Latest news with #Spanish-based
RTÉ News
29-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Dundrum locals vow to continue protest outside IPAS hotel
Locals in a Co Tipperary village are vowing to continue their protest outside a former hotel now housing applicants seeking international protection a year after their demonstration first began. It has been one year since round-the-clock protests began outside Dundrum House Hotel, with local TDs now calling on the Minister for Justice and the Dáil's Public Accounts Committee to review a new contract signed with its operators. Dundrum House is an 18th-century country estate, situated around 14km from both Cashel and Tipperary town. The hotel building was closed to the public following a ballroom fire in 2015, but its golf resort, restaurant and leisure facility continue to trade. Locals welcomed 277 Ukrainian refugees to the guest accommodation there in 2022. However, as many moved on from the facility, political representatives were told on 29 May last year that Dundrum House would begin to accommodate international protection applicants as well as Ukrainian refugees, while details of a new two-year contract confirmed plans to provide 277 beds for international protection applicants there last month. Local residents have maintained a 24/7 presence at the hotel gates for a year, with people taking turns to attend the makeshift camp where a caravan and tent with a wood-burning stove provide shelter under floodlights. The camp is surrounded by Irish flags and numerous placards with slogans including "Dundrum says No to Direct Provision", "Peaceful Community Protest Supported by Local Businesses" and "Make Dundrum Great Again". One of those protesting, Fiona Kennedy, told RTÉ's Drivetime that the camp "has never once been unattended", even on Christmas Day and through extreme winter storms. Locals are "steadfast" in their view that a village of 220 people cannot cater for 277 international protection applicants, and their main aim is to "get our hotel back" for tourism. With a number of new arrivals to the hotel this week, Ms Kennedy said locals know it is housing international protection applicants, but "are at a loss to understand how a contract could have been signed". Ms Kennedy said planning issues were raised by Tipperary County Council, and separately there were "three court cases pending at the moment" relating to Dundrum House. Local political representatives claimed the two-year contract could be worth €16 million to €20 million following government communications in April confirming that 277 beds would be provided for international protection applicants in Dundrum House. The property is being operated by Utmasta Limited, a newly formed Spanish-based company with a 20-year lease on the site.
CAF
16-05-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Four to Watch: Stars set to shine in the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 AFCON final
Published: Friday, 16 May 2025 As the 2025 TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt nears its climax, all eyes turn to the eagerly awaited final between Morocco and South Africa on Sunday in Cairo. Both sides have impressed throughout the tournament, earning hard-fought victories in the semi-finals and showing depth, resilience, and flair in their run to the title decider. At the heart of these performances lie a handful of exceptional young talents—players who have not only carried their teams forward but are also expected to play pivotal roles in determining who lifts the trophy. Among those set to take centre stage are two Moroccan stars—midfield anchor Reda Laalaoui and the versatile forward Jones El Abdellaoui—as well as South Africa's attacking spark Thabang Mahlangu and midfield maestro Shakeel April. With goals, assists, and standout performances, these four have defined their nations' tournament narratives and could now etch their names into history. 1. Thabang Mahlangu (South Africa, Supersport United, Age 19) Mahlangu has been one of the tournament's breakout stars. The Supersport United forward has played in six matches, scoring three crucial goals—including a match-winning strike against DR Congo in the quarter-finals. He earned a Man of the Match rating of 7.8 in that game and another solid 6.7 against Nigeria in the semi-final. A livewire with sharp movement and instinctive finishing, Mahlangu's influence in the final third could be South Africa's trump card on Sunday. 2. Shakeel April (South Africa, Cape Town City, Age 19) Another key cog in South Africa's run, April is a dynamic midfielder with a knack for unlocking defences. In five matches played, April has registered one goal and one assist—most notably setting up Mahlangu's winner against DR Congo. His technical skill and vision were on full display in that quarter-final, where he posted a good match rating. Despite a minor injury in the semi-final against Nigeria, April's creativity remains vital in the final. 3. Jones El Abdellaoui (Morocco, Celta Vigo, Age 19) The Spanish-based forward has featured in three matches for Morocco and made them count—scoring against Egypt in the semi-final and notching a 7.6 rating in just 26 minutes. The Celta Vigo man brings top-level experience and clinical finishing to Morocco's attack. His goal against the hosts secured their place in the final and showed he has the temperament for big moments. 4. Reda Laalaoui (Morocco, FUS Rabat, Age 20) Morocco's midfield general, Laalaoui has been instrumental in their journey to the final. The FUS Rabat star has started four matches, earning rave reviews for his control and consistency. His 8.1-rated display over 120 minutes against Sierra Leone in the quarter-finals stood out as one of the tournament's best individual performances. Calm under pressure and precise in distribution, Laalaoui's leadership and poise will be essential in the final.
