A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan at 4:53pm local time, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to issue a tsunami warning for waves up to three meters. The quake, centered off Iwate prefecture, shook buildings as far as Tokyo.

An 80-centimeter tsunami wave hit Kuji port in Iwate about 40 minutes later. The JMA warned of repeated tsunami waves and urged immediate evacuation to higher ground. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated the government was assessing casualties and damage. A crisis management team was established.

Japan is highly seismically active. In 2011, a 9.…

An organized group of military officials in the Odesa region has been exposed for fraudulently enlisting individuals for military service and embezzling their salaries and payments. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General.

According to the investigation, from 2022 to 2025, 19 individuals who did not actually serve were included in the personnel lists. Despite this, documents were drawn up for them as if they were performing their duties, which served as the basis for calculating salaries and additional payments.

The prosecutor's office reported that the group included the c…

A dry and sunny week is expected to begin today, although conditions may not be entirely straightforward.

Met Éireann forecasts mainly dry conditions today, with sunny spells and a slight chance of light showers. Temperatures will range from 12 to 16 or 17 degrees Celsius this afternoon, following a crisp start. Breezes are expected to be light to moderate.

Overnight, a few scattered showers are expected, primarily in the north of the country. However, tomorrow will be mainly dry with sunny spells, and highest temperatures are forecast between 10 and 14 degrees Celsius. For the remainder of…

Employees of the State Bureau of Investigation detained a serviceman in the Kharkiv region who, after deserting from his unit, attempted to sell weapons obtained in the combat zone.

According to the investigation, the man concealed the weapons and other means of destruction issued to him, and in March of this year, he left the military unit, taking them with him. After that, he began looking for buyers for the weapons.

Investigators documented an attempt to sell an AK-74 assault rifle and 17 F-1 grenades with detonators for 150,000 hryvnias. The suspect was detained during the transfer of th…

The death toll from the shooting in Kyiv's Holosiivskyi district has risen to seven. A man, who was being treated by doctors, died in the hospital.

This was reported by Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko on social media. According to him, the man wounded by the shooter in the Holosiivskyi district was in extremely critical condition. Doctors did everything possible, but were unable to save him.

Currently, seven wounded individuals are in the capital's hospitals, including one child. Four adults are in intensive care, and two are in the polytrauma department. All of them are receiving the necessary …

Having spent 52 years in the hotel business, I believe the biggest issue today is the cost of doing business, driven by both market conditions and government initiatives. Businesses need profit and investment to survive; capital will move to where it gets the best return.

The notion of adding a bed/tourist/hotel tax in Dublin is absurd, despite claims it's only a few euro. Systems will be needed to collect it, raising questions about compliance costs, VAT issues, and whether it applies equally to all accommodation providers, including Airbnb. Market inequality is not good if hotels bear the b…

A homeowner seeks advice on insulating a semi-detached house with red brick and bay windows, aiming to improve insulation without altering the front's appearance.

Damian King advises verifying the house's construction first. External insulation is not generally recommended for the front elevation due to the bay windows' complexity and aesthetic concerns. Cavity-fill insulation, if suitable for the wall type, or internal dry lining are better options for the front, preserving the brick finish. Internal dry lining is disruptive and reduces room size. Bay window sections may be better insulated …

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz plans to convene the National Security Council to discuss the situation with the country's energy and fuel supply. This is reported by dpa, citing a statement from the head of the German government. The purpose of convening the Council is to ensure reliable supplies of essential fuels, such as diesel fuel, gasoline, and aviation kerosene.

Merz emphasized that the situation is tense, but supplies are secured, and the government is ready to take measures in case of worsening conditions. The National Security Council, created last year by Merz's coalition governm…

The regulation of AI is a wedge issue between the US and the EU, with significant consequences. Last week, Anthropic, a US AI firm, released Claude Mythos, touted as the most advanced model for detecting cybersecurity risks.

The issue is the lack of engagement with regulatory agencies during Claude Mythos's development. Ireland's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) told the Oireachtas Communications Committee last Tuesday that Anthropic's published technical material represents a significant change in vulnerability identification. EU national regulators received a preview, but there was no …

As a result of the Russian shelling of the city of Izyum, Kharkiv region, on April 19, three people were injured. This was reported by the Kharkiv region police.

According to law enforcement officials, the strike was carried out using a multiple launch rocket system. The projectile hit the building of a bathhouse, damaging the premises of the establishment and a car.

