Irish Prime Minister Apologizes for Making Lewinsky Joke
Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has apologized for making an off-color joke about Bill Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky during a speech in Washington.
The remarks were made ahead of St. Patrick's Day celebrations, where Varadkar was set to meet with U.S. President Joe Biden.
Varadkar's unscripted quip could have overshadowed the important day in the Irish-American political calendar, prompting a quick apology from the prime minister's spokesman.
Biden and Varadkar Meet to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
U.S. President Joe Biden and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar have met to celebrate St. Patrick's Day for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled their plans for two years in a row.
Biden used the occasion to reaffirm his support for the Good Friday Agreement, and expressed support for the UK-EU deal on post-Brexit trade rules.
Biden also stated that he intended to visit the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland around next month's 25th anniversary of the agreement.
President Biden praises Northern Ireland's political leaders for standing together against violence
President Biden has commended Northern Ireland's political leaders for uniting to condemn and show support towards the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in the aftermath of the attempted murder of a high-profile officer.
The officer, Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell, was shot multiple times by the New IRA, an armed dissident republican group opposed to the peace process.
The attack occurred at a leisure centre in Omagh, Co Tyrone, last month, and Caldwell remains in a critical but stable condition.
Joe Biden jokes about Irish heritage and welcomes Niall Horan at White House event
US President Joe Biden and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar celebrated St. Patrick's Day with a series of events at the White House, including a traditional shamrock ceremony.
One Direction's Niall Horan performed at the event, singing songs with the themes of emigration.
Biden cracked a joke about his Irish heritage, stating that he "was really not Irish" because he "never had a drink", and quipped that his relatives in Ireland "actually weren't in jail".
Horan's performance was well-received, with the president even welcoming him back anytime.
DUP criticises new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland ahead of vote in House of Commons
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has expressed reservations about Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.
Ahead of the crunch vote in the House of Commons, the party said that the new deal doesn't solve the "fundamental problems" with the protocol it is designed to replace.
The DUP has not yet made an official announcement on whether it will support the agreement, but its statement suggests that there is more work to do to address the issues that led to the collapse of powersharing in Stormont.
UK and EU ‘inching’ towards post-Brexit Northern Ireland deal, says Irish PM
Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has suggested that an agreement between the UK and EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol may be within reach.
Although a finalised deal has yet to be agreed upon, Varadkar has indicated that progress is being made after months of disagreement.
UK and EU move closer to Northern Ireland trade deal
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is pushing to secure a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union for Northern Ireland.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said a deal was close, but not guaranteed.
Lawmakers from Sunak's Conservative Party have been told to be in parliament on Monday, indicating a deal could be reached soon.
However, no agreement has yet been made between the UK and the EU.
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Talks on Northern Ireland Protocol inch "towards conclusion"
UK economy set to shrink in 2023, warns IMF
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts that the UK will be the only major economy to shrink in 2023, a warning issued on the third anniversary of Brexit.
Critics of the decision to leave the European Union have been quick to point out that Brexit is proving to be a mistake.
Irish officials discuss EU's stance on migration and support for Ukraine
Ireland has discussed its approach to migration and support for Ukraine at two different events.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar emphasised the need for the EU to secure its borders and ensure human traffickers don't have the final say on who enters Europe.
President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, thanked Irish President Michael D. Higgins for welcoming 70,000 Ukrainian refugees to Ireland, and expressed the EU's continued support for Kyiv.
Keir Starmer urges Rishi Sunak to compromise on Northern Ireland Protocol
Sir Keir Starmer from the Labour Party has urged UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak to convince the Conservative Party to agree to a Brexit deal that reforms the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Sir Keir pledged during a speech in Belfast that Labour would support the government if an agreement is reached.
However, he also warned Sunak to stand up against the Eurosceptic European Research Group (ERG), who oppose the protocol.
Negotiations concerning the protocol have been ongoing between the UK and Brussels, but the EU officials have expressed little optimism of a resolution any time soon.
If a resolution cannot be reached, there is a legal mandate to call a snap election in Northern Ireland for 13 April, but this seems unlikely to happen, and the election call will likely be delayed.
Northern Ireland Protocol talks held between Stormont, Dublin and London
Leaders from Dublin, London and Stormont held talks in Belfast to address the ongoing row over the Northern Ireland Protocol, which requires EU checks on British goods.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar voiced concern that an agreement on the protocol would not revive the region's cross-community government, urging that enforcement measures at Northern Ireland ports be softened.
Varadkar held talks in Northern Ireland with representatives of the largest parties, while UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also visited Stormont on Thursday.
Irish deputy PM and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin also met with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris at Hillsborough.
Northern Ireland Continues to Struggle with Post-Brexit Effects
The aftermath of Brexit continues to be a contentious issue in Northern Ireland, with Liz Truss being the third prime minister to be unable to resolve the situation.
Ms Truss, who began the year as foreign secretary, met with the EU's chief negotiator, Maros Šefčovič, to discuss the protocol that Boris Johnson had agreed to in 2019, which keeps Northern Ireland in the EU's single market for goods.
Despite Ms Truss's efforts, the situation in Northern Ireland remains unresolved, and Rishi Sunak will attempt to address it in 2023.
