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- Ireland mourns mother Scarlett Faulkner who dies after brutal assault
- Palestinian minister accuses Israel of enabling settler violence against Palestinians
- NASA’s Artemis II mission successfully returns to Earth after historic lunar flyby
- Hungary confirms ongoing pursuit of cheap Russian energy sources
- US begins blockade of Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions with Iran
- Hungarian PM-elect péter magyar urges swift parliamentary session for new government
- New £500,000 Cycle Lane in Our Town Has Increased Road Danger
- Hungary voters oust Viktor Orban after 16 years in power amid election upset
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Ireland mourns mother Scarlett Faulkner who dies after brutal assault
1:00 am
Get you up to speed: Ireland mourns mother Scarlett Faulkner who dies after brutal assault
Scarlett Faulkner, aged 29, died on 13 April in Cork University Hospital after suffering catastrophic head injuries from an alleged assault involving an iron bar on 21 March. Gardaí continue to investigate the serious assault that occurred at the R494 at Birdhill, Co. Tipperary, and two individuals have been charged in connection with the incident.
Scarlett Faulkner, 29, died at Cork University Hospital three weeks after sustaining catastrophic head injuries from an alleged assault that occurred on 21 March 2026, according to Gardaí. Two individuals, a woman in her 40s and a teenage girl, have been charged in connection with the incident, and An Garda Síochána confirmed that investigations are ongoing.
Gardaí are continuing their investigation into the serious assault on Scarlett Faulkner, who died in Cork University Hospital. As two individuals are currently charged in connection with the case, further comments from An Garda Síochána are not being made at this time.
Mum dies ‘surrounded by family’ weeks after being struck by iron bar | News World
Mother Scarlett Faulkner dies ‘surrounded by family’ weeks after being struck by an iron bar
The family of a mother have announced she died in hospital three weeks after being attacked at the side of the road.
Scarlett Faulkner, 29, was allegedly struck with an iron bar on Saturday, March 21 – three weeks ago.
The mother, from Limerick, was placed in an induced coma after suffering catastrophic head injuries.
But the mother of a six-year-old daughter was taken off her life support machine in Cork University Hospital. She died hours later with family members at her bedside.
In an update on social media on Monday evening, her brother posted ‘RIP my lovely sister Scarlett’.
Scarlett Faulker was attacked at the side of the road
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‘Goodbye our girl fly high, you’re with the angels now, oh god mind Aunt Mary and Banny, all your brothers and sisters especially your little girl nieces, nephews, in-laws fly high you fought until the last.’
A woman aged in her 40s and a teenage girl have been charged in connection with the assault.
The 16-year-old is alleged to have been a passenger in a car that had pursued and rammed a van that Faulkner and a man were travelling in.
A court heard that when Faulkner ran from the van, she was chased by the girl and allegedly struck across her head with an iron bar at least 11 times.
Josephine Duffy, the partner of Scarlett’s brother Thomas, gave an update on social media this Monday evening saying: ‘The one, the only, Scarlet Faulkner, passed away so peacefully with her loving family around her.”
‘Rest in peace my beautiful sister-in-law. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support,’ wrote Josephine.
Martin Anthony Faulkner, one of Scarlett’s 15 siblings, wrote on social media: ‘RIP my lovely sister Scarlett.’
‘It is with the deepest sorrow and profound regret that we share the heartbreaking news that Scarlett Faulkner has passed away. She left this world peacefully, surrounded by her loving family.
‘At this deeply distressing time, the family are gently trying to process their overwhelming grief and loss. They kindly ask for privacy as they come to terms with saying goodbye to their precious, beautiful girl,’ reads a post on her Facebook group.
‘Your kindness has meant more to them than words can say. They ask that we all continue to pray for Scarlett – that her gentle soul is received into the loving arms of God and granted eternal peace and a soft bed in Heaven. Thank you all, and God bless you all.’
On Monday evening, Gardaí confirmed that Scarlett had died and that investigations were ongoing.
A Garda spokesperson said: ‘Gardaí continue to investigate a serious assault which occurred on the R494 at Birdhill, Co. Tipperary on Saturday 21 March, 2026 shortly before 5.30pm.
‘The woman, aged in her 20s, who was injured in the incident, was pronounced deceased earlier today, Monday, 13 April in Cork University Hospital.
‘The Coroner has been notified. A post-mortem examination will take place in due course.
‘A Family Liaison Officer has been assigned to support the family of the deceased. As two persons are currently charged before the courts, An Garda Síochána is not making any further comment. Investigations are ongoing.’