Three people sustained bodily injuries: a woman born in 1990 and men born in 1961 and 1993. The victims received medical assistance.

Over the past two years, more than €17 million in emergency payments was provided to people struggling with funeral costs, part of over €133 million in additional needs payments by the Department of Social Protection in 2024 and 2025. About 4,900 people received burial assistance, totaling €9.33 million in 2024 and €7.86 million in 2025, with an average payment of around €3,500.

Other payments included €6.6 million for adult clothing (roughly €125 per payment in about 53,000 cases), €526,000 for bedding, €178,000 for children’s clothing, €52,000 for nappies, €241,000 for cots, €215,000 for co…

In the Dnipropetrovsk region, two men were wounded as a result of Russian shelling on Sunday, April 19. This was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration, Oleksandr Ganzha. One of the victims is in serious condition.

According to the official, during the day the enemy attacked two districts of the region more than 20 times, using drones and artillery. Fires broke out in the Vasylkivska community of the Synelnykivskyi district, and enterprises were damaged.

As a result of the shelling in the Vasylkivska community, two people were injured and hospitalized. A …

In recent weeks, statements about the possible return of men of conscription age from the EU have been actively discussed, causing concern. There is no mass deportation at the moment: there are no EU laws providing for deportation, decisions on mass return, or a mechanism to "return everyone on the list." Strengthening mobilization and the return of citizens from abroad are being discussed, as well as checking the departure of men and possible liability for violations, but these are political statements, not current laws.

The departure of men aged 18–60 from Ukraine is restricted under martia…

The Irish government has increased payments under the voluntary return program for individuals in the international protection system. Now, program participants can receive up to €2,500 per person or up to €10,000 per family if they agree to leave the country voluntarily.

This measure aims to reduce the burden on the accommodation system and speed up the processing of asylum applications. According to information provided by the authorities, voluntary return is cheaper for the state than prolonged detention of applicants and subsequent deportation.

It is important to note that the program ap…

In Chernihiv on April 19, police detained a man who fired shots into the air with a starting pistol. This was reported by the Chernihiv region police.

According to law enforcement officials, a report of shots fired on one of the streets of Chernihiv was received in the afternoon. Patrol officers and an investigative team immediately arrived at the scene. It was established that two men with signs of alcohol intoxication were walking down the street, and one of them fired several shots into the air with a starting pistol. Fortunately, no one was injured as a result of the incident.

Police off…

Péter Magyar announced cooperation with Brussels to unlock frozen funds for Hungary after technical meetings with the European Commission on April 17-18 in Budapest.

Magyar called the meetings "extremely important" and stated that his Tisza party is committed to implementing anti-corruption measures, joining the European Public Prosecutor's Office, and restoring the independence of the judiciary, the press, and higher education. He emphasized that the task of his government will be to unlock EU funds blocked due to the policies of predecessors.

Magyar plans a trip to Brussels after taking th…

Minister for Energy Darragh O’Brien said domestic electricity prices are expected to increase by 4 to 9 per cent between May and July, with higher rises for household gas bills, due to Middle East conflict pressures on global energy markets. O’Brien clarified that price increases would not reach 30 per cent, as suggested by Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke, but would depend on retailers' hedging arrangements.

O’Brien stated that the Government is planning for different scenarios and can introduce further supports if needed, emphasizing that Ireland's supply and reserves are robust. He note…

The head of the patrol police department of Ukraine, Yevhen Zhukov, resigned due to the actions of police officers during the terrorist attack in Kyiv on April 18, when they left civilians in danger. Zhukov called the behavior of the police officers "shameful" and stated that they acted unprofessionally and did not help the injured citizens.

Zhukov announced an internal investigation, as a result of which the heads of the police officers will be held accountable. He also noted that it is incorrect to judge the entire police force by the actions of individual police officers. Zhukov held the p…

Aer Lingus has canceled over 500 flights over the next few weeks. The reason for this decision is mandatory aircraft maintenance.

It is expected that these changes will significantly affect the plans of tens of thousands of passengers traveling on both European and transatlantic routes.

The information about the cancellation of flights, published in the Sunday Independent newspaper, appeared against the backdrop of growing concern in the aviation industry regarding problems with the supply of aviation fuel.

Passengers will be offered rebooking of tickets where possible. The airline is also …