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The Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Prospect of unity left-wing candidate for presidential election looking increasingly unlikely
WITH LESS THAN six months to go until the presidential election, the prospect of a unity left-wing candidate may be slipping away. The idea was proposed by Labour leader Ivana Bacik after last year's general election, when parties of the left failed to secure the numbers needed to deliver a left-wing government. Bacik reached out to the Social Democrats and the sole Green TD Roderic O'Gorman about joining forces and backing one candidate. In a move that appears to have irked some in Labour, Social Democrats acting leader Cian O'Callaghan then extended the invite to People Before Profit-Solidarity and Sinn Féin. While the party leaders have met to discuss potential candidates a number of times, Sinn Féin has still not fully committed to the idea. A difference of opinion has also taken hold between the Social Democrats and Labour. Sources from the Social Democrats and People Before Profit have indicated that senator Frances Black and Independent TD Catherine Connolly are the two most serious potential candidates currently being discussed, with Connolly seeming to have a slight edge. One source said there is now 'good enthusiasm' for Connolly among most parties involved in the talks, with her being seen as a 'credible candidate who could hold her own in debates'. The Labour Party are not as enthused though, with multiple sources in other parties putting this down to the fact that Connolly resigned from the Labour Party in 2006. Sources in Labour, however, have said their opposition to her is due to some of her foreign policy stances, specifically her stance on Syria in the past. In 2017, Connolly visited Syria under the Bashar al-Assad regime alongside then-TDs Clare Daly and Mick Wallace and subsequently called for sanctions on the country to be lifted in the Dáil. Other names 'There's no big candidate in a box waiting to be announced,' is how one Labour source put it. Advertisement Asked who they would like to see get the nomination, the TD said: 'Nobody. I will struggle to adapt to a post-Michael D world.' Among the other names understood to be under consideration at the moment are former director at the World Health Organisation, Mike Ryan, and human rights lawyer Noeline Blackwell. Rumours have even been flying that Liveline's Joe Duffy is being courted by the Labour Party. Asked about Mike Ryan as a possible candidate, a Labour TD said: ' Who doesn't love Mike Ryan? He's an absolute legend. 'I think there would be a huge amount of goodwill towards him, but we don't know any of his views really.' A different Labour TD said that it will be difficult to build support for any candidate who isn't coming from within the party. The Sinn Féin question The other big question hanging over the whole affair at the moment is whether Sinn Féin are in or out. The party recently wrote to its membership seeking input on whether they should go it alone and run their own candidate, or join forces with the other parties. A deadline of early June has been put in place for views. Sinn Féin sources have said they are still interested in the idea of a unity candidate, but that the process still feels 'tentative'. Members of the other parties are also still of the view that Sinn Féin are interested in running a unity candidate, but as one TD said: 'They have their own resources so could do anything.' There is also the issue that, for many in the Labour Party, Sinn Féin do not have proper 'left-wing' credentials. It is understood that a number of people approached by Labour about running took issue with the idea of being backed by Sinn Féin. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Indianapolis Star
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Indianapolis Star
Will it rain on the Indy 500? Here's central Indiana's latest weather forecast as of Saturday
As racing fans make their way to Indianapolis, weather forecasters are waving a green flag for tomorrow's conditions at the Indy 500. As of Saturday morning, meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Indianapolis predict that fans and racers can expect a mix of sunny and cloudy conditions throughout the day, with rain largely staying away from the area. "We're going to be right on the edge of the moisture that's collecting in southwest Indiana; we could see a sprinkle in the morning or afternoon," said NWS Indianapolis meteorologist Mike Ryan. "But it shouldn't cause any issues for outdoor activities tomorrow." The National Weather Service in Indianapolis predicts that fans should experience partly sunny conditions with temperatures as high as 67 degrees. For fans planning to arrive early at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, meteorologists