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Palestinian minister accuses Israel of enabling settler violence against Palestinians
11:00 pm
Palestinian minister accuses Israel of enabling settler violence against Palestinians
Settler Violence
Jewish settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has surged since the October 2023 Hamas-led terrorist attacks on southern Israel, with notable increases during conflicts in Iran and Lebanon.
Jewish settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has surged since the October 2023 Hamas-led terrorist attacks on southern Israel, with notable increases during conflicts in Iran and Lebanon.
Settler Violence Statistics
Jewish settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has significantly increased, correlated with recent geopolitical tensions, particularly following the October 2023 Hamas-led attacks.
Jewish settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has significantly increased, correlated with recent geopolitical tensions, particularly following the October 2023 Hamas-led attacks.
Official Statement
“The policy uses the settlers to terrorise the Palestinians… What we need is to see action on the ground to halt whatever these terrorist settlers are doing,” said Varsen Aghabekian Shahin.
“The policy uses the settlers to terrorise the Palestinians… What we need is to see action on the ground to halt whatever these terrorist settlers are doing,” said Varsen Aghabekian Shahin.
Key developments
The Palestinian foreign affairs minister, Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, stated that Israel not only fails to prevent settler violence against Palestinians but may even support it, calling for urgent policy changes.
Following a spike in settler violence, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed the military and police to address “nationalist crimes” in the West Bank, attempting to rein in increasing unrest.
Israel needs to stop encouraging settler violence, Palestinian FM says
Israel does not do enough to protect Palestinians from settler violence and even supports it, the Palestinian foreign affairs minister told EU News.
“The settlers are very much supported by the Israeli occupation forces (which) have an obligation to protect the occupied,” Varsen Aghabekian Shahin told EU News 12 Minutes With interview programme.
“But what we see is they either look and do nothing, or they are engaged in the actual terror attacks, and this needs to be stopped. It’s very serious,” Aghabekian said.
Jewish settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank has soared since the October 2023 Hamas-led terrorist attacks on southern Israel, with a notable uptick since the war in Iran and Israel’s offensive in Lebanon, according to the UN.
Last month, in an unexpected move, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the army and the police to rein in “nationalist crimes” in the West Bank.
Separately, the Israeli army chief of staff recalled a battalion from Lebanon to be posted in the West Bank, labelling Jewish settlers’ actions “morally and ethically unacceptable”.
Radical Jewish settler elements have been emboldened by the presence of hardline politicians in the Israeli government, such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.
Even the US administration, usually mum on Israel’s rapid settlement expansion under Netanyahu, said it was “concerned” in the words of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at an end-March G7 summit.
Asked whether she had noticed any improvements on the ground after Israel’s announcement that it would tackle settler violence, Aghabekian said that it was necessary but not enough “because we need to change the policy”.
“The policy uses the settlers to terrorise the Palestinians. That needs to change. It’s not enough to talk about it. It’s enough to call them terrorists. What we need is to see action on the ground to halt whatever these terrorist settlers are doing,” Aghabekian explained.
Some 700,000 settlers live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, as well as 3.8 million Palestinians who are hoping to establish a future state there. Both territories are occupied illegally under international law, although Israel disputes this.
Death penalty ‘illegal’ and ‘discriminatory’
About Israel’s decision late last month to reinstate the death penalty for perpetrators of terrorist lethal attacks against Jewish citizens, targeting Palestinians without naming them, the Palestinian minister said: “It’s part of a systematic policy of erasing the other.”
“And this law has no legal basis whatsoever. It’s highly discriminatory because it relates to the Palestinians and only the Palestinians,” Aghabekian explained.
Aghabekian added that Palestinians committing violent crimes should be judged in the context of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
“Our people have been killed for decades, I mean we have been subjected to the death penalty by the Israelis for decades,” she said.
“The extrajudicial killing on our streets continue. What needs to happen is to look at the occupation and the root causes of this occupation and see what entitlements people have under occupation.”
The “death penalty is something that is abolished all over the world and instituting a death penalty today in this day and age should be questioned and challenged,” she also said.
Palestinians reeling from Iran war
According to Aghabekian, one side effect of the Iran war had been the marginalisation of the Palestinian issue and aspirations to statehood. Formal Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations stopped in 2014.
Netanyahu is staunchly opposed to the idea of a Palestinian state. The US government lead by President Donald Trump, by way of its newly-established Board of Peace, prioritises the reconstruction and governance of Gaza with no guarantee of future statehood.
