‘Thank you for the trust you have placed in me’ – President Higgins delivers final St Patrick’s Day message after 14 years

The UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced plans to classify Palestine Action as a terrorist organization following their vandalism of two RAF Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton on June 20. The group faces legal consequences for their actions, which Cooper condemned as part of a broader history of criminal damage, while protests supporting Palestine Action have led to multiple arrests in London. Need More Context? 🔎

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has initiated a rapid national investigation into NHS maternity care failures, prompted by meetings with families affected by baby loss and previous reviews highlighting systemic issues. The inquiry will focus on ten concerning maternity units, including Sussex, and aim to address safety, leadership, and care inequalities, reporting back by December. Need More Context? 🔎

As tensions rise between the US, Israel, and Iran, fears of a global conflict intensify, with the UN warning of potential nuclear disaster. In the event of such a war, countries like Antarctica, Iceland, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Greenland are deemed safer due to their geographic isolation and political neutrality, providing better chances for survival. Need More Context? 🔎

Dara Sayed Barham, a 22-year-old restaurant manager, was fatally stabbed while attempting to break up a fight outside a west London Muslim centre on Hanworth Road. Described as a hero and a peacemaker by friends, the incident is under investigation by the Metropolitan Police, who are appealing for witnesses and have made no arrests yet. Need More Context? 🔎

A man has been charged with the murder of Annabel Rook, a 46-year-old human rights lawyer, who was found fatally stabbed at her Hackney home following a gas explosion on June 17. Rook, a mother of two, was dedicated to helping vulnerable populations, and her family described her as a "truly wonderful" woman, asking for privacy during this tragic time. Need More Context? 🔎

A fire at a hostel on Lordship Lane in Tottenham, north London, on Saturday, June 21, resulted in the death of a woman after she was taken to the hospital. Firefighters from multiple stations fought the blaze, which destroyed a first-floor flat, and the cause is currently under investigation by the London Fire Brigade. Need More Context? 🔎