Farmer took his own life day before budget over inheritance tax
Act now to keep your subscription
We've tried to contact you several times as we haven't been able to take payment. You must update your payment details via My Account or by clicking update payment details to keep your subscription.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
19 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Hegseth: US will stand by Indo-Pacific allies against ‘imminent' China threat
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth reassured allies in the Indo-Pacific on Saturday that they will not be left alone to face increasing military and economic pressure from China, while insisting that they also contribute more to their own defence. He said Washington will bolster its defences overseas to counter what the Pentagon sees as rapidly developing threats by Beijing, particularly in its aggressive stance towards Taiwan. Advertisement China has conducted numerous exercises to test what a blockade would look like of the self-governing island, which Beijing claims as its own and the US has pledged to defend. China's army 'is rehearsing for the real deal', Mr Hegseth said in a keynote speech at a security conference in Singapore. 'We are not going to sugarcoat it — the threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent.' China has a stated goal of having its military have the capability to take Taiwan by force if necessary by 2027, a deadline that is seen by experts as more of an aspirational goal than a hard war deadline. Advertisement But China also has built sophisticated man-made islands in the South China Sea to support new military outposts and developed highly advanced hypersonic and space capabilities, which are driving the US to create its own space-based Golden Dome missile defences. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a global security conference hosted by the International Institute for Security Studies, Mr Hegseth said China is no longer just building up its military forces to take Taiwan, it's 'actively training for it, every day'. Mr Hegseth repeated a pledge made by previous administrations to bolster US military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific (Anupam Nath/AP) Mr Hegseth also called out China for its ambitions in Latin America, particularly its efforts to increase its influence over the Panama Canal. He urged countries in the region to increase defence spending to levels similar to the 5% of their gross domestic product European nations are now pressed to contribute. Advertisement 'We must all do our part,' Mr Hegseth said. He also repeated a pledge made by previous administrations to bolster US military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific to provide a more robust deterrent. While both the Obama and Biden administrations had also committed to pivoting to the Pacific and established new military agreements throughout the region, a full shift has never been realised. Instead, US military resources from the Indo-Pacific have been regularly pulled to support military needs in the Middle East and Europe, especially since the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Advertisement In the first few months of president Donald Trump's second term, that has also been the case. In the last few months the Trump administration has taken a Patriot missile defence battalion out of the Indo-Pacific in order to send it to the Middle East, a massive logistical operation that required more than 73 military cargo aircraft flights, and sent Coast Guard ships back to the US to help defend the US-Mexico border. Mr Hegseth was asked why the US pulled those resources if the Indo-Pacific is the priority theatre for the US. He did not directly answer but said the shift of resources was necessary to defend against Houthi missile attacks launched from Yemen, and to bolster protections against illegal immigration into the US. Advertisement At the same time, he stressed the need for American allies and partners to step up their own defence spending and preparations, saying the US was not interested in going it alone. 'Ultimately a strong, resolute and capable network of allies and partners is our key strategic advantage,' he said. 'China envies what we have together, and it sees what we can collectively bring to bear on defence, but it's up to all of us to ensure that we live up to that potential by investing.' The Indo-Pacific nations caught in between have tried to balance relations with both the US and China over the years. Beijing is the primary trading partner for many, but is also feared as a regional bully, in part due to its increasingly aggressive claims on natural resources such as critical fisheries. Mr Hegseth cautioned that playing both sides, seeking US military support and Chinese economic support, carries risk. 'Economic dependence on China only deepens their malign influence and complicates our defense decision space during times of tension,' Mr Hegseth said. China usually sends its own defence minister to this conference, but Dong Jun did not attend this year in a snub to the US and the erratic tariff war Mr Trump has ignited with Beijing, something the US delegation said it intended to capitalise on. 'We are here this morning. And somebody else isn't,' Mr Hegseth said. Mr Hegseth was asked by a member of the Chinese delegation, made up of lower level officers from the National Defence University, how committed it would be to regional alliances. In some, China has a more dominant influence. Mr Hegseth said the US would be open to engaging with any countries willing to work with it. 'We are not going to look only inside the confines of how previous administrations looked at this region,' he said. 'We're opening our arms to countries across the spectrum — traditional allies, non-traditional allies.' Mr Hegseth said committing US support for Indo-Pacific nations would not require local governments to align with the West on cultural or climate issues. It is not clear if the US can or wants to supplant China as the region's primary economic driver. But Mr Hegseth's push follows Mr Trump's visit to the Middle East, which resulted in billions of dollars in new defence agreements.
Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The truth about Todd Chrisley's youthful post-prison appearance
Todd Chrisley has shocked fans with his youthful appearance following his release from prison – and now sources have claimed to that he's already squeezed in an emergency Botox appointment. The reality star, 56, and with his wife, Julie Chrisley, 52, received presidential pardons from Donald Trump on Wednesday and less than 24 hours later, he is said to have sought out cosmetic treatment to smooth out his wrinkles. Speaking exclusively to an insider close to the family claimed that the first thing Todd did after becoming a free man was pay a trip to an anesthetist for some tweakments to his face. According to the source, Todd jokingly hid his new face with shopping bags, as well as a hat and sunglasses, to keep the results under wraps. They said: 'You better bet that Todd's first visit was to the cosmetic surgeon. He was not about to be seen for the first time looking wrinkly. 'He wore a hat and sunglasses to cover up the massive amount of Botox he got on his forehead and his eyes. 'Todd has wanted this more than anything. This is also why he had a bag over his head. It is also why Savannah was laughing and said that her father hasn't aged a day. 'They made a mandatory stop at the Botox doc prior to their Nordstrom spree. 'He needed new clothes to go along with his new face. Todd is now ready to make his grand debut.' A representative for Todd declined to comment when contacted by Speculation of Todd's tweakments comes after social media users had pointed out his youthful visage following a spate of pictures and videos of him and daughter Savannah enjoying a shopping trip. 'How in the world did he come out of prison looking much younger?' one transfixed fan asked. 'He looks great, and we are so happy for your family Savannah.' 'He looks better than I've ever seen him honestly,' said another. A third commented: 'Looking good! Prison agreed with you! Stay off the Botox!' Todd and Julie were convicted in 2022 for orchestrating a $30 million bank fraud and tax evasion scheme. Julie was sentenced to serve in Kentucky until 2028, and Todd in Florida until 2032. But on Tuesday, Trump personally called their daughter, Savannah, from the Oval Office to inform her of his bombshell decision. 'It's a great thing because your parents are going to be free and clean,' a smiling Trump said during the phone call with Savannah. On Friday, Todd was joined by his daughter for his first press conference since his release. Speaking to reporters in Nashville, Tennessee, he admitted that he does not feel remorse over his conviction. 'I would have remorse if it was something that I did,' he said. 'The corruption that went on in our case is going to continue to unfold.' He also recalled the moment he found out he had been pardoned. 'I remember walking back from the phone and just feeling numb,' he said. 'Then after about 10 minutes all I could think about was the guys that I was leaving behind.' While Todd has been described as looking younger, his wife Julie has also undergone a transformation of her own. On Thursday, she was seen sporting brown and gray locks while leaving a butcher shop in Nashville in her first few hours as a free woman. The former Chrisley Knows Best star, who was known for her coiffed blonde do, grinned in the image first obtained by Fox News Digital.
Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
CDC tells Americans to CANCEL their flights after finding world's most infectious disease is spreading on planes
The CDC is urging Americans to cancel their upcoming flights if they are not vaccinated against measles. The agency has upgraded its health travel warning after discovering the virus - one of the most infectious in the world - is spreading on US airplanes. A previous recommendation that said Americans should 'consider making alternative travel plans' if they could not get vaccinated before departing now says travelers should 'consider postponing their trip.' Estimates suggest around 10 percent of adults may lack immunity, either due to never receiving the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine or because their immunity has diminished over time — the equivalent of 25million adults. Measles infections have been detected at the country's biggest airports in recent months amid a resurgence of the virus linked to low vaccination rates. Now, after investigating dozens of patients who were contagious while flying, the CDC confirmed at least one case where the virus was spread during air travel. All US travelers are now being recommended to be fully vaccinated for measles before going on any international flights. And doctors are being advised to give additional measles vaccines to domestic travelers going to Texas, where over 700 people have been infected so far this year. The CDC's latest update, published Wednesday, reads: 'Travelers can catch measles in many travel settings including travel hubs like airports and train stations, on public transportation like airplanes and trains, at tourist attractions, and at large, crowded events.' Since the beginning of this year, the CDC has received 62 reports of travelers infected with measles while flying into the US or within the country, a CDC spokesperson told CBS News. An investigation of 50 of those passengers showed the agency measles spread during air travel in at least one of those situations. The CDC said this is usually based on confirmed infectious individuals sitting next to each other. The latest airport warning came Friday as three passengers flying into Denver International Airport on the same Turkish Airlines flight tested positive for measles. One of them was a vaccinated adult. As of 2025, precise data on the number of US adults unvaccinated against measles is limited. However, historical estimates suggest that approximately 10 percent of adults may lack immunity, either due to never receiving the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine or because their immunity has diminished over time. Given the US adult population of about 258 million, this could translate to roughly 25 million adults who are potentially unprotected against measles. Around 90 percent of confirmed cases are tied to outbreaks in the US rather than travel outside the country. Symptoms - which include a blotchy rash, fever, cough and runny nose - typically develop seven to 21 days after initial exposure. Measles spreads via airborne droplets released in coughs and sneezes, which can hang in the air for up to two hours after a patient passes. It is particularly dangerous to young children, with the CDC saying one in 20 unvaccinated children who are infected develop pneumonia while one in 1,000 suffer deadly brain swelling. A total of 1,088 Americans have been infected so far this year, and two unvaccinated young girls have died.
