Many cities across the country where companies seeking to build massive data centers to win the AI race with China are coming up against the reality of local politics.

Gardaí are being urged to open an urgent investigation into the creation and sharing of sexualised deepfake images on X. The Taoiseach has described the activity as “shocking”, as pressure grows on Government and regulators to act. #VMNews

Tánaiste Simon Harris this evening asked if he'd delete his X account in light of the creation and sharing of non-consensual sexualised images of children and women on Grok, says he'll have to reflect on it.

This is all very...

Things stepping up. ICCL and Digital Rights Ireland have written to the Garda Commissioner calling for an urgent investigation of X.

Thanks to everyone for the shouts: @tjmcintyre.com @sineadgibney.bsky.social @rapecrisisireland.bsky.social all contributing on the News at 5.30 this evening - likely a lot more to follow on this in the time ahead.

This morning Rape Crisis Ireland has called for a ban on AI 'nudification' functions which can (and have) produced sexual images of children and adults. RCI: 'There seems to be no reason for the existence of "nudification" functionality on AI apps beyond exploitation...'

You'll be amazed to hear that on the stock market Chevron ⬆️9% Halliburton ⬆️10% Exxon ⬆️4% ConocoPhillips ⬆️8%

A remarkable life. May he rest well. www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026...

This is relevant to the Irish Government's response too. You can't just say "respect for international law" and not say whether it's been broken or not by a party you won't even name.

The Guardian's Julian Borger: "...The worst thing about the Maduro rendition is that it worked. Trump’s belief in his own global omnipotence, and his desire to grab the territory and natural resources of other countries has been held in check until now.." www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

Marco Rubio on Cuba during the press conference: "If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I'd be concerned ... at least a little bit"

New statement from Antonio Guterres... who says he's deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected. Tony, the rules do not exist any more.

Kaja Kallas and Ursula von der Leyen surely about to call for 'restraint' any moment now having been made fools of once more.

Smart, careful political scientists: Actually, this isn't technically a regime change operation. Donald Trump: Actually, it is!

"We are going to run the country', says Trump.

The statement from Ireland ⤵️

Analysis of what’s happened and whatever happens next from me on the News at 5.30 📺

Another crisis brewing here

Genuinely wonder how European and Irish leaders do respond to this. How are Denmark, Greenland or indeed the people of Ukraine and Taiwan feeling too?

A note that just because the President of the United States used the word 'captured' doesn't mean news organisations should just use it without attribution... or maybe at all really?

It means absolutely nothing to anyone concerned right now but here's what the United Nations says about kidnapping Heads of State. legal.un.org/ilc/texts/in...

This person went on a buying spree over the past 24 hours. Fresh wallet. Only existed since Dec 27th and has only bet on Venezuela-related markets. polymarket.com/@0x31a56e9E6...

Donald Trump has said the United States has taken the President of Venezuela and flown him out of his country.

Just as well we’re not in a society handing vast amounts of power to this technology and its owners without regulation, isn’t it?

The chokehold the "and with that the Two Thousand Twenty Three/Four/Five season..." guy has on the internet needs to be studied.

Dude named his awesome security company after a guy who got beaten by two little dudes with hairy feet

Cheryl spoke to me about life in a hotel room with her two teenagers - a situation facing so many families this Christmas. Being addressed by her room number… having to move all her belongings with no notice… and having her belongings rifled through are among the issues she experienced

A woman in her twenties has been arrested by Gardaí on suspicion of the murder of Daniel Aruebose, the missing boy whose remains were found buried in Donabate earlier this year.

FF met for five hours on Tuesday over the Jim Gavin debacle - and ten weeks on, they’re still not satisfied with the answers. It’s important - but has there been enough political and media attention or urgency on housing, homelessness, security, energy prices, climate or the OTB? I argue “nope.”

The one place to go if you’re sick of hearing about Jim Gavin and instead wish politicians and media would talk about housing, homelessness and issues that actually impact your life.

President Catherine Connolly has welcomed Greta Thunberg to Áras an Uachtaráin on a courtesy call. The Swedish activist is in Dublin for a fundraiser for Palestinian relief at Bohemian Football Club this week.

You never know who you'd meet on a run in the Phoeno. www.instagram.com/p/DSXfse3jJaD/

Now also available in English: danwatch.dk/en/former-sp...

A High Court judge has said it is clear Enoch Burke has something to hide regarding his finances, and that he and his family could be trying to make money from his campaign. Mr Justice Brian Cregan also said Burke will not be released for Christmas unless he purges his contempt.

Out with Bohemians this morning as part of their 8th annual toy drive. The aim is to make sure as many kids as possible, in homeless accommodation and international protection centres across Ireland, get a toy this Christmas. Shares appreciated on the gram: www.instagram.com/reel/DSDOd6V...

We are so cooked as a society.

Busy day of Zelenskyy-watch yesterday. No “breakthrough” in Witkoff’s mission to Moscow. It’s unclear what the next steps are. No word of Witkoff travelling to Kyiv or meeting any European leaders.

David Coburn, former leader of UKIP Scotland & mentioned in WhatsApp messages sent between Gill and his handler answers "no" when a journalist asks him if he took money to give a speech to promote pro-Russian campaigners. The video of him outside his chateau is lol www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The citoyennes of Place D'Artmeaut are going to be really annoyed. And no way will such a thing be allowed to disrupt Avenue D'un Ville.

Amnesty: Israel is still committing genocide in Gaza. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

🎧 New episode: 🇺🇦 Who are the key figures behind the Trump ceasefire push? And who leaked the Witkoff call? 📱👾 Sharenting, Roblox and TikTok all in the news over online safety. How the Roblox CEO made absolutely everything worse. 🐄 Cattle rustling in West Cork. open.spotify.com/episode/6VXo...

🗣️ “It’s emblematic of how difficult it is to make this city and this country work.” Ranelagh residents have sought a judicial review of the Dublin Metrolink, raising wider questions about the challenges Ireland faces in getting major infrastructure projects completed. 📺 10PM | Virgin Media One

The Mushroom Kingdom is not sending their best.

170,000+ people have signed a petition handed in to TikTok’s office in Dublin calling on the social giant to change its “toxic” model which is “addictive by design” and funnels harmful material towards children and young users. @virginmedianews.bsky.social

It’s hilarious and revelatory that a bunch of giant MAGA/America First X accounts are actually based in Eastern Europe and Nigeria.

Gmail users!! They've turned on AI scraping by default now...Here's how to turn it off. Pass it on!! www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/20...

Israel’s expulsion of Palestinians from refugee camps called ‘war crime’, report finds