Yes, we have an epidemic and maybe a pandemic with the coronavirus, but the reaction of many people is ridiculous and often racist.

The country is now confronting its dependence on exports to China and the destructive power of global warming, but all Western nations will shortly have to reckon with both, says Carl Bildt

Mickey Harte learned last week that it is impossible to change the mind of a young Irish person who has decided to leave Ireland.

As details of our belated climate action bill were published this week, Australians — including climate change denier prime minister Scott Morrison — had to come to terms with the fact that something around 8.4m hectares of their continent has been razed by uncontrollable, relentless, and far-from-finished bush fires.

Some early images of how climate change impacts on our world were pictures of polar bears struggling to find food on ever-diminishing ice caps. Underweight and distressed bears pulled at our heartstrings.

Australia continues to battle “catastrophic” fires as the severe heatwave and bushfire crisis continues.

Australia continues to battle “catastrophic” fires as the severe heatwave and bushfire crisis continues.

Ollie Campbell put his arm around the shoulders of Michael Lynagh’s youngest son, and pointed at the shiny Aviva Stadium in the near distance.

What a difference one teenage girl and one year makes.

Australia have the potential to cause yet another Rugby World Cup surprise later this year in Japan, according to former New Zealand captain Richie McCaw.

Author Jane Harper has been in the vanguard of the ‘outback-noir’ genre — tense thrillers set in Australia’s desolate landscape, writes Marjorie Brennan.

Israel Folau’s second fundraising drive for legal costs has already received more donations in 24 hours than his previous GoFundMe campaign managed to raise before its closure on Monday.

In early 2018, in a complex of low-rise buildings in the Australian capital, a team of government hackers was engaging in a destructive digital war game.

Voluntary euthanasia has become legal in an Australian state, more than 20 years after the country repealed the world's first mercy-killing law for the terminally ill.

A black swan turned up on the west coast of Scotland last month.

A combination of Ryan Baird's 21st-minute red card and a luckless spate of injuries left the Ireland Under-20s exposed down the final stretch as Australia ruthlessly took advantage to claim a 45-17 bonus point win in Santa Fe.

The E3 is a two-year renewable visa and is currently only available to Australian nationals.

The Flat season is not long under way but already, Mark Gallagher is making a claim to providing one of the outstanding narratives of the campaign.

Fresh efforts to secure special work visas for Irish citizens in America will go ahead after talks between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and US president Donald Trump.

As difficult as defeat is to swallow for an Ireland side so used to being on the right side of the competitive ledger, the bruising loss to England must be digested very quickly.

Irish coach Alexander Cox says his side may need to employ a defensive strategy if they are to get something from their opening World Cup tie against champions Australia.

Rowing Ireland are “miles behind” their competitors in terms of capital and staff despite success at the World Championships, says CEO Michelle Carpenter.

Chris Hatherall looks ahead to today’s World Cup action as eight teams go into Day 13 looking to finish the group stage on a high.

Niall Scannell will be thrust into action from kick-off this morning, as Ireland bid to win a first Test series in Australia since 1979.

Joe Schmidt will start Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony at openside flanker for his 50th Test cap in Saturday’s series-decider against Australia after shuffling his options to deal with injuries.

If ever there was a microcosm of the battle for hearts and minds in Australian sport, then today’s fare is it.

When does an underdog need to stop behaving like an underdog?

Cian Healy is relishing the opportunity to get back to basics and exact revenge on the Australians after a sobering night in Brisbane.

Michael Cheika saunters into the high school hall at Kelvin State College in the Brisbane suburbs looking wonderfully relaxed in a Wallabies polo shirt and jeans.

If Ireland were under any illusions about how tough the defensive challenge that awaits them at Suncorp Stadium this morning will be in this opening Test against Australia, then listening to Wallabies captain Michael Hooper yesterday will have removed any doubt.

There will be no sentiment when Australia fly-half Bernard Foley locks horns once again with Ireland on Saturday bidding for a first victory over the old country at the third attempt.

The first of a three-match Test series between Ireland and Australia takes place at the weekend in Brisbane, writes Jack Anderson.

Will Genia has learned to his cost the dangers of underestimating Ireland and the Australia scrum-half believes the next generation of Wallabies are at no risk of making the same mistake as he did at the 2011 World Cup.

The playing of a test match in Dublin last weekend between Ireland and Pakistan is a reminder that there is nothing inevitable in sport.

Defence Forces bosses want the Government to establish an independent pay review board, similar to ones in Britain and Australia, to curtail the exodus of highly trained personnel who are leaving for better wages and conditions elsewhere.

This autumn’s International Rules series looks set to take place in Ireland due to a lack of suitable venues in the US, with Páirc Uí Chaoimh fancied to stage the first of the two-test series.

An estimated €250,000 in cash that was seized as part of an Irish-Australian police operation into drug trafficking was found literally stuffed inside the mattress of a bed.

Jamie Heaslip’s recent retirement has left a vacancy for the title of rugby’s ‘Mr Indestructible’ and one look through the Saracens duty roster for the season to date makes a persuasive case for Alex Goode as the heir apparent.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar presented all sorts of conundrums for opponents, writes Brendan O’Brien

Darren Lehmann will leave his post as Australia's head coach after the fourth Test against South Africa, which begins on Friday.

Steve Smith’s future as Australian cricket captain remains in jeopardy despite standing down as skipper of Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals as the furore surrounding cricket’s latest ball-tampering row deepens.