LAST UPDATE | 5 Jan

GOOD MORNING. As you start your day, here’s your round-up of morning news.

1. Venezuela

Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is set to appear before a court in New York today after he was seized by the United States over the weekend.

Maduro, 63, faces narcotrafficking charges along with his wife, who was also seized and taken out of Caracas in the shock US assault Saturday.

2. Bitter cold

Status Yellow warnings are in place around the country this morning as Met Éireann forecasts “very cold” conditions, with some schools in the worst-affected areas deciding to open late or stay shut entirely for the day.

Cavan, Donegal, Monaghan, Louth and all of Connacht are under snow and ice warning until 11am. Wintry showers with some snow accumulations are possible in these areas, as well as sharp or severe frost and ice.

The rest of the country is under a warning for ice and low temperatures until the same time.

Several schools in the northwest, particularly in Donegal, have decided to remain closed today or open later than usual.

3. Back to work

For many office workers, today marks the first day back to work after the Christmas period.

Careers expert Sarah Geraghty has shared her advice on how to start the new year off on the right foot at work.

4. Traffic trouble

Heavy traffic at peak hours has become a feature of modern life in Ireland’s cities.

We asked our readers to outline some of their main traffic complaints. Here’s what they said.

5. Critics Choice Awards

Irish actress Jessie Buckley was named best actress at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards.

She won for her role portraying Shakespeare’s wife Ann in the historical drama ‘Hamnet’.

6. Sister Brigid Reynolds

Sister Brigid Reynolds, the co-founder and former CEO of Social Justice Ireland, has died at the age of 82.

Social Justice Ireland has praised her contribution to Irish society while announcing her death yesterday “with great sadness”.

7. Reality TV

The government is seeking to lure more television productions to Ireland with a new tax credit for “unscripted programmes”, which would include the likes of game shows and reality TV.

The tax cut will take the form of a corporation tax credit for expenditure incurred in the development of unscripted programmes.

8. Litter free

Sligo has knocked Naas from the top spot on the Irish Business Against Litter’s (IBAL) latest anti-litter rankings, claiming the title of cleanest town.

The IBAL’s rankings of 40 towns and cities has put Sligo as the cleanest town for the first time, while last year’s cleanest town, Naas, has fallen to thirteenth.

Leixlip, Westport, Monaghan, and Tullamore followed Sligo in the top five cleanest towns on the list. 

9. Arson attack

Police in Northern Ireland are investigating a ‘very serious’ arson incident in Down.

A car and house in Bangor were set on fire in an arson attack in the early hours of yesterday morning.

PSNI detectives are appealing for witnesses to contact them.