri Lankan spinner Jeffrey Vandersay returned figures of 4-10 to lead Zimbabwe's 184-run rout in the third one-day international as the hosts clinched the series 2-1 on Friday.

Chile's leftist president-elect Gabriel Boric, whose victory at the polls last month unsettled the markets, on Friday named the country's Central Bank governor as his finance minister in a young, diverse and woman-majority cabinet.

A Myanmar military tribunal sentenced a member of Aung San Suu Kyi's ousted party to death for terror offences on Friday, the junta said in a statement.

The Islamic State group on Friday attacked a Syria prison housing fellow jihadists and a military base in Iraq in near simultaneous deadly operations that revived fears of an IS resurgence.

Manchester United's Victor Lindelof will miss Saturday's match against West Ham after his wife and children were forced to hide during a "traumatic" break-in at their home while he was playing in midweek.

Rowdy behaviour at the Australian Open came under scrutiny for a second day running Friday and again it involved Nick Kyrgios, with an Olympic champion saying the crowd lacked "respect".

French ruling party lawmaker Pascal Bois was at home asleep a few days after Christmas when firefighters banged on his front door to tell him his garage was in flames.

More than 200 people were killed or wounded in an air strike on a prison and at least three children died in a separate bombardment as Yemen's long-running conflict suffered a dramatic escalation of violence on Friday.

The open-air booksellers of Paris, a fixture along the banks of the Seine for centuries, are seeing their numbers dwindle after two years of Covid, with stalls going empty thanks to a dearth of local and foreign customers.

Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has ploughed another £100 million ($136 million) into the struggling Premier League club, taking his stake to 94 percent, it was announced on Friday.

Kim Jones may be borrowing from Dior's most iconic female looks for his latest menswear collection but that doesn't mean he believes gender boundaries are ready to disappear yet.

Seemingly milder for some but still highly contagious, Omicron has filled intensive care beds again at a hospital near Barcelona where shattered staff are still fighting a virus that refuses to retreat.

China on Friday said the president of the UN's General Assembly will take part in the Winter Olympics torch relay, which organisers announced would be closed to the public because of coronavirus fears.

Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof will miss Saturday's Premier League clash with West Ham after his wife and children had to hide from burglars while the Swedish international played in a 3-1 win at Brentford on Wednesday.

Washington and Moscow's top diplomats agreed Friday to keep working to ease tensions over Ukraine, with the United States promising a written response to Russian security demands and not ruling out a presidential meeting.