Ireland Fuel Protests Paralyse Nation

The blockades at the Whitegate refinery in County Cork and Dublin Port have escalated into an 'exceptional event,' prompting the deployment of public order units and the use of pepper spray by Gardaí.

Protesters are demanding immediate government intervention to lower fuel prices, which have skyrocketed following the outbreak of war in Iran.

The Irish Government is set to resume crisis talks on Saturday to defuse the situation as supply chains for essential goods face critical disruption.

Meanwhile, similar unrest is brewing in Northern Ireland, where the PSNI is on alert for planned 'days of action' by haulage and farming sectors.