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Tennessee prisons chief resigns after failed execution leaves woman on life support
Tennessee’s prisons chief, Frank Strada, has resigned days after Christa Pike survived an attempted execution by lethal injection. The failure has prompted an independent review and led Governor Bill Lee to suspend executions in the state, bringing renewed scrutiny to the use of capital punishment. Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital on Wednesday and…
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Ireland press conference ends abruptly amid tensions before Israel rematch
The Republic of Ireland’s pre-match press conference before their Nations League return fixture against Israel was cut short on Saturday as tensions escalated during questioning about the Gaza conflict and alleged player conduct. Manager Heimir Hallgrímsson had earlier called for “cool heads” and suggested UEFA should consider whether such matches should take place, but the…
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Tories pledge to fix £100,000 childcare ‘cliff edge’ that forces parents to work less
Kemi Badenoch is expected to pledge that a Conservative government would remove the £100,000 income threshold that can cut off parents’ access to free childcare. The party says the current rules can make taking a pay rise or promotion financially unattractive, and that changing them would support working families and encourage economic growth. Under the…
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Prescribed sodium bicarbonate linked to lower dementia diagnosis risk in study
Researchers have suggested that sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, may be linked to a lower chance of dementia in people with mild cognitive impairment. The finding matters because there is currently no NHS treatment that prevents dementia from developing, but the study does not show that baking soda prevents or treats the condition.…
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Trump urges Arkansans to pressure Cotton over daylight saving time bill
Donald Trump publicly attacked Republican Senator Tom Cotton over the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make daylight saving time permanent. Trump, who strongly supports the bill, escalated his campaign by posting what appeared to be Cotton’s personal phone number on social media and urging Arkansans to pressure the senator to pass it. The move represents…
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Teenager arrested over flame attack on woman during French school riots
A 15-year-old has been arrested in Marseille for using a makeshift flame-thrower to burn a woman’s face during nationwide student riots across France. The attack, captured on video and leaving the victim with first-degree burns, highlights the escalating violence as young people protest poor school conditions and the government’s recent budget cuts affecting education. Nearly…
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Tories consider six-month independent stint for returning Reform MPs
The Conservatives are considering a six-month “quarantine” for Reform UK MPs who want to return to the party, requiring them to sit as independents first. The plan could give former Tories a route back despite Kemi Badenoch’s public refusal to readmit defectors, while limiting the risk of them switching parties again. Four of Reform’s eight…
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Belfast rapper urges understanding as Drumcree tensions return
Young Spencer, a loyalist rapper from Belfast’s Shankill Road who has performed with Kneecap, says most young people in Northern Ireland do not want a return to the violence of the Troubles. As an Orange Order march back along Portadown’s Garvaghy Road brings renewed attention to the Drumcree dispute, he urges both communities to understand…
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Michael Douglas reveals affair with Kathleen Turner during Romancing the Stone filming
Michael Douglas says in his memoir that he and Kathleen Turner had a relationship while filming the 1984 adventure film *Romancing the Stone*, after denying the rumour for four decades. He says they were drawn to each other during production, and that his wife at the time, Diandra Luker, became suspicious and travelled to the…
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McEntee faces questions over handling of Garda whistleblower disclosure
Helen McEntee, while justice minister, directed An Garda Síochána to investigate a protected disclosure that included allegations against the force and its then commissioner, Drew Harris. The decision has prompted political calls for her to answer questions in the Dáil because the whistleblower’s identity was disclosed to Garda headquarters, raising concerns about whether they received…