A debate on the right to privacy has been triggered in Ireland over a video of deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste) Leo Varadkar socialising in a gay nightclub in Dublin last week.&nbsp;The video, shared on multiple platforms, has garnered millions of views coupled with a widespread online debate. According to a report by the Guardian on Tuesday, mainstream media ignored the video. TikTok, which had earlier hosted the video of Varadkar, took it down.&nbsp;

This week, deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told reporters that he did not wish to comment on the video. “Everyone makes errors in judgment. You wouldn’t be a human being if you didn’t” Varadkar, who had come out as gay back in 2015, said, the Guardian reported on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-explosions-reported-from-kyiv-following-drone-attack-says-mayor-542893">Ukraine defence shot down 13 kamikaze drones targeting Kyiv, claims Zelensky</a>

Micheál Martin, the Taoiseach and leader of the Fianna Fáil, condemned the filming of Varadkar in the nightclub branding it a breach of privacy. Varadkar and Martin are set to swap the Taoiseach and Tánaiste’s office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Speaking to the&nbsp;Newstalk, Martin said, 'Leo Varadkar’s life, my life, everyone’s private life is their private life and I do not in any way shape or form condone any breach of that privacy. I think it is wrong, in my view, to be breaching that privacy in terms of filming people in a social context.”

Last month, Sean Sheehy, a Catholic priest in Ireland stoked controversy by saying that Leo Varadkar and other gay politicians would go to hell. Sheehy's remarks drew widespread criticism.&nbsp;

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A debate on the right to privacy has been triggered in Ireland over a video of deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste) Leo Varadkar socialising in a gay nightclub in Dublin last week.

A debate on the right to privacy has been triggered in Ireland over a video of deputy Prime Minister (Tánaiste) Leo Varadkar socialising in a gay nightclub in Dublin last week. The video, shared on multiple platforms, has garnered millions of views coupled with a widespread online debate. According to a report by the Guardian on Tuesday, mainstream media ignored the video. TikTok, which had earlier hosted the video of Varadkar, took it down. This week, deputy Prime Minister Leo Varadkar told reporters that he did not wish to comment on the video. “Everyone makes errors in judgment. You wouldn’t be a human being if you didn’t” Varadkar, who had come out as gay back in 2015, said, the Guardian reported on Tuesday. Also read | Ukraine defence shot down 13 kamikaze drones targeting Kyiv, claims Zelensky Micheál Martin, the Taoiseach and leader of the Fianna Fáil, condemned the filming of Varadkar in the nightclub branding it a breach of privacy. Varadkar and Martin are set to swap the Taoiseach and Tánaiste’s office. Speaking to the Newstalk, Martin said, 'Leo Varadkar’s life, my life, everyone’s private life is their private life and I do not in any way shape or form condone any breach of that privacy. I think it is wrong, in my view, to be breaching that privacy in terms of filming people in a social context.” Last month, Sean Sheehy, a Catholic priest in Ireland stoked controversy by saying that Leo Varadkar and other gay politicians would go to hell. Sheehy's remarks drew widespread criticism.

Deputy PM Leo Varadkar’s nightclub video triggers privacy debate in Ireland: Report

European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen said that the island of Ireland cannot have any hard border and that any solution reached must ensure the smooth functioning of the single market.&nbsp; 
 
"Ireland can always count on the EU to stand by the Good Friday Agreement, there can be no hard border on the island of Ireland," the EC president stated on Thursday, on her visit to the Irish parliament in Dublin to mark the completion of 50 years of Ireland's membership of the European Union (EU).&nbsp;

"Joining the EU has unleashed Ireland's&nbsp;immense potential and has profoundly transformed this country," Ursula von der Leyen said. The EC president further expressed her confidence in reaching a positive conclusion over Northern Ireland's post-Brexit trade issue if Britain is willing to reach a solution.&nbsp;

She had encouraging talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and added that a workable solution appeared to be within reach.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-the-northern-ireland-protocol-divides-britain-and-the-european-union-487135">How the Northern Ireland protocol divides Britain and the European Union</a>

The EC president said that the GDP of Ireland has increased from half to double the EU average after it became a part of the bloc and added that Ireland will need Europe's help to become non-reliant on Russian energy.&nbsp;

She called Ireland "a wind energy superpower", and added that it "can become a net exporter of energy" to help the EU replace Russian fuel, Xinhua news agency reported.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/breaking-northern-ireland-deadlock-uk-pm-sunak-to-meet-irelands-martin-532994">Breaking Northern Ireland deadlock: UK PM Sunak to meet Ireland's Martin</a>

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Before addressing the parliament, Von der Leyen held talks with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin. The two leaders talked about the EU's current agenda, which included the need to strengthen the partnership of the EU with allies like the UK and the US.

