In other news, Nvidia had $600bn wiped off its market value in the biggest one-day fall in US stock market history. The company is a leading maker of computer chips that has thrived in the AI boom. Yesterday's dramatic market fall was as a result of the emergence of a rival Chinese company, DeepSeek, whose generative AI product was made at a fraction of the cost of competitors such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini. The firm effectively wiped $1tn (£800bn) in value from the leading US tech index yesterday. It sounds like something that will have repercussions.

Elsewhere, a proposal for a strike by criminal barristers unless the Government pledges to full criminal legal aid pay restoration by the end of 2025 was narrowly defeated at an extraordinary general meeting of the Bar of Ireland. 

In Cork, Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould is reported to have "slammed" the new coalition for a lack of action on a previously promised water referendum, to bring the utility come into full public ownership.

Elsewhere, William Walsh, CEO of the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland warns that difficult choices lie ahead, as the State is projected to miss emissions targets by 2030, risking a €20bn fine despite solid progress on renewables and reducing carbon, while the Irish Times reports on storm damage in Cavan and how renters receiving the housing assistance payment (HAP) are finding it “increasingly difficult to secure” suitable accommodation.

On Saturday Dublin Airport marked 85 years of operations with this full page ad celebrating its history. Collinstown Airport - now known as Dublin Airport - commenced operations on 19th January, 1940 with a  flight to Liverpool, "marking the beginning of its illustrious journey."

Zen 

Only the top 1% of music acts account for up to 90% of all music streams: "The platforms pay only a fraction of a penny per play, making it practically impossible for an up-and-coming musician to make a living, even with an emerging fanbase that would once have made the foundation of a career." 

Bearing this in mind (and wishing Swift and Sheeran no ill-will with their lion's share of the spoils) new music alerts from Bandcamp tend to draw me in. Last weekend it pointed me in the direction of Lophae ("lo-fi"), providing more welcome evidence of a thriving London jazz scene.

Have a great day. 

Niall Shanahan