Scottish Sun
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Arsenal transfer target Zubimendi was seen as the new Busquets… Arteta will love him but he WON'T win Gunners games
He is no stranger to a yellow card, but he never oversteps the mark ZU BEAUTY Arsenal transfer target Zubimendi was seen as the new Busquets… Arteta will love him but he WON'T win Gunners games ARSENAL are on the brink of starting their summer splurge with a £50million deal for Martin Zubimendi. But what will the Real Sociedad and Spain midfielder bring to Mikel Arteta's side? Spanish-based journalist Andy West runs the rule over the 26-year-old. Advertisement 5 Martin Zubimendi is set to join Arsenal in a £50m deal Credit: Getty 5 Zubimendi protects the back four and can smoothly link defence and attack Credit: Getty 5 He has been compared to midfield great Sergio Busquets Credit: Getty Dynamic, composed, aggressive... it's long been inevitable Zubimendi's qualities would lead him to Europe's elite. When a young Zubimendi progressed from Real Sociedad's youth ranks to become a first-team regular five years ago, he was quickly touted as a target for Barcelona to replace the fading Sergio Busquets. That never materialised, mainly because of Barca's well-documented financial problems, but the comparison is largely accurate. Zubimendi occupies the same terrain as Busquets at the base of midfield, protecting the back four and smoothly linking defence with attack. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL ON THE MEND Arsenal 'agree to sign Zubimendi' but fans have big doubt about Sociedad star He is also press-resistant, capable of receiving and calmly retaining possession in tight spaces. But Zubimendi is physically more explosive than Busquets, able to evade pressure by driving with the ball into space. Zubimendi is an effective and efficient performer rather than flashy — much of his best work unfussily executed off the ball. He reads the game superbly, always popping up in the right place to receive possession from a team-mate or disrupt the opposition's rhythm. That includes game management. Advertisement JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 5 A central aspect of Real Sociedad's approach is preventing counter-attacks by physically pressing the first phase of possession, using fouls if necessary. Zubimendi's 47 career yellow cards — but no reds — show he is not averse to controlled aggression. Advertisement These WILD Liverpool stats spell Arsenal disaster | Experts' best bets More tellingly — just 11 goals and eight assists in nearly 250 appearances makes it clear Zubimendi is not a major presence in the opposition final third. That is not his game. Rather than chasing personal glory, Zubimendi makes his team better through positional discipline, distributing simply but quickly, and denying the opposition space. If there is one concern about the long-awaited move to Arsenal, it is whether he can adapt to a new team in a new league. Growing up in San Sebastian and joining his local club aged 12, Real Sociedad is all he has ever known. Advertisement The Basques boast one of football's best youth systems, with a clearly- defined style throughout the age groups allowing local talents to enjoy a seamless transition to senior football. Away from that comfort zone, Zubimendi has rarely been so effective for his country. Since his Spain debut in 2021 he has struggled to become a regular, mostly deputising for Manchester City's Rodri with just one start at last summer's triumphant Euros. Can Zubimendi thrive when he leaves the familiarity of his boyhood club? Advertisement Surely no coach could be better placed to help the transition than Arteta, his fellow San Sebastian native. The Arsenal boss knows exactly what he is getting, with the presence of former team-mate Mikel Merino another help. At 26, Zubimendi is in his prime. The step-up to a major title candidate like Arsenal has been brewing for years. As long he is expected to knit the team together rather than win games single-handedly, everything points towards Zubimendi quickly becoming a key piece for Arteta's Arsenal. Advertisement Join SUN CLUB for the Arsenal Files every Friday plus in-depth coverage and exclusives from The Emirates
Ottawa Citizen
09-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Ottawa Citizen
Design trends: 'Mocha mousse' makes its move