Technical talks over the Northern Ireland Protocol, which makes checks on few goods being transported to Northern Ireland from the remaining United Kingdom mandatory, resumed earlier in October after seven months of silence.&nbsp;

"We have always shown flexibility, we will always have a constructive approach to these issues," said the EC president before meeting Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin in Dublin. "If there is the political will in the UK, I am very confident that we can reach a positive conclusion," she added.&nbsp;

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European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen said that the island of Ireland cannot have any hard border and that any solution reached must ensure the smooth functioning of the single market.

European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen said that the island of Ireland cannot have any hard border and that any solution reached must ensure the smooth functioning of the single market. "Ireland can always count on the EU to stand by the Good Friday Agreement, there can be no hard border on the island of Ireland," the EC president stated on Thursday, on her visit to the Irish parliament in Dublin to mark the completion of 50 years of Ireland's membership of the European Union (EU). "Joining the EU has unleashed Ireland's immense potential and has profoundly transformed this country," Ursula von der Leyen said. The EC president further expressed her confidence in reaching a positive conclusion over Northern Ireland's post-Brexit trade issue if Britain is willing to reach a solution. She had encouraging talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and added that a workable solution appeared to be within reach. ALSO READ | How the Northern Ireland protocol divides Britain and the European Union The EC president said that the GDP of Ireland has increased from half to double the EU average after it became a part of the bloc and added that Ireland will need Europe's help to become non-reliant on Russian energy. She called Ireland "a wind energy superpower", and added that it "can become a net exporter of energy" to help the EU replace Russian fuel, Xinhua news agency reported. WATCH | Breaking Northern Ireland deadlock: UK PM Sunak to meet Ireland's Martin × Before addressing the parliament, Von der Leyen held talks with Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin. The two leaders talked about the EU's current agenda, which included the need to strengthen the partnership of the EU with allies like the UK and the US. Technical talks over the Northern Ireland Protocol, which makes checks on few goods being transported to Northern Ireland from the remaining United Kingdom mandatory, resumed earlier in October after seven months of silence. "We have always shown flexibility, we will always have a constructive approach to these issues," said the EC president before meeting Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin in Dublin. "If there is the political will in the UK, I am very confident that we can reach a positive conclusion," she added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ireland can always count on EU to stand by the Good Friday Agreement: EC president

In Ireland, doctors removed 55 AA and AAA batteries from a woman's gut and stomach after she swallowed them in a deliberate act of self-harm.

According to a report published by the Irish Medical Journal on Thursday, the 66-year-old woman was getting treated at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin after devouring an initially "unknown number" of cylindrical batteries, reports Science Alert

The doctor in their report said that this was the highest reported number of "batteries ingested at a single point in time."

The case perplexed the doctors as several reports published in medical journals mentioned instances of a child swallowing small, button-style batteries.&nbsp;

"The deliberate ingestion of multiple large AA batteries as a form of deliberate self-harm is an unusual presentation," the doctors reported.

In the most common cases of battery ingestion among kids, the batteries can sometimes pass through a child's body without causing damage. However, if they get stuck in the throat, they can cause severe and even life-threatening injuries, according to UCSF's Benioff Children's Hospitals.

This is because saliva kick-starts an electric current in the trapped batteries, spurring a chemical reaction that can burn the esophagus and can lead to severe tissue damage and bleeding.

"The potential of cylindrical batteries to result in acute surgical emergencies should not be underestimated," the case report states.

In the woman's case, an X-ray revealed that the batteries in her abdomen did not appear to be obstructing her gastrointestinal (GI) tract and no batteries showed signs of structural damage.

