September 26: Today’s top stories in 60 seconds

Ireland’s ambassador to the UK urges negotiations to resolve Northern Ireland Protocol row
Ireland’s ambassador to the UK has stressed the need to find a negotiated solution to the problems surrounding Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit arrangements. Martin Fraser said he was an optimist about the chances of resolving the issues around the Northern Ireland Protocol but the situation was currently in the “words phase” and had to move to the “actions phase”. The UK government is legislating to effectively tear up parts of the agreement, which sets out how goods flowing from Great Britain to Northern Ireland are treated. Fraser, speaking at a fringe event at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, said the protocol was the only way to resolve the problems caused by Brexit.
The Journal

Morning travel: Dart services delayed due to signalling issues; traffic heavy on M3 and M1
Irish Rail is warning Dart users that some services are delayed this morning due to “signalling issues”. Irish Rail said it will provide updates on its Twitter account. Traffic is heavy on the M1 southbound. Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) said it is taking approximately 45 minutes to get from junction 10 Drogheda to the M50 turnoff. Long delays have also been reported on the M3 eastbound, between junction 4 Clonee and junction 1, the M50/N3 turnoff. Meanwhile, traffic is building on the M50 southbound, between junction 5 Finglas and junction junction 7 Blanchardstown.
Independent.ie

Free school books and cheaper childcare as families to benefit from €10bn budget bonanza
Families with toddlers to teenagers are to be the big winners in Tuesday’s €10bn budget bonanza to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. A raft of new measures including free school books for all primary school children, smaller classes, reduced childcare costs, a double child benefit payment, a €500 reduction in college fees, and energy credits amounting to €600 per family are to be unleashed, following sign-off by the three party leaders in the Government.
The Irish Examiner

Roman/Iron Age anchor found at windfarm on display in Ipswich
An “incredibly rare” Roman/Iron Age wrought iron anchor found at an offshore windfarm is going on display for one day only. It is believed to be Roman or late Iron Age, somewhere between 1,600-2,000 years old, and was found off the Suffolk coast in 2018. It was discovered during survey work on the East Anglia One windfarm. It will be on show for the first time at Ipswich Museum on Tuesday, before it is moved for further analysis work.
BBC

Protests continue in Iran as president threatens ‘decisive’ response
Protests continued in Tehran and other Iranian cities Sunday for a 10th day, with videos emerging of large demonstrations despite tightening internet restrictions and an expanding clampdown by security forces, monitoring groups said. The protests started after Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, died after being detained by Iran’s morality police this month, amid allegations by her family that she had been beaten. The demonstrations — outpourings of anger over the harsh strictures on women’s dress that led to Amini’s arrest and vehicles for more deeply rooted complaints against Iran’s clerical establishment — have spread to all of Iran’s 31 provinces and are the largest since nationwide demonstrations three years ago that were met with a deadly security response that killed hundreds. In the latest protests, at least 41 people have been killed, according to Iran’s state media, including police officers.
The Washington Post

Today’s forecast
Today will be largely dry with sunny spells and isolated showers, most frequent in Ulster and Leinster. Cool and breezy in moderate to fresh and gusty northwest winds and highest temperatures of 12°C to 15°C. Generally dry and cloudy tonight, though isolated showers will continue to feed into Leinster and Ulster at times. Rain will push into the southwest by morning. Lowest temperatures of 8°C to 11°C in moderate to fresh northwest winds.
Met Éireann