However, Trump has said he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank.
Palestinians also feel the brunt of the conflict economically, all the more so that Israel, Aghabekian noted, is withholding indirect taxes and customs duties it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA) under the so-called 1994 Paris Protocol.
Israel has not transferred any tax revenues to the PA since May 2025, according to the World Bank, crippling the Palestinian government’s ability to provide services and pay public salaries. This revenue is the PA’s main source of income.
Aghabekian told EU News there are “billions of shekels sitting in Israeli banks,” or $4.5 billion (3.8bn) according to the PA.
“Today, the Palestinian Authority is unable to meet the basic needs of its people. I mean, if we talk about education, health care, water, electricity, we’re passing through very, very rough times,” Aghabekian said.
Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich oversees these transfers and has stated that they are being withheld as a punitive measure because the PA “encourages terror” by compensating families of prisoners, including those who have attacked and killed Israelis.
NASA’s Artemis II mission successfully returns to Earth after historic lunar flyby
9:00 pm
Get you up to speed: NASA’s Artemis II mission successfully returns to Earth after historic lunar flyby
The Artemis II mission, featuring NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch alongside Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency, completed a 10-day journey around the moon. The crew splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast on April 10, 2026, after being the first humans to travel beyond Earth’s orbit since 1972.
The Artemis II mission successfully completed a 10-day journey around the moon, making its crew the first humans to travel beyond Earth’s orbit since 1972. According to NASA, the mission was focused on record-breaking achievements, including the use of the Orion spacecraft, built by Lockheed Martin, which featured new life-support systems and advanced technology for the astronauts on board.
Next, the Artemis project aims to launch next year with a practice crew rehearsing docking a capsule with a lunar lander in orbit around Earth. Following that, Artemis IV is hoped to land on the moon again in 2028, with two astronauts attempting a touchdown.
What did the world get out of NASA’s £2,900,000,000 Artemis II mission? | News World
The historic mission revitalised a passion for space travel – what’s next? (Picture: Getty)
The crew of the Artemis II mission has completed a 10-day trip around the moon, travelling farther from the Earth than anyone else in history.
The group – made up of three Nasa astronauts and one from the Canadian Space Agency – landed back on Earth yesterday, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast overnight.
The historic mission has revitalised passion for space travel in a new generation and has everyone asking two big questions: what did it achieve, and what’s next?
Here’s all you need to know about Artemis II and upcoming missions.
When did the Artemis II mission take place?
Christina Koch’s braids floating in space went viral (Picture: AFP)
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Crowds cheered as a spacecraft named Integrity soared into the clear skies above Florida at 6.35pm local time on April 1.
Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen embarked on the trip of a lifetime, which stretched across ten days.
During the first few days of the mission, the Orion entered an elliptical orbit around Earth before rockets blasted it towards the moon’s orbit.
On April 6, the spacecraft went around the moon’s far side, also called the dark side, so astronauts could observe parts of the lunar surface never seen by humans before.
Just a day later, the team returned to Earth by using the moon’s gravity to fling itself, a process called ‘free return’, which took days.
The Orion then smashed into the Earth’s rough atmosphere at about 25,000mph, withstanding temperatures of 2,760°C, and splashed down just off the coast of San Diego on April 10.
What did the Artemis II mission discover?
The spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean (Picture: Getty)
Rather than being focused on discovery, Artemis was focused on record-breaking.
The four astronauts are the first humans to go beyond Earth’s orbit since 1972 in their historic lunar flyby.
It’s also the first time humans flew in an Orion spacecraft, which was built by Lockheed Martin, a US defence and aerospace manufacturer, and was christened Integrity by the crew for this mission.
‘The Orion spacecraft is about the size of a small minivan, and there are four of them, and they can’t get out of 10 days, so it’s very cramped,’ Libby Jackson, who worked in Mission Control for a module on the International Space Station, tells WTX.
But the spacecraft featured new life-support systems and advanced technology for those onboard.
The astronauts also named a few craters on the moon and were the first to see parts of the dark side of the moon never before seen by humans.
The crew named two craters on the dark side of the moon after their ship, Integrity, and Commander Reid Weisman’s wife, Carroll, who sadly passed away before the mission.
‘We lost a loved one, her name was Carroll she was a mother of Katie and Ellie. It’s a bright spot on the moon. We would like to call it Carroll.’
‘Integrity and Carroll crater. Loud and clear’, comes the message back from Nasa.