After a week of observation, the doctors performed laparotomy on the woman, in which surgeons made an incision to access her abdominal cavity. They found that the stomach, pulled down by the weight of the batteries, had become distended and stretched into the area above the pubic bone

They then cut a small hole in the stomach and removed the batteries from the organ.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In Ireland, doctors removed 55 AA and AAA batteries from a woman's gut and stomach after she swallowed them in a deliberate act of self-harm. According to a report published by the Irish Medical Journal on Thursday, the 66-year-old woman was getting treated at St.

In Ireland, doctors removed 55 AA and AAA batteries from a woman's gut and stomach after she swallowed them in a deliberate act of self-harm. According to a report published by the Irish Medical Journal on Thursday, the 66-year-old woman was getting treated at St. Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin after devouring an initially "unknown number" of cylindrical batteries, reports Science Alert The doctor in their report said that this was the highest reported number of "batteries ingested at a single point in time." The case perplexed the doctors as several reports published in medical journals mentioned instances of a child swallowing small, button-style batteries. "The deliberate ingestion of multiple large AA batteries as a form of deliberate self-harm is an unusual presentation," the doctors reported. In the most common cases of battery ingestion among kids, the batteries can sometimes pass through a child's body without causing damage. However, if they get stuck in the throat, they can cause severe and even life-threatening injuries, according to UCSF's Benioff Children's Hospitals. This is because saliva kick-starts an electric current in the trapped batteries, spurring a chemical reaction that can burn the esophagus and can lead to severe tissue damage and bleeding. "The potential of cylindrical batteries to result in acute surgical emergencies should not be underestimated," the case report states. In the woman's case, an X-ray revealed that the batteries in her abdomen did not appear to be obstructing her gastrointestinal (GI) tract and no batteries showed signs of structural damage. After a week of observation, the doctors performed laparotomy on the woman, in which surgeons made an incision to access her abdominal cavity. They found that the stomach, pulled down by the weight of the batteries, had become distended and stretched into the area above the pubic bone They then cut a small hole in the stomach and removed the batteries from the organ. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ireland doctors remove 'highest' 55 batteries from woman's gut and stomach

After a two year hiatus, St Patrick's Day parades return to Ireland

A man in Ireland rammed his truck through the gates of the Russian embassy in Dublin as part of his protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine—earning applause from onlookers.

According to local media reports, the incident took place on Monday around 1.30 pm and no injuries were reported.

The Irish police have arrested local businessman&nbsp;Desmond Wisley and launched an investigation into the incident of “criminal damage”.

"One male was arrested and taken to Rathfarnham Garda Station where he is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984," a police spokesperson said in a statement. "Investigations are ongoing.”

Videos of the incident appeared on social media showing an ecclesiastical truck with a trailer reversing into the gates, forcing them to open.

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Desmond Wisley has breached the gates of the Russian Embassy in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dublin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dublin</a>. He was overcome after seeing photos of the family killed in Irpin. <a href="https://t.co/8SMbZIYxK0">pic.twitter.com/8SMbZIYxK0</a>
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After ploughing his lorry into the gates, Wisley got out of his vehicle and handed out photos to other protesters showing what Russian troops are doing in Ukraine, according to The Irish Times.

“I've just done this to create a safe corridor for the Russian ambassador to leave Ireland,” Wisely told the crowd of protesters.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukrainian-president-zelensky-slams-russias-cynicism-and-propaganda-posts-video-from-his-office-watch-460068">Zelensky slams Russia's 'cynicism and propaganda', posts video from his office</a>

“I want the ambassador and his colleagues to leave this country, leave this free country,” Wisely added. "It's about time we stood up."

As the officer leads him away, uncuffed, Wiley declares: “I’ve done my bit lads. It’s about time Ireland does theirs.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fears-of-energy-war-between-russia-west-grows-whats-at-stake-460104">Fears of energy war between Russia, West grow. What’s at stake?</a>

In a statement to The Irish Times, a Russian embassy spokeswoman accused the Garda police officers of standing idle during the incident.

“The embassy strongly condemns this criminal act of insanity directed against a peaceful diplomatic mission. The embassy views this incident as a clear and blatant violation of the article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic relations of 1961.

"The embassy is in contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland, demanding that the Irish authorities take comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of its staff and their family members.