Irish Taoiseach vows to be "flexible and reasonable" in resolving the issues of Northern Ireland Protocol
Leo Varadkar, the Taoiseach in Ireland, has pledged to be "flexible and reasonable" in resolving the dispute around the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Varadkar acknowledged that mistakes had been made on all sides in handling Brexit, and that the protocol was "too strict" and acknowledged concerns of unionists in Northern Ireland.
Despite facing disputes over his involvement in the protocol, Varadkar is looking forward to traveling to Northern Ireland to meet parties to find a solution.
Leo Varadkar becomes Ireland's taoiseach for second time in planned power handover
Leo Varadkar has been officially appointed as Ireland's premier, succeeding Micheal Martin in a planned handover of power under the country's coalition deal which brought Fianna Fail and Fine Gael together for the first time along with the Green Party last year.
Varadkar was confirmed by the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins on Saturday, having received the support of Irish parliamentarians in a special sitting of the Dail.
Varadkar previously served as the country's taoiseach from 2017 to 2020.
Meanwhile, Martin becomes the deputy prime minister, and is expected to be appointed as foreign minister.
Varadkar promises new hope and opportunities for the Irish people after receiving a standing ovation from TDs on the government benches.
Leo Varadkar defends his record and calls for engagement in Northern Ireland
Leo Varadkar, leader of Fine Gael, has attended his party's Ard Fheis, where he defended his record and called for the need to redouble its efforts to engage with all communities in Northern Ireland.
As part of the deal agreed, he is set to replace Taoiseach Micheál Martin on 17 December.
He expressed that Fine Gael is a tried and tested party in government that understands the importance of building resilience and trust for dealing with crises such as Brexit, the coronavirus pandemic, and global financial crises.
The Tánaiste also praised Micheál Martin while criticizing Sinn Féin.
Musk-led Twitter sees high-profile departures and fresh layoffs
Elon Musk's management of Twitter has resulted in high-profile departures and new rounds of layoffs.
A number of executives have left the social media platform in recent weeks, while new layoffs have been enacted in a push to slim down and rebalance teams.
The move is part of Musk's efforts to turn the troubled company around, but the latest moves have sparked concerns among industry analysts.
Ireland and Russia exchange expulsions of diplomats
The Irish Government has ordered a number of people from the Russian Embassy in Dublin to leave the country in response to Russia's recent decision to ban 52 Irish officials from entering Russia.
The Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, has said that there will be discussions on whether to take further action in the coming week or so.
The two events are not necessarily connected to each other.
Petrol station explosion kills seven in Ireland
A massive explosion took place at a service station in the village of Creeslough, County Donegal on Friday afternoon, killing seven people and injuring eight.
The blast occurred at the Applegreen service station and engulfed the surrounding buildings including apartment blocks.
Search and recovery operations are continuing to locate several people who remain missing.
Emergency services from both sides of the Irish border including sniffer dogs are still combing through the rubble.
Those affected were offered hot drinks, water and food while the efforts to locate any survivors continued.
The cause of the blast remains unclear.
Talks on Northern Ireland protocol end with no agreement
Talks between the UK and the European Union on the Northern Ireland protocol have ended without a breakthrough.
While there is a sense of positivity on both sides and renewed technical discussions have gone ahead, it is unclear if a solution can be reached before an election is called.
The UK is pushing ahead with its plan to tear up parts of the protocol, despite the EU taking legal action against it.
However, there is a genuine effort from both sides to find a solution.
Talks between UK and EU over Northern Ireland Protocol are ongoing
Negotiations regarding the Northern Ireland Protocol continue between EU and UK officials.
However, there is disagreement among senior figures as to how ongoing meetings are progressing.
Some officials believe progress is being made, while others say it is unlikely that an agreement will be reached within weeks.
UK and EU working on post-Brexit trade arrangements to avoid snap elections in Northern Ireland
Negotiators from the EU and UK are trying to find a way forward on post-Brexit trade arrangements that will prevent Northern Ireland from having to hold snap elections.
Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney indicated that an agreement on simplifying EU-required checks at local ports could be announced on or shortly before October 28, which is the last day Northern Ireland has to form a new cross-community administration.
The pro-British party, the Democratic Unionists, have stated they won't allow this to happen unless the EU agrees to end all checks and restrictions on British goods staying in Northern Ireland.
During a meeting with four of the five main parties in Northern Ireland's crippled legislature, Coveney suggested the negotiations were progressing.
Irish Deputy PM calls for compromise in debate on unified Ireland
Irish Deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has spoken to a crowd of thousands in favour of a unified Ireland between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
He called for compromise in the debate on the island's constitutional future, acknowledging that the hopes for unity are "noble and legitimate".
However, he warned against imposing the will of the majority on a pro-UK minority, stating that opposing dreams cannot be ignored or silenced.
UK-Ireland Relations Sour Over Northern Ireland Protocol
The ongoing dispute between the UK and the EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol has also strained the relationship between the UK and Ireland.
The UK government's attempt to override parts of the Protocol has been criticised by Irish Deputy PM Leo Varadkar, who accuses the UK government of not being even-handed in the matter.
Meanwhile, the EU's chief Brexit negotiator, Maros Šefčovič, has accused the UK of introducing a bill that would scrap post-Brexit trade rules between Britain and Northern Ireland, effectively putting "a gun on the table".