Rishi Sunak meets Stormont leaders over Northern Ireland Protocol
British prime minister Rishi Sunak is holding talks with Stormont leaders over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Mr Sunak and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris met the politicians at a luxury hotel near Belfast amid growing speculation over a deal within days on the post-Brexit trading arrangement.
Newspaper reports have suggested the Mr Sunak could brief his Cabinet on the deal and announce it in the British parliament on Tuesday.
In another apparent sign of progress, UK foreign secretary James Cleverly will travel to Brussels for a meeting with European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic.
However, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said he believes there is a “distance to go yet” before a deal between the UK and the EU is over the line.
Cost-of-living package set to not include reduced hospitality VAT rate
It's believed the 9 per cent hospitality VAT rate will not be maintained following the next cost-of-living support package.
The reduction in excise on fuel is also due to expire, which could see prices at the pump rise once again.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar this week revealed the measures will be signed off on after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
It's expected that it will include a host of targeted and universal interventions to help people with rising bills.
Gardaí monitoring activity of far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson
Gardaí are monitoring the activity of British far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson, who has said he is in Dublin to "document" anti-immigration protests.
Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who now calls himself Tommy Robinson, has criminal convictions for assaulting an off duty police officer, stalking, fraud and drug possession.
Robinson has been in regular contact with Irish anti-immigration activists in recent weeks according to The Irish Times.
He calls himself a journalist, and said he is visiting Dublin to make a documentary about anti-refugee protests.
Robinson was a co-founder of the Islamophobic English Defence League in 2009.
Lidl launches new initiative aimed at preventing food waste
Lidl have launched a new initiative aimed at preventing more than 950,000kg food waste per year.
Stores across the country will now offer 'Waste Not' boxes, priced at €3, containing at least 5kg of mixed fruit and vegetables.
Produce from multipacks that have suffered some damage but remain in good, sellable condition will be salvaged and included in the new 'Waste Not' boxes.
In September 2022, Lidl Ireland tested appetite for the boxes in trial across seven stores in Ireland. During the trial, more than 3,700 were sold, saving an estimated 18,500kg of food waste.
Boxes will be available to customers daily until stocks last every day, at which point, any leftover boxes are given to local causes through Lidl’s surplus food redistribution partnership with FoodCloud.
Police ‘made sexist error when giving details about Nicola Bulley’s struggles
Police made a “sexist” error when they released information about missing Nicola Bulley’s struggles with alcohol and the menopause, the former UK victims’ commissioner has said.
Vera Baird said she believed Lancashire Constabulary had made a “dreadful error” in disclosing the missing mother-of-two’s vulnerabilities.
She also said she is worried it will stop people making complaints in the future and wondered if such details would have been released if she was a man.
UK home secretary Suella Braverman demanded an “explanation” from the force about why it disclosed those details at a press conference on Wednesday, a source revealed.