"The incident is cause of extreme concern. We believe that no people of sound mind could support such senseless and barbaric actions," the spokeswoman said.

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

A man in Ireland rammed his truck through the gates of the Russian embassy in Dublin as part of his protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine—earning applause from onlookers.

A man in Ireland rammed his truck through the gates of the Russian embassy in Dublin as part of his protest against the Russian invasion of Ukraine—earning applause from onlookers. According to local media reports, the incident took place on Monday around 1.30 pm and no injuries were reported. The Irish police have arrested local businessman Desmond Wisley and launched an investigation into the incident of “criminal damage”. "One male was arrested and taken to Rathfarnham Garda Station where he is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984," a police spokesperson said in a statement. "Investigations are ongoing.” Videos of the incident appeared on social media showing an ecclesiastical truck with a trailer reversing into the gates, forcing them to open. Desmond Wisley has breached the gates of the Russian Embassy in #Dublin. He was overcome after seeing photos of the family killed in Irpin. pic.twitter.com/8SMbZIYxK0 — Laura Moth (@EisabelMoth) March 7, 2022 × After ploughing his lorry into the gates, Wisley got out of his vehicle and handed out photos to other protesters showing what Russian troops are doing in Ukraine, according to The Irish Times. “I've just done this to create a safe corridor for the Russian ambassador to leave Ireland,” Wisely told the crowd of protesters. Also read | Zelensky slams Russia's 'cynicism and propaganda', posts video from his office “I want the ambassador and his colleagues to leave this country, leave this free country,” Wisely added. "It's about time we stood up." As the officer leads him away, uncuffed, Wiley declares: “I’ve done my bit lads. It’s about time Ireland does theirs.” Also read | Fears of energy war between Russia, West grow. What’s at stake? In a statement to The Irish Times, a Russian embassy spokeswoman accused the Garda police officers of standing idle during the incident. “The embassy strongly condemns this criminal act of insanity directed against a peaceful diplomatic mission. The embassy views this incident as a clear and blatant violation of the article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic relations of 1961. "The embassy is in contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs of Ireland, demanding that the Irish authorities take comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of its staff and their family members. "The incident is cause of extreme concern. We believe that no people of sound mind could support such senseless and barbaric actions," the spokeswoman said. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch | Irish man rams truck into Russian embassy gates, arrested

From London to New Zealand, people join in on 'Black Lives Matter' protests

According to a report published in British media, social networking giant Facebook has been dragged to the court by its employees for allegedly timing their breaks, even the time they take to go the toilet.&nbsp;

The news comes from Facebook's European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland wherein scores of former employees, working as content moderators, have alleged working in a strict environment with senior managers timing their toilet breaks and requiring them to log in and out every time they step away from their desks.

The employees in question worked as content moderators and looked for sensitive, illegal, pornographic or child abuse content.&nbsp;

In defence, a company spokesperson rubbished the news and said that no employee has any quota of work or any restriction on the breaks that they take. The official added that the system which is in place is to help plan "staffing schedules" and ensure that the employees get time for their training and "well-being breaks".&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-says-investigating-data-exposure-of-267-million-users-269245">Profiles of 267 million users exposed, Facebook says investigating personal data leak</a>

Mark Zuckerberg-led social media platform has been trying very hard to curb the growing menace of inappropriate content online, especially on his platform.&nbsp;

Just last month, Facebook said that it is trying to investigate a report that a database containing names and phone numbers of over two hundred million users was exposed online.

The database was made available for download in December 2019, on an online hacker forum that belonged to a criminal group, according to a blog post on the website Comparitech.

According to a report published in British media, social networking giant Facebook has been dragged to the court by its employees for allegedly timing their breaks, even the time they take to go the toilet.