recommend packing a sweater, as temperatures at the start of the day could be in the high 40s or low 50s. Meteorologists predict Indianapolis will see northeast gusts of wind from 5 to 7 mph Sunday. Out of the past 108 runnings of the Indianapolis 500, measurable or trace amounts of precipitation fell 47 times at some point during the day — that's roughly 44%, according to historical records maintained by the NWS. Last year's rainfall during the Indy 500 was one for the record books. Severe weather in 2024 caused the race to be delayed for roughly three hours after 1.48 inches of rain spilled across central Indiana, soaking the track as well as the fans. It was the third rainiest Indy 500 ever. Story continues after photo gallery. The extended weather forecast for central Indiana is as follows: ☁️ Saturday: Mostly cloudy skies with highs around the low 70s. 🌜 Saturday night: Mostly clear with lows in the low 50s. ☀️🏎️🏁 Sunday: Mostly sunny skies with highs in the low to mid 70s. ☁️🏀 Sunday night: Mostly cloudy, with lows in the 50s. ⛅🌭 Memorial Day: Partly sunny, with highs in the low 70s. East wind 6 to 9 mph. 🌧️ Monday night: A 50 percent chance of showers after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the mid-50s. East wind around 7 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are possible. 🌧️☁️ Tuesday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with highs in the upper 60s. East wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. ⛈️🌧️☁️ Tuesday night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the upper 50s. East northeast wind 5 to 7 mph. ⛈️🌧️☁️ Wednesday: Chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with highs in the low 70s. West-northwest wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. ⛈️🌧️ Wednesday night: A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the upper 50s. Northwest wind 3 to 6 mph. 🌧️⛅Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with highs in the 70s. 🌧️🌜 Thursday night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with lows in the upper 50s. 🌧️☀️ Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with highs in the mid-70s. The wettest Indy 500 on record happened in 2004, according to NWS, when 3.8 inches of precipitation drenched the Indianapolis area. Twice, rain stopped the race — first at Lap 28, then a second time which ultimately led to shortening that year's Indy 500 to 180 laps (450 miles), according to IMS. Rain and the Indy 500: Let's take a look back at historical weather data for the Indy 500.
Irish Times
20-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Ireland increases support to crisis-hit World Health Organisation
Ireland is among the first UN member states to pay a voluntary increase in membership fees to the World Health Organisation (WHO) as it seeks to plug a $1.7 billion hole in its finances following the Donald Trump -ordered withdrawal of the US from the global body. The funding crisis, which will lead to hundreds of jobs losses at WHO, is top of the agenda at the annual World Health Assembly which opened on Monday in Geneva. Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, told The Irish Times that Ireland has increased its assessed contributions, or membership fee, to WHO by about 50 per cent. The amount Ireland pays has gone up from €2.2 million to €3.4 million. In total, Ireland contributed over €16.5 million to the WHO last year. The Minister was briefed on the impact of the financial shortfalls at the organisation when she met on Sunday with WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and his deputy director-general Dr Mike Ryan, who steps down from his role on June 16th. READ MORE WHO wants member states to increase their assessed contributions to cover 50 per cent of the core budget. Ireland was among the first UN member states to respond in advance of a high-level pledging event on Tuesday. [ Dr Mike Ryan targeted by political parties for potential presidential run Opens in new window ] [ Ireland's economic ties with US pose notable risks, European Commission warns Opens in new window ] Ireland's increased commitment to WHO comes amid concern that millions of people will die because of the withdrawal of US financial support to programmes for people living with HIV/AIDS and TB. There is similar levels of concern for populations exposed to malaria. UNAIDS, the joint UN programme for HIV and AIDS, estimates that if US support for HIV and AIDS is not replaced by other funding sources, there will be an additional 6.3 million AIDS-related deaths in the next four years and 8.7 million new infections. A recent survey of 108 WHO country offices highlighted that the cuts in development aid from the US and other donor countries were having as big an impact on health service delivery as the Covid-19 pandemic.
