The Irish Press - News from Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Drogheda, Galyway, Ireland and the world

Four astronauts are set to embark Wednesday on the first crewed journey around the Moon since 1972, an odyssey that aims to launch the US into a new era of space exploration.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Iran had asked for a ceasefire, but ruled out any truce until the vital Strait of Hormuz was reopened for crucial energy shipments.

The Swiss government is considering dropping the agreed purchase of the Patriot air-defence system from the United States amid severe delivery delays, Defence Minister Martin Pfister said Wednesday.

Experts said Wednesday they were halting rescue efforts for a humpback whale struggling in shallow waters off the German coast and had given up hope for its survival.

IndiGo said Wednesday it was appointing Willie Walsh as its new chief executive as India's leading airline sought to recover from an embarrassing spate of cancellations that threw the country's airports into turmoil

Filippo Ganna won the one-day semi-classic Across Flanders race on Wednesday as local favourite Wout Van Aert was agonisingly caught just 100 metres from the finish after a brave solo breakaway.

Spanish police said on Wednesday that they were investigating "Islamophobic and xenophobic" chants that were heard during the Spain-Egypt international football match in Barcelona, which the government said "embarrass us as a society".

The family of a man who died during a 2020 police arrest in Paris will seek to hold the French state liable for his death, their lawyers said on Wednesday.

When Canadian collector Darren Jack discovered that an Ayrton Senna helmet he values at a million dollars was for sale in Japan, he jumped on a plane to acquire the piece of sporting history that the legendary Brazilian driver had with him during his fatal final Formula One Grand Prix.

"Paper tiger". "Cowards". As US President Donald Trump grapples with the fallout of his war on Iran, much of his anger has been redirected onto another target: the NATO military alliance.

The US Supreme Court was weighing Donald Trump's historic bid to end birthright citizenship on Wednesday -- with the Republican president smashing protocol by sitting in the audience.

Three men went on trial in Munich on Wednesday over allegations they had ties to an extremist group that plotted to overthrow the government and kidnap a minister.

Fast-bowling great James Anderson believes England can still regain the Ashes on home soil next year despite a dire series loss in Australia.

Italy's Sport Minister Andrea Abodi said on Wednesday the head of the country's football federation should step down after the national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

The China-born former boss of a financial services firm, accused by the United States of laundering illicit funds for North Korean and Southeast Asia-based cybercriminals, was extradited from Cambodia on Wednesday, Beijing said.

The US Supreme Court hears a politically explosive case Wednesday over Donald Trump's effort to end birthright citizenship -- with the Republican president planning to smash protocol by sitting in the audience.

Three more people were arrested Wednesday in connection with an arson attack on four volunteer ambulances run by a Jewish organisation in London, the police said.

Australia lock Will Skelton said on Wednesday his season was over after suffering an Achilles injury playing for French Top 14 club La Rochelle on the weekend.

In the security crackdown ordered by Iranian authorities since the start of the war, an unsettling new sight on the streets of Tehran has put residents on edge: teenagers armed with machine guns.

French President Emmanuel Macron praised Europe's "predictability" during a visit to Japan on Wednesday, contrasting it with countries that "could hurt you without even informing you" in an apparent swipe at Donald Trump.

Global stocks rallied and oil prices fell Wednesday after US President Donald Trump said the Middle East war that has roiled markets could be over within weeks.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are holding talks in China to try to find a way to end months of conflict sparked by cross-border attacks, two officials from Islamabad told AFP on Wednesday.

Amsterdam on Wednesday celebrated 25 years since same-sex weddings were legalised, with Rob Jetten, the first openly gay Dutch prime minister, as guest of honour.

The head of France's Dassault Aviation said on Wednesday he was giving his company "two to three weeks" to see if the multibillion-euro warplane programme with Germany could work as the government tries to salvage the project.

Bosnian football fans partied in towns and cities around the country until early dawn on Wednesday, after the Balkan nation defeated Italy in a nail-biting match to qualify for just their second World Cup.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are holding talks in China to end months of conflict, two officials from Islamabad told AFP on Wednesday.

Marc Guehi said England needed to "stick together" after Tuesday's World Cup warm-up defeat by Japan.

A generation of Italian children are yet to see their national team take part in a World Cup as the beleaguered Azzurri delivered another qualification disaster which was met with horror by fans and media.

A journeyman Australian has emerged as an unlikely saviour of Indian football after the 32-year-old took just four minutes to score on his debut for the country and made a small piece of history.

Leading economic institutes more than halved their growth forecasts for Germany on Wednesday, warning that the energy shock caused by the Middle East war would hit Europe's top economy hard.

Police in Spain said on Wednesday that they were investigating "Islamophobic and xenophobic" chants heard during the Spain-Egypt international football match in Barcelona.

Italians will once again be forced to watch a World Cup from the sidelines after another play-off disaster highlighted just how far one of the great footballing nations has fallen.