According to a report published in British media, social networking giant Facebook has been dragged to the court by its employees for allegedly timing their breaks, even the time they take to go the toilet. The news comes from Facebook's European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland wherein scores of former employees, working as content moderators, have alleged working in a strict environment with senior managers timing their toilet breaks and requiring them to log in and out every time they step away from their desks. The employees in question worked as content moderators and looked for sensitive, illegal, pornographic or child abuse content. In defence, a company spokesperson rubbished the news and said that no employee has any quota of work or any restriction on the breaks that they take. The official added that the system which is in place is to help plan "staffing schedules" and ensure that the employees get time for their training and "well-being breaks". Also read: Profiles of 267 million users exposed, Facebook says investigating personal data leak Mark Zuckerberg-led social media platform has been trying very hard to curb the growing menace of inappropriate content online, especially on his platform. Just last month, Facebook said that it is trying to investigate a report that a database containing names and phone numbers of over two hundred million users was exposed online. The database was made available for download in December 2019, on an online hacker forum that belonged to a criminal group, according to a blog post on the website Comparitech.

Facebook allegedly monitors moderators' time off, even toilet breaks

Euro farmers hit the road in protest; Watch this full report

The police in Northern Ireland will not staff border security after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-not-eu-needs-to-do-more-work-on-brexit-offer-brussels-253520">Brexit</a>, the Police Service of Northern Ireland's chief constable said on Thursday.

"We will, of course, police the border as normal. But if the underpinning assumption is that you will see armed officers effectively staffing checkpoints in various parts of the border area, no," Simon Byrne said in comments reported by the Irish Times

"You're not going to see lines of Land Rovers waving vehicles over with PSNI people checking documents, goods, the back of white vans and so on."

The chief constable told a public meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board that he will ask the British government for 300 additional officers to bring the force's strength to 7,500, at a cost of 40 million pounds ($49.31 million).

The extra officers are in addition to 200 officers who are expected to be in place by March. A further 200 are to be redeployed from other duties to Brexit-related operations.

Byrne also told the board members that he was clear with the Northern Ireland Office that it will not be up to the Police Service of Northern Ireland to staff any border security.

"We are clearly there to facilitate normality and day-to-day policing, but not to carry out customs checks and the function of other agencies in whatever proposal is or isn't agreed in the next few weeks," he said.

Britain is due to leave the EU at the end of October, but the two sides have not been able to agree to the terms of their divorce. The biggest obstacle remains disagreement over how to keep open the border between Ireland, a member of the EU, and Northern Ireland, part of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/uk-economy-flirting-with-recession-after-services-shrink-unexpectedly-253502">UK</a>, after Brexit.

The police in Northern Ireland will not staff border security after Brexit, the Police Service of Northern Ireland's chief constable said on Thursday. "We will, of course, police the border as normal.

The police in Northern Ireland will not staff border security after Brexit, the Police Service of Northern Ireland's chief constable said on Thursday. "We will, of course, police the border as normal. But if the underpinning assumption is that you will see armed officers effectively staffing checkpoints in various parts of the border area, no," Simon Byrne said in comments reported by the Irish Times "You're not going to see lines of Land Rovers waving vehicles over with PSNI people checking documents, goods, the back of white vans and so on." The chief constable told a public meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board that he will ask the British government for 300 additional officers to bring the force's strength to 7,500, at a cost of 40 million pounds ($49.31 million). The extra officers are in addition to 200 officers who are expected to be in place by March. A further 200 are to be redeployed from other duties to Brexit-related operations. Byrne also told the board members that he was clear with the Northern Ireland Office that it will not be up to the Police Service of Northern Ireland to staff any border security. "We are clearly there to facilitate normality and day-to-day policing, but not to carry out customs checks and the function of other agencies in whatever proposal is or isn't agreed in the next few weeks," he said. Britain is due to leave the EU at the end of October, but the two sides have not been able to agree to the terms of their divorce. The biggest obstacle remains disagreement over how to keep open the border between Ireland, a member of the EU, and Northern Ireland, part of the UK, after Brexit.

Northern Ireland police will not staff border checkpoints: Chief

European soccer's governing body approved the creation of a third-tier UEFA club competition on Sunday, a tournament which will mirror the current Champions League and Europa League format from 2021.

At their meeting in Dublin, UEFA's Executive Committee finalised plans to introduce the event, with the working title 'UEL2' and featuring 32 teams in the group stage, in the 2021 to 2024 competition cycle.

The Europa League group stage, meanwhile, will be reduced from 48 teams to 32.

UEFA said that the Champions League would remain unaltered, meaning that the four top-ranked leagues -- currently Spain, England, Germany and Italy -- would each keep four guaranteed places in the group stage.