Irish Examiner
19-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Covid response epidemiologist could 'solve an Oireachtas problem' with presidential run
Dr Mike Ryan, the Irish epidemiologist who became synonymous with the global response to the covid pandemic, could "solve an Oireachtas problem" and find support for a presidential run from across parties. Mr Ryan was dropped from the new executive management team at the World Health Organization (WHO) last week amid a funding shortfall due to US cuts. That has seen the 60-year-old Sligo man mentioned as a potential nominee for the role, with his name flagged within internal discussions of the Labour Party. Labour has been involved thus far in discussions on a potential combined left candidate, with some saying that Mr Ryan's lack of party affiliation, coupled with his strong stance on Gaza, makes him a strong candidate. Given the shared history of both Labour and the Social Democrats, neither party is likely to find widespread support on the combined left for a party grandee such as Róisín Shortall. However, some said that Mr Ryan's lack of political experience is a negative. "You don't know how he'd campaign. These things are gruelling — especially if you've never done it before," a source said. Potential candidates Sources across opposition parties said there is "a long way to go yet", and that it is unlikely that a candidate will become clear before later this summer. However, a Fianna Fáil source said that while there is unlikely to be a combined coalition candidate, Mr Ryan could garner support from across the Oireachtas. "If the majority of the Oireachtas was behind one candidate, that could solve a problem for everyone in terms of deciding who to back," a government TD said. Within Fianna Fáil, the process for electing a candidate has yet to be decided and, while a source said "many names" have been discussed, none has a consensus. A Fine Gael source said that while Mr Ryan would be "a very good candidate", their party is keen to run a candidate and win the election. Former European commissioner Mairead McGuinness and former GAA president and current Ireland South MEP Seán Kelly are touted as potential candidates, with both said to be interested in a run. There has been some speculation Sinn Féin would back a combined left-wing platform candidate, with Independent senator Frances Black and Independent TD Catherine Connolly touted as possible names.
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Tom Cruise stuns fans with simple act at Mission: Impossible NYC premiere
Tom Cruise stunned fans when he made an unexpected appearance— without rumored flame Ana de Armas —at the New York premiere of his final Mission: Impossible movie. But the buzz wasn't about him flying solo. Instead, it was his enthusiastic chat session with AMC theater employees that had everyone doing a double take. According to an eyewitness, Cruise spent over 15 minutes posted up in front of the concession stand, happily chatting away with the astonished staff. X user Mike Ryan documented the surreal moment on Sunday night, sharing snapshots of Cruise deep in conversation with employees at AMC Lincoln Square. 'Tom Cruise has been talking to the employees at AMC Lincoln Square for 15 minutes now,' Ryan wrote in his first post, followed by a second snap minutes later that simply read, 'He's still going.' But the buzz wasn't about him flying solo as it was his enthusiastic chat session with AMC theater employees that had everyone doing a double take According to an eyewitness, Cruise spent over 15 minutes posted up in front of the concession stand, happily chatting away with the stunned staff In a third post, Ryan added some context: 'So also for anyone wondering: we weren't supposed to see this. We had already seen the movie so we came for a little fun pre-event thing, then we stayed for the intro, then quietly snuck out and stumbled upon this scene.' When another X user asked if Tom was 'recruiting for Scientology,' given his well-known ties to the organization, Ryan quipped, 'Yeah, no one signed up while I was there. Though one person did ask if he could tell AMC to pay them more.' Then, when someone playfully commented 'mission: personable,' Ryan added, 'He did say he loves popcorn.' Meanwhile, the 62-year-old movie icon has been quietly linked in recent weeks to Cuban-Spanish beauty Ana, 37, with romance buzz first sparked just before Valentine's Day when the pair were spotted enjoying a private dinner. Fuel was added to the fire in April when Ana was seen traveling with Tom in his private helicopter, with exclusive DailyMail photos capturing the megastar grinning from ear to ear as he flew them into London. This week, the duo stirred the pot even more — Tom publicly praised Ana's new action flick Ballerina, and she teased that the two are working on 