What’s next for NASA’s Artemis missions?
Artemis, NASA’s return-to-the-moon programme, was plagued by delays, technical hiccups and budget cuts for years.
Donald Trump made bringing American space boots back to the lunar surface a goal during his first administration, signing the Artemis programme into existence in 2017.
Next, the Artemis project aims to launch next year with a practice crew rehearsing docking a capsule with a lunar lander in orbit around Earth.
Then, it’s hoped Artemis IV will land on the moon again in 2028, with two astronauts attempting a touchdown.
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Hungary confirms ongoing pursuit of cheap Russian energy sources
8:00 pm
Hungary confirms ongoing pursuit of cheap Russian energy sources
Energy Policy Shift
At his first press conference, Péter Magyar announced that Hungary will continue to seek the cheapest energy sources, including imports from Russia.
At his first press conference, Péter Magyar announced that Hungary will continue to seek the cheapest energy sources, including imports from Russia.
Strategic Shift
Hungary’s commitment to pursue affordable energy from Russia contrasts significantly with prior commitments to reduce dependence on Russian imports by 2035.
Hungary’s commitment to pursue affordable energy from Russia contrasts significantly with prior commitments to reduce dependence on Russian imports by 2035.
Conflicting Priorities
Péter Magyar stated, “We will continue seeking the cheapest energy sources, including from Russia,” despite previous commitments to reduce Russian energy imports by 2035.
Péter Magyar stated, “We will continue seeking the cheapest energy sources, including from Russia,” despite previous commitments to reduce Russian energy imports by 2035.
Key developments
Péter Magyar, newly elected Prime Minister of Hungary, confirmed the nation’s intention to pursue the cheapest energy sources, including imports from Russia, during his inaugural press conference.
This stance contrasts with prior commitments to eliminate Russian energy imports by 2035, raising concerns about the government’s future energy policy direction and its alignment with EU energy independence goals.
Magyar keeps door open to Russian energy despite EU phase-out plans
At his first press conference after being elected Prime Minister of Hungary, Péter Magyar said on Monday that the country will continue seeking the cheapest energy sources, including from Russia. His statement appear to clash with earlier pledges to phase out Russian energy imports by 2035.
US begins blockade of Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions with Iran
6:00 pm
Get you up to speed: US begins blockade of Strait of Hormuz amid escalating tensions with Iran
The US blockade on the Strait of Hormuz is set to target shipping to and from Iranian ports, rather than the entirety of traffic through the waterway. Dr Andreas Krieg from King’s College London notes that the US Navy will face challenges in enforcing this blockade while contending with Iranian naval tactics.
According to Dr Katayoun Shahandeh of the University of London, “Trump’s Hormuz threat is both a coercive tactic and a real escalation risk, but it is less sweeping in practice than his rhetoric makes it sound.” Dr Andreas Krieg, Associate Professor at King’s College London, noted that the US Navy would face challenges enforcing the blockade, stating, “The closer the US Navy moves to the Strait itself, the more US Navy ships would become sitting ducks in range of Iranian drones and missiles.”
The US Navy will target shipping to and from Iranian ports as part of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, reportedly involving stopping, inspecting, and diverting vessels. Meanwhile, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has indicated that it will respond severely to any military vessels approaching, treating such actions as a breach of the ceasefire.
What impact will Trump’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have on the world? | News World
Most vessels have been stagnant since the war broke out (Picture: Marine Traffic)
‘I am not sure the Trump administration has really thought through how internationalised this waterway is and how many different flag states the US would have to deal with.’
The ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US is hanging in the balance after Donald Trump vowed to impose a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz beginning today.
The US President said he would begin the blockade soon, with Iran threatening retaliation as both sides blame each other for the failure of the ceasefire agreement.
The vital waterway is a 60-mile-wide part of the Persian Gulf, which has been at the heart of regional tensions for decades.
Although chokepoints in the shipping lane can be bypassed by using other routes, it often adds significantly to transit times.
Dr Katayoun Shahandeh of the University of London told WTX: ‘Trump’s Hormuz threat is both a coercive tactic and a real escalation risk, but it is less sweeping in practice than his rhetoric makes it sound.’
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Dr Andreas Krieg, Associate Professor at King’s College London, told WTX the US Navy will face challenges of enforcing the blockade while fighting against Iranian naval tactics.
‘The closer the US Navy moves to the Strait itself, the more US Navy ships would become sitting ducks in range of Iranian drones and missiles,’ he said.