"No changes will be made to the format and access list of the UEFA Champions League," said UEFA.

The umbrella organisation representing Europe's domestic leagues had asked UEFA to reduce the number of places guaranteed to teams from the top leagues, reversing changes made for the current cycle.

UEFA said the new setup would ensure that at least 34 countries would be represented in the group stages of UEFA club competitions, compared to today's total of 26.

"The new UEFA club competition makes UEFA's club competitions more inclusive than ever before," UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said.

"There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages. This competition was borne out of ongoing dialogue with clubs through the European Club Association."

The format will see eight groups of four teams, followed by the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. Like the Europa League, matches will be played on Thursdays.

As with the established competitions, there will also be four rounds of qualifying matches played in July and August.

An additional knockout round will be played before the round of 16 between teams ranked second in their groups and the third-ranked teams in the groups of the Europa League, which will run concurrently.

Similarly, the teams finishing second in the Europa League groups will play in a knockout round against teams ranked third in the Champions League groups for a place in the Europa League round of 16.

The seventh-placed teams in Europe's four top-ranked leagues will qualify directly for the final qualifying round of the new competition.

Teams entering the early qualifying rounds of the new competition will be mainly those finishing second, third and fourth in Europe's smaller leagues.

Teams eliminated in the Europa League qualifiers will also drop down to the new competition.

The new competition will feature 141 matches over 15 match weeks, exactly like the Europa League. The winners of the new competition will be entitled to participate in the Europa League in the following season.

European soccer's governing body approved the creation of a third-tier UEFA club competition on Sunday, a tournament which will mirror the current Champions League and Europa League format from 2021.

European soccer's governing body approved the creation of a third-tier UEFA club competition on Sunday, a tournament which will mirror the current Champions League and Europa League format from 2021. At their meeting in Dublin, UEFA's Executive Committee finalised plans to introduce the event, with the working title 'UEL2' and featuring 32 teams in the group stage, in the 2021 to 2024 competition cycle. The Europa League group stage, meanwhile, will be reduced from 48 teams to 32. UEFA said that the Champions League would remain unaltered, meaning that the four top-ranked leagues -- currently Spain, England, Germany and Italy -- would each keep four guaranteed places in the group stage. "No changes will be made to the format and access list of the UEFA Champions League," said UEFA. The umbrella organisation representing Europe's domestic leagues had asked UEFA to reduce the number of places guaranteed to teams from the top leagues, reversing changes made for the current cycle. UEFA said the new setup would ensure that at least 34 countries would be represented in the group stages of UEFA club competitions, compared to today's total of 26. "The new UEFA club competition makes UEFA's club competitions more inclusive than ever before," UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said. "There will be more matches for more clubs, with more associations represented in the group stages. This competition was borne out of ongoing dialogue with clubs through the European Club Association." The format will see eight groups of four teams, followed by the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. Like the Europa League, matches will be played on Thursdays. As with the established competitions, there will also be four rounds of qualifying matches played in July and August. An additional knockout round will be played before the round of 16 between teams ranked second in their groups and the third-ranked teams in the groups of the Europa League, which will run concurrently. Similarly, the teams finishing second in the Europa League groups will play in a knockout round against teams ranked third in the Champions League groups for a place in the Europa League round of 16. The seventh-placed teams in Europe's four top-ranked leagues will qualify directly for the final qualifying round of the new competition. Teams entering the early qualifying rounds of the new competition will be mainly those finishing second, third and fourth in Europe's smaller leagues. Teams eliminated in the Europa League qualifiers will also drop down to the new competition. The new competition will feature 141 matches over 15 match weeks, exactly like the Europa League. The winners of the new competition will be entitled to participate in the Europa League in the following season.

UEFA approves new European club competition from 2021

Ireland's current abortion laws ban all terminations except in cases where the mother's life is at risk.

Draft legislation already prepared in case of a pro-choice vote in&nbsp;Friday's&nbsp;historic referendum would legalise abortions in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and up to 24 weeks for health reasons.

Here is a rundown of the main legislative points.

What the law says

The eighth amendment to the Irish constitution, introduced by referendum in 1983, "acknowledges the right to life of the unborn". It forbids abortions, even in cases of rape, incest or where the foetus is malformed. The penalty is 14 years' imprisonment and a fine.