Article content Move over, grey. Take a back seat, millennial pink. There's a new colour trend in town, and designers say it marks a shift away from the stark interiors of recent years toward something warmer, deeper and more luxurious. Meet 'mocha mousse,' Pantone's colour of the year for 2025. Article content Article content For the uninitiated, mocha mousse isn't quite your grandma's chocolate brown. As Pantone explains it, it's 'a warming, brown hue imbued with richness. It nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort.' Given that many of us could use a bit of cozy comfort these days, it's not surprising that a colour with that quality caught the eyes of Pantone's tastemakers. Article content Article content Those in the design industry also pinpoint the colour's earthiness — a distinct change from the huge expanses of white marble in many high-end kitchens built in the last decade or so. Reen-Ann McBean is the general manager of the Ottawa showroom of Cosentino, a Spanish-based manufacturer of engineered stone surfaces. She says the mocha mousse trend is part of an overall rising demand for more natural, less futuristic aesthetic. Article content She recommends the Château Brown shade of her company's durable Silestone product as a mocha mousse option for countertops and backsplashes. Pink-copper and bronze veining gives the shade depth and richness, McBean says. 'It's almost as though there are layers in there,' she notes of the product, which is made from a blend of natural and recycled materials bound together with a resin. 'It's got a lot of texture.' Article content Article content Those veins may raise a related question if you're considering a Château Brown topper for your new kitchen island: What hardware finishes work well with this newly popular colour? Article content Article content For McBean, the sky is really the limit when choosing fixtures to complement the mocha mousse surface. 'It lends itself to so many different possibilities. Because of the depth of the design, you can almost pull anything that you want to out of it,' she says. Copper could work well, as could bronze or even black. And if you can't decide, don't be afraid to mix and match. 'There was a time when you would never put gold and silver fixtures [together] in your space, whereas now, that's almost championed,' she notes. Article content Countertops and backsplashes aren't the only places where you can add some mocha mousse pizzazz to your kitchen. Cabinets, flooring and chair coverings are other elements where the shade works well. If your budget doesn't run to a complete kitchen overhaul, you could add some rich brown tea towels, placemats or upholstered chairs.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Josh Riley opens investigation into 'soaring' NYSEG prices
(WIVT/WBGH) – Congressman Josh Riley says he's launched an investigation into what he calls soaring energy bills from NYSEG. Riley says many of his constituents have reported their electric and gas bills skyrocketing over the last couple of months. The freshman Democrat says he sent a letter to New York State Electric and Gas demanding detailed billing data, an explanation of recent rate hikes and how much of customers money is going into profits for NYSEG's owner, Spanish-based Iberdrola. 'Just last quarter, they were running around Wall Street, bragging to their investors, bragging to their shareholders that they had a 17% increase in profits. They had a $6 billion profit last year. And they're getting that profit by squeezing the hell out of people across Upstate New York. It's not fair, it's greed. I think it's corruption because they use those profits to then give campaign contributions to politicians and hire lobbyists. So we're going to hold them accountable,' Riley said. NYSEG says the higher costs are a combination of factors. It says a colder than normal winter drove up energy usage, the supply cost of electricity and natural gas has gone up, something NYSEG says it doesn't control, and the company is making significant investments in infrastructure. 'Upstate New York has one of the oldest grids in the nation. So, significant improvements are needed to keep the lights on, to keep that reliability, and allow for economic and job growth. We want to be clear that any money that we're getting from customers is going toward making those types of investments, to strengthening the grid, expanding capacity, and meeting the growing energy demands across much of our service areas,' NYSEG communications manger Alexis Arnold said. Arnold says NYSEG customer service representatives can explain the billing process in person or over the phone and the utility has programs to assist customers who are struggling to pay their bills. Riley has launched a survey to gather input from constituents in the 19th district about utility costs. You can find the link to the survey here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