How would the US enforce the blockade?
The military has already said the blockade would target shipping to and from Iranian ports, rather than the entirety of traffic in the Strait.
‘This tells you that even Washington seems to recognise that a full closure would be extraordinarily dangerous and difficult to sustain,’ Dr Shahandeh added.
In practice, the blockade would work by stopping, inspecting and diverting ships heading towards Iranian ports, and threatening force if faced with opposition.
Intercepted vessels accused of paying tolls to Iran would also face harsh inspection, and the US Navy would also deploy mine-clearing vessels in the area to counter Iranian sea mines.
But Dr Krieg points out: ‘The US also lacks the mine sweeping capabilities it once had in the region to deal with Iranian mining, which could commence in response to the blockade.
Dr Shahandeh points out: ‘This is a major military undertaking, not a simple switch Trump can flip and can lead to a prolonged operation and presence.
‘Trump himself has admitted it would “take a little while,” which suggests the logistics are already constraining the politics.’
‘I am not sure the Trump administration has really thought through how internationalised this waterway is and how many different flag states the US would have to deal with,’ Dr Krieg said.
Could the move backfire?
The move could place more strain on the global market (Picture: Alamy)
The US isn’t just facing military obstacles – there’s a major risk of escalation from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which said it would treat approaching military vessels as a ceasefire breach and respond severely.
‘US enforcement itself could trigger the wider war Trump says he wants to avoid,’ she added.
Even a limited blockade in the Strait will spark fear, insurance shocks, ship rerouting and hesitation among the world’s largest shipping firms – with some tankers already steering clear of the Strait of Hormuz.
‘Around a fifth of global oil and LNG normally moves through Hormuz, and even before enforcement properly begins, oil has jumped sharply, and markets have wobbled,’ Dr Shahndeh said.
‘Brent crude oil is already above $100 per gallon, and global financial markets continue to be under pressure after the talks collapsed and the blockade was announced.’
‘Iranians, while vulnerable to such a blockade, have a much higher threshold of pain than the United States, the Gulf states or the world economy,’ Dr Krieg said.
‘Iranians are likely going to sustain this pressure for much longer than the US. It would take months for Iran to feel the pain, while the world economy will face a major crisis.’
A further strain on relationships with US allies in the region
American allies in the Gulf could be unhappy with Trump’s move (Picture: Reuters)
The US blockade in the Strait could further strain relationships with allies in the Gulf, who want Iran contained but also want shipping lanes to remain open.
Dr Shahandeh agrees: ‘Trump may present this as a show of strength, but it also risks inflicting more pain on the global economy, on US consumers, and on his own domestic political position.’
Dr Krieg told WTX that Trump appears to be responding to an Iranian blockade of the Strait with a blockade of his own.
‘This means that the Strait remains closed, affecting the economies of the Gulf states, which rely on trade to run smoothly through the Strait,’ he said.
‘It will aggravate anti-Trump sentiments across the Gulf as there is very little trust in his decision-making abilities. The feeling of abandonment by the US is likely to get stronger.’
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Hungarian PM-elect péter magyar urges swift parliamentary session for new government
5:00 pm
Hungarian PM-elect péter magyar urges swift parliamentary session for new government
Government Formation
Péter Magyar urged parliament to convene swiftly to establish a new government, aiming for a handover by 5 May.
Péter Magyar urged parliament to convene swiftly to establish a new government, aiming for a handover by 5 May.
Strategic Priorities
Magyar’s emphasis on EU funds and eurozone integration underscores the government’s focus on strengthening Hungary’s economic ties within the European Union.
Magyar’s emphasis on EU funds and eurozone integration underscores the government’s focus on strengthening Hungary’s economic ties within the European Union.
Urgent Request
Péter Magyar stated, “I urge parliament to convene swiftly to form a new government, focusing on crucial priorities for Hungary’s future.”
Péter Magyar stated, “I urge parliament to convene swiftly to form a new government, focusing on crucial priorities for Hungary’s future.”
Key developments
Hungarian PM-elect Péter Magyar has called for an expedited parliamentary session to establish a new government, targeting a handover by 5 May. Key priorities include securing EU funds and addressing migration.
EU cash, Ukraine, Russia and migration: five takeaways from Péter Magyar's press conference
Hungarian PM-elect Péter Magyar on Monday urged parliament to convene quickly to form a new government, aiming for a 5 May handover, and outlined priorities including EU funds, the eurozone, Ukraine, Russia, and migration. Here are some key takeaways from his press conference.
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