In 2012 the death of Savita Halappanavar, a 31-year-old who died of sepsis after a miscarriage when she was denied a medical abortion, outraged public opinion and led to a change in the law.

The following year an exception was introduced to the amendment, authorising abortion in cases where there was a mortal risk to the mother, including the risk of suicide. Under this provision, 26 abortions were performed in Ireland in 2014, 26 in 2015 and 25 in 2016.

Abortions abroad

The 13th amendment of the Irish constitution guarantees an individual "freedom to travel" to other states.

More than 168,000 women used this freedom to visit hospitals in England and Wales for abortions between 1980 and 2016, according to British Department of Health statistics compiled by the Irish Family Planning Association. By these figures, around 13 women who give Irish home addresses have abortions in England and Wales every day.

In 2011 Irish citizen Amanda Mellet was forced to travel to the city of Liverpool in the north of England to have an abortion when it was discovered the foetus of her child was mortally deformed.

Doctors reportedly told her the infant would be born dead or die shortly thereafter.&nbsp;

Considering herself to be a victim of unfair Irish legislation, she took her case to the United Nations Human Rights Committee which agreed she was subjected to "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment".

Dublin paid her 30,000 euros ($35,000) in compensation.

Information on abortion

Spreading information on how to acquire an abortion is also strictly controlled in Ireland.

Following the approval of the eighth amendment, Irish courts initially forbade agencies from helping women in their efforts to organise abortions abroad.

But the 14th amendment voted in by a 1992 referendum, guaranteed the right of an individual to obtain "information relating to services lawfully available in another state".

However, this right was strictly framed by the Regulation of Information Act, adopted in 1995.

This law, among other things, forbids individuals to "advocate or promote" the termination of a pregnancy using "services outside the state".

The act also obliges professionals giving advice to women about abortion to make them aware of all alternatives, encompassing scenarios such as adoption at birth.

Plans for reform

On Friday, Irish voters will be invited to choose whether or not to remove the eighth amendment and replace it with the phrase "provision may be made by law for the regulation of termination of pregnancies".

If the pro-choice vote wins, the government will be tasked with drafting fresh legislation which, if it is passed by parliament, should legalise abortions during the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy and up until 24 weeks for reasons of health.

Ireland's current abortion laws ban all terminations except in cases where the mother's life is at risk

Ireland's current abortion laws ban all terminations except in cases where the mother's life is at risk. Draft legislation already prepared in case of a pro-choice vote in Friday's historic referendum would legalise abortions in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and up to 24 weeks for health reasons. Here is a rundown of the main legislative points. What the law says The eighth amendment to the Irish constitution, introduced by referendum in 1983, "acknowledges the right to life of the unborn". It forbids abortions, even in cases of rape, incest or where the foetus is malformed. The penalty is 14 years' imprisonment and a fine. In 2012 the death of Savita Halappanavar, a 31-year-old who died of sepsis after a miscarriage when she was denied a medical abortion, outraged public opinion and led to a change in the law. The following year an exception was introduced to the amendment, authorising abortion in cases where there was a mortal risk to the mother, including the risk of suicide. Under this provision, 26 abortions were performed in Ireland in 2014, 26 in 2015 and 25 in 2016. Abortions abroad The 13th amendment of the Irish constitution guarantees an individual "freedom to travel" to other states. More than 168,000 women used this freedom to visit hospitals in England and Wales for abortions between 1980 and 2016, according to British Department of Health statistics compiled by the Irish Family Planning Association. By these figures, around 13 women who give Irish home addresses have abortions in England and Wales every day. In 2011 Irish citizen Amanda Mellet was forced to travel to the city of Liverpool in the north of England to have an abortion when it was discovered the foetus of her child was mortally deformed. Doctors reportedly told her the infant would be born dead or die shortly thereafter. Considering herself to be a victim of unfair Irish legislation, she took her case to the United Nations Human Rights Committee which agreed she was subjected to "cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment". Dublin paid her 30,000 euros ($35,000) in compensation. Information on abortion Spreading information on how to acquire an abortion is also strictly controlled in Ireland. Following the approval of the eighth amendment, Irish courts initially forbade agencies from helping women in their efforts to organise abortions abroad. But the 14th amendment voted in by a 1992 referendum, guaranteed the right of an individual to obtain "information relating to services lawfully available in another state". However, this right was strictly framed by the Regulation of Information Act, adopted in 1995. This law, among other things, forbids individuals to "advocate or promote" the termination of a pregnancy using "services outside the state". The act also obliges professionals giving advice to women about abortion to make them aware of all alternatives, encompassing scenarios such as adoption at birth. Plans for reform On Friday, Irish voters will be invited to choose whether or not to remove the eighth amendment and replace it with the phrase "provision may be made by law for the regulation of termination of pregnancies". If the pro-choice vote wins, the government will be tasked with drafting fresh legislation which, if it is passed by parliament, should legalise abortions during the first 12 weeks of a pregnancy and up until 24 weeks for reasons of health.

