LAST UPDATE | 29 Dec 2025

GOOD MORNING. HERE’S everything you need to know as your day gets underway.

Ukraine talks

1. US President Donald Trump has said that a deal is closer than ever to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but reported no apparent breakthrough on the flashpoint issue of territory after new talks with the warring countries’ leaders.

XL bully ban

2. Over 100 XL Bully dogs have been euthanised by local authorities in the year since the ban on the breed came into effect.

Sligo house fire

3. The two men killed in a house fire in Sligo yesterday have been named locally as brothers Pa and Seamus Cuffe.

Bondi Beach

4. Families of the victims of Australia’s Bondi Beach mass shootings have called for a national inquiry into antisemitism and alleged failures in policing, intelligence and policy they blame for the attack.

Gaza peace talks

5. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet Donald Trump in Florida today for talks on the next phase of a fragile Gaza ceasefire plan. 

Drones

6. Opinion: Unauthorised drones near Dublin should be a warning. Ireland must strengthen its defences now – Regina Doherty.

Weather forecast

7. Met Éireann has forecast a cloudy start to 2026 with cold weather to begin late this week and into the weekend.

National Archives

8. Correspondence spanning almost 50 years about a compensation claim by Ireland against Germany over the WWII bombing and machine-gunning of a ship is contained in new files released to the National Archives.

Sarah Halpenny

9. Funeral details have been announced for a 28-year-old teacher and Gaelic footballer from Meath who took ill and died in Australia earlier this month.