'exciting' projects together. Naturally, fans were on high alert when the Top Gun legend arrived at Lincoln Center looking suave in a sleek all-black suit — but Ana was nowhere in sight. Still, Cruise wasn't lacking star power at his side. He was joined by a cavalcade of co-stars including Angela Bassett, Nick Offerman, and Pom Klementieff, making for a premiere packed with A-list shine — even if the brunette stunner was MIA. Cruise even shared a tender moment with former flame Hayley Atwell, as the two leaned in close and touched foreheads on the red carpet. Just the day before, Tom absolutely gushed over Ana' new film From the World of John Wick: Ballerina. Just the day before, Tom absolutely gushed over Ana' new film From the World of John Wick: Ballerina: He made the comment to reporters at the premiere of Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning in London He made the comment to reporters at the premiere of Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning in London. 'I saw the movie, it kicks a**,' Cruise said. 'Oh, man, it's right in that tone. It's right in that big world, and you're gonna love it.' Meanwhile, during the GMA interview on Thursday, Ana gushed about her action film Ballerina and praised co-star Keanu Reeves, as well as the intense stunts she performed. But when host Michael Strahan brought up her connection to Cruise, she didn't shy away. 'You're working with another big star, Tom Cruise, on another project that will lead you to do more crazy stunts,' Strahan said. 'It's so much fun,' Ana replied. 'We're definitely working on a lot of things.' She added: 'It's not just one, but a few projects—with [directors] Doug Liman and Christopher McQuarrie and, of course, Tom.' Flashing a big smile, she added, 'And I'm so excited.' It is understood Spanish actress Penelope Cruz - who dated Cruise from 2001 to 2004 - is 'happy' that her ex-boyfriend has found new love. Cruz, 51, and Armas have been friends ever since they co-starred in the 2019 movie WASP Network. 'Ana has said that Penelope is happy for her, she approves,' an insider told the Daily Mail. 'They know each other from the movie and also they have friends in common in Madrid from when Ana lived there for a while.' 'Tom makes Ana feel safe and that is very important to her,' the insider added. 'She was flipped out by the fans and stalkers when living in Venice Beach [Los Angeles] so she moved to a remote part of Vermont.' In 2022, Armas dropped over $7 million for a sprawling six-bed home in the Green Mountain State. 'She loves being away from the crazy,' the source explained. 'She has been traveling with Tom to busy cities like London, but he always makes her feel safe because he is thoughtful and he has a ton of security. He never puts her at risk, she is completely taken care of when she is in his company.' Hayley Atwell looked every inch the glamorous movie star Friends believe the relationship could last, with our insider pointing to the fact that Armas does 'not like to party', prefering quiet nights at home like her decades-older boyfriend. Though another source stressed that the pair are 'taking it day by day' and that Armas 'does not give her heart away easy.' 'Ana has a thing for older men and Tom fits the bill of her type. The proof is in the pudding. Being affectionate with someone is not something that Ana would do for a role,' the second source added. In November last year, Armas was linked to the stepson of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, with the pair stepping out for a loved-up stroll in Madrid the following month. Despite receiving massive backlash over the relationship, the actress, who fled communist Cuba age 18, did not shy away from engaging in some PDA with him. However, the relationship appears to have ended as swiftly as it began - with Cruise soon emerging on the scene. In February, the pair were first spotted enjoying a dinner together - again, in London - on Valentine's Day. The Weeknd has acknowledged that Tom Cruise's 2015 Lip Sync Battle performance of "Can't Feel My Face" significantly boosted the song's popularity, even helping it reach number one on the charts Tramell Tillman flashed his megawatt smile on the red carpet At the time a source claimed to the Daily Mail that they were not romantically involved. Indeed, the insider insisted that the evening out had been strictly business related. 'Everything with Tom and Ana is innocent. They are hanging out to talk about future movies that they could do together,' the source said. Another source told the publication that the Mission Impossible star was keen to show Ana how well he can treat her, saying: 'Tom wants Ana to know she can have the best of the best and doesn't think twice about the bill. 'He's a total gent and just wants to do right by Ana. If that means splashing the cash then so be it.'