The legal landscape of Irish abortion

French President Francois Hollande said on Thursday he wanted Britain to open talks fast on quitting the European Union and would seek explanation from British Prime Minister Theresa May for any foot-dragging. 
 
Hollande, who is due to meet Theresa May in Paris later on Thursday, told a news conference during a visit to Ireland: &quot;I will meet Theresa May tonight. That will be the opportunity to hear the arguments. What is the interest of delaying? I would like justifications.&quot; 
 
The French leader, who was speaking in Dublin where he and Irish Prime minister Enda Kenny issued a joint statement urging rapid exit talks, also said he would confer with German leader Angela Merkel after his meeting with May. 
 
There should be no pre-negotiations before full and formal exit talks, he said. 
 
Hollande added that Britain should not be able to access the EU`s single market without allowing free movement of EU citizens. 
 
&quot;Access to the single market cannot be guaranteed unless free movement of workers is respected,&quot; Hollande said following talks with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny in Dublin. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

French President Francois Hollande insisted that Britain cannot acces EU's single market without allowing free movement of EU citizens

French President Francois Hollande said on Thursday he wanted Britain to open talks fast on quitting the European Union and would seek explanation from British Prime Minister Theresa May for any foot-dragging. Hollande, who is due to meet Theresa May in Paris later on Thursday, told a news conference during a visit to Ireland: "I will meet Theresa May tonight. That will be the opportunity to hear the arguments. What is the interest of delaying? I would like justifications." The French leader, who was speaking in Dublin where he and Irish Prime minister Enda Kenny issued a joint statement urging rapid exit talks, also said he would confer with German leader Angela Merkel after his meeting with May. There should be no pre-negotiations before full and formal exit talks, he said. Hollande added that Britain should not be able to access the EU`s single market without allowing free movement of EU citizens. "Access to the single market cannot be guaranteed unless free movement of workers is respected," Hollande said following talks with Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny in Dublin. (Reuters)

Hollande urges Britain to open EU exit talks

&quot;Unapologetic&quot; singer Rihanna broke down mid concert to the point where she couldn&#39;t continue with her song. 
 
The 28-year-old hitmaker was performing on a stage in Dublin, Ireland as a part of her &quot;Anti World Tour&quot;, reported E! online. 
 
Instagram videos of the concert shows RiRi singing the first few lyrics of her famous hit song with Eminem &quot;Love the Way You Lie&quot; with tears in her eyes. 
 
When the crowd sang the song back to her, she got engulfed in emotion and stepped back with her hand in the air. Later she attempted to continue with the track, but kept getting choked up. 
 
It seemed the singer was just taken aback by all the love she was getting from the crowd. 
 
(PTI)

Singer gets overwhelmed by all the love from the crowd

"Unapologetic" singer Rihanna broke down mid concert to the point where she couldn't continue with her song. The 28-year-old hitmaker was performing on a stage in Dublin, Ireland as a part of her "Anti World Tour", reported E! online. Instagram videos of the concert shows RiRi singing the first few lyrics of her famous hit song with Eminem "Love the Way You Lie" with tears in her eyes. When the crowd sang the song back to her, she got engulfed in emotion and stepped back with her hand in the air. Later she attempted to continue with the track, but kept getting choked up. It seemed the singer was just taken aback by all the love she was getting from the crowd. (PTI)

Rihanna breaks down in tears onstage during Dublin gig

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