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

On Bethlehem's Manger Square, Christmas decorations and pilgrims are notably absent for a second wartime festive season in the Israeli-occupied West Bank city.

Lacador, a small bar in the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte, has got its uptown funk on following a surprise visit by US pop hitmaker Bruno Mars.

Manchester City travel to Aston Villa on Saturday desperately seeking to halt their dramatic slide while Chelsea have the chance to go top of the Premier League, if only briefly.

Australia said Friday it has agreed to help boost Solomon Islands' police force with a finance and training package for the Pacific nation, which has fostered close ties with China.

The United Arab Emirates has informed the United States that it will not arm paramilitaries in Sudan's brutal civil war, US lawmakers long critical of the Gulf power's role quoted the White House as saying on Thursday.

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami will play host to New York City FC in the opening match of the 2025 Major League Soccer season under a schedule unveiled on Thursday.

The US House of Representatives on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected a Republican-led funding bill aimed at averting a government shutdown, with federal agencies due to run out of cash on Friday night and cease operations starting this weekend.

The man accused of gunning down a US insurance executive in Manhattan -- a killing that tapped into widespread anger with the American health care system -- appeared in a New York court Thursday to face federal charges including murder.

Australian cricket's domestic One-Day Cup was Friday renamed the Dean Jones Trophy to honour a pioneer of the 50-over game.

Japanese inflation accelerated in November, with prices rising 2.7 percent on-year partly due to higher energy costs, government data showed Friday.

Welshman Stephen Williams confirmed Friday he will defend his Tour Down Under title at the UCI WorldTour season opener in Adelaide next month, with 2023 champion Jay Vine also locked in.

Nike reported lower profits on another drop in revenue Thursday, with new CEO Elliott Hill vowing to get the slumping sports giant back on track.

Australian Olympic breakdancer Rachael "Raygun" Gunn says her legal dispute with the makers of a parody musical about her has been resolved, with a new version planned.

El Salvador will privatize or close the cryptocurrency wallet "Chivo" created by President Nayib Bukele when he made bitcoin legal tender in 2021, an official said Thursday.

Tottenham survived two calamitous errors from stand-in goalkeeper Fraser Forster on Thursday to beat Manchester United 4-3 and set up a League Cup semi-final against Liverpool, staying on track for their first trophy since 2008.

US immigration authorities removed over 270,000 people last financial year, figures showed Thursday, weeks before Donald Trump takes office threatening to deport millions of migrants.

Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes will "most likely play" on Saturday against Houston despite a left ankle sprain suffered last weekend, coach Andy Reid said Thursday.

Australia's head swimming coach Rohan Taylor was Friday reappointed to take the country's powerhouse team through to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The United Arab Emirates, under fire in Washington, has promised the United States not to arm paramilitaries in Sudan's brutal civil war, US lawmakers said Thursday.

Republicans in the US Congress agreed on a new funding package Thursday aimed at averting a holiday-season government shutdown, after an earlier cross-party deal was derailed by President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

Tottenham survived two calamitous errors from stand-in goalkeeper Fraser Forster on Thursday to beat Manchester United 4-3 and reach the League Cup semi-finals, staying on track for their first major trophy since 2008.

Teenage striker Marc Guiu scored a hat-trick as Chelsea thrashed Shamrock Rovers 5-1 for their sixth straight Europa Conference League win on Thursday, advancing to the last 16 with maximum points.

Elon Musk's role in wrecking a bipartisan Congress deal to avert a US government shutdown has underlined his extraordinary influence over the Republican Party and the incoming administration of Donald Trump.

Global stocks mostly fell Thursday as markets digested fresh central bank decisions and a rebound effort on Wall Street faded while US Treasury bond yields climbed further.

The man accused of gunning down a US insurance executive on the streets of Manhattan appeared in front of a judge Thursday to face federal charges including murder.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will preside over a day of celebrations in Macau and inaugurate the city's new leader on Friday to mark 25 years since the former colony was returned to China.

The IMF and Argentina have begun negotiations over a new loan agreement as the current program draws to a close, a spokesperson for the international financial institution confirmed Thursday.

Pakistan veterans Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan laid the foundation for a convincing, series-clinching 81-run win over South Africa in the second one-day international at Newlands on Thursday.

The United States has redefined what qualifies as "healthy" food for the first time in 30 years, striking items like white bread from the list while welcoming nutrient-rich options such as eggs and salmon, officials said Thursday.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday voiced hope that President-elect Donald Trump will pick up his work to normalize ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, acknowledging a historic deal will not happen under Joe Biden's administration.

The United States on Thursday announced $200 million of new funding for the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, bringing Washington's commitment to $2.3 billion, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday.

In the villages above the Syrian port city of Tartus they once hailed the sons who died fighting in Bashar al-Assad's service as martyrs.

French President Emmanuel Macron promised to "rebuild" Mayotte as distraught and angry local people jeered and shouted out their grievances during his visit to the cyclone-devastated Indian Ocean archipelago on Thursday.

A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan has killed 35 children and seriously injured six others, police said on Thursday.

Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels said Israeli air strikes on Thursday killed nine people, after the group fired a missile toward Israel, badly damaging a school.

The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution on Thursday asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to assess Israel's obligations to assist Palestinians, amid accusations the Israeli government systematically hinders Gaza aid.

Thousands of Amazon workers on Thursday launched what they called the "largest strike against Amazon in US history" seeking to maximize pressure on the retail behemoth at the height of the holiday shopping season.

Tennis chiefs revealed Thursday that "angry gamblers" accounted for almost half of abusive social media posts targeting top tennis stars.

Sebastian Coe says if he becomes president of the International Olympic Committee he wants a "reset" to give its members more of a voice.