Met Éireann has issued two Status Yellow wind alerts across several coastal counties in Ireland, warning residents of strong gusts and potentially hazardous travel conditions.

The first warning affects counties Clare, Cork, Kerry, Waterford, Galway, Wexford, and Wicklow. It came into effect at 2pm and is set to remain until 8pm. The second alert covers counties Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo, and Sligo, starting at 4pm and continuing until midnight.

According to Met Éireann, the warnings are in response to very windy conditions expected across the affected areas. Strong and gusty south-to-southwest winds are forecast, with gales or strong gales near coastal regions.

Authorities cautioned that the weather could lead to several hazards. These include wave overtopping along exposed coastlines, loose objects being displaced, and fallen trees or branches. Drivers are being advised to exercise caution, as the conditions may make travel difficult.

Residents are also encouraged to secure outdoor items and avoid unnecessary travel in areas where winds are strongest. Coastal communities could see waves reaching unusually high levels, raising the risk of localized flooding and damage to coastal infrastructure.

The warnings come as the UK Met Office had previously issued a series of alerts for rain and wind in Northern Ireland. Those warnings have now been stood down, indicating the most severe conditions are currently affecting the Republic of Ireland’s western and southern coasts.

Local authorities and emergency services are on alert and have urged the public to follow official updates. Met Éireann continues to monitor the situation and will provide updates if conditions change.

The wind alerts highlight the ongoing challenges posed by rapidly changing weather patterns in Ireland, particularly along exposed coastal areas. Residents in affected regions are advised to remain vigilant and prepared for sudden gusts that could impact transport, outdoor activities, and property.

This latest warning follows a period of unsettled weather across the country, with several regions already experiencing heavy rainfall and strong winds in recent days. The combination of saturated ground and strong gusts increases the likelihood of fallen trees and debris on roads, adding to the risks for drivers and pedestrians.

Met Éireann’s guidance stresses that while the warnings are classified as Status Yellow—indicating the need for caution—they signal conditions that could cause disruption and potential danger if precautions are not taken.

Travelers along the west and south coasts, in particular, should plan their journeys carefully, allow extra time, and stay informed of any updates or changes to the alerts. Authorities advise keeping clear of coastal paths and beaches while winds remain high.

Ten years have passed since the world lost David Bowie on 10 January 2016, two days after his 69th birthday and the release of his final album, Blackstar. Across Europe, fans continue to honor the legacy of the musician, actor, and style icon, with several locations serving as pilgrimage sites for those wishing to pay tribute.

Bowie was born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 at 40 Stansfield Road in Brixton, London. He lived there until age six before moving to suburban Bromley. Nearby, Stockwell Primary School remains a quiet reminder of his early years. Fans also visit the Brixton Road mural painted by Australian artist Jimmy C in 2013, which became a spontaneous shrine after Bowie’s death, with thousands leaving flowers and tributes. Lambeth Council has committed to protecting the mural for the long term.

Music enthusiasts often make their way to Heddon Street in London, famously captured on the cover of The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. A commemorative plaque at 23 Heddon Street marks the location. For those who prefer a social setting, The Ship bar on Wardour Street in Soho remains a place where Bowie gave interviews and mingled with London’s music scene.

Bowie’s time in Berlin from 1976 to 1979 was pivotal to his artistic reinvention. Seeking to overcome drug addiction and distance himself from the United States, he lived in the city’s Schöneberg district with Iggy Pop. Hauptstraße 155, where he resided, now features a plaque commemorating the period. Nearby Café Neues Ufer, once Anderes Ufer, is one of Berlin’s oldest gay bars and retains images of Bowie and Iggy Pop. Hansa Studios, where Bowie recorded Heroes, and the punk club SO36 on Oranienstraße, remain popular stops for fans retracing his steps in the city.

Switzerland also played a key role in Bowie’s life. From 1982, he lived near Montreux in Blonay, raising his son Zowie (now Duncan) and maintaining a residence until 1982, followed by a stay at Château de Signal in Lausanne. Bowie married his second wife, Iman, in Lausanne in 1992 before returning to the United States in 1998.

Paris has joined the list of European Bowie landmarks with the inauguration of Rue David Bowie in the 13th arrondissement in 2024, near Gare d’Austerlitz. Jérôme Coumet, mayor of the district, noted Bowie’s affection for France and the city’s avant-garde culture, which influenced his visual style.

For fans seeking a more enigmatic connection, Norway offers Ørmen, the village referenced in the Blackstar video. Some interpret it as a metaphorical space, while others treat it as a physical pilgrimage site, symbolizing mortality and transformation, themes central to Bowie’s final work.

Across Europe, these locations provide fans the opportunity to reflect on Bowie’s music, style, and influence. From London to Berlin, Lausanne to Paris, and even Ørmen in Norway, the late artist’s impact continues to resonate, a decade after his passing.

Iranian women are intensifying their protests against the country’s authoritarian system, moving beyond symbolic gestures like cutting their hair or burning headscarves toward more confrontational forms of dissent. Recent demonstrations have included burning images of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, often combined with acts that challenge social restrictions imposed on women.

In November 2025, Omid Sarlak, a young man from western Iran, posted a video showing himself setting fire to a portrait of Khamenei. Hours later, his body was found in his car with a gunshot wound to the head. That same month, Samad Pourshah, a former political prisoner, performed a similar protest, burning the leader’s photograph to denounce Sarlak’s death. Security forces raided his home shortly after, but he was not present and has remained in hiding since.

The Iranian regime has repeatedly cracked down on such acts. In 2021, poet Qasem Bahrami was arrested in Mashhad after burning a portrait of Khamenei. He was held incommunicado for two months. Despite these threats, women’s protests have grown more visible and defiant, often using the act of burning the ayatollah’s image to light cigarettes—a challenge to both political authority and societal restrictions on women’s behavior. Videos of these protests have circulated widely on social media, making containment by authorities increasingly difficult.

The movement traces its origins to the 2022 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in detention after allegedly violating hijab regulations. Her death sparked mass protests, known as the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement, which were violently suppressed. More than 500 people were killed and over 19,400 arrested during the four-month crackdown. Despite the repression, women continued to resist through symbolic public acts.

In recent years, these acts have become increasingly bold. Women have appeared without hijabs in public spaces, knocked turbans off clerics, participated in sporting events without headscarves, and performed public demonstrations of nudity, including instances atop police vehicles. Protest participation spans all ages, including schoolgirls, highlighting the generational reach of the movement.

A separate dimension of protest has emerged through mass poisoning incidents in schools. Investigations revealed that more than 800 students in at least 15 cities were poisoned in 2023, causing widespread illness. The government denied involvement, and the perpetrators were never identified. Officials initially suggested the incidents aimed to close girls’ schools but later retracted these statements.

Analysts say Iranian women’s protests reflect a combination of resistance to political repression and defiance of deeply rooted social restrictions. By adopting highly visible and symbolic acts, they continue to push for freedom and equal rights despite the persistent threat of government violence. The movement has gained international attention, with videos circulating globally, underscoring the resilience of women’s activism in Iran.