Jason Faulkner has died just two days after serving as a pallbearer at his sister Scarlett’s funeral in Limerick on Friday.

The devastating news of Jason’s passing over the weekend was confirmed on social media on Sunday evening by the siblings’ cousin, Melissa McCarthy, who urged people to keep the Faulkner family in their prayers, reports the Irish Mirror..

“My heart, 2 days after burying your sister Scarlett, your [sic] gone now Jason, her lovely brother. The laughs we had, oh Jason what are the family gonna do? I can’t get my head round it, no doubt Scarlett Faulkner was there to meet you – together again forever,” Melissa wrote.

“Please keep my aunt Mary and Banny and family in yere [sic] prayers,” she added.

Another family member shared a heartbreaking post expressing disbelief at Jason’s death.

“Sad world we live in – poor Banny and Mary buried there [sic] daughter Scarlett two days ago and now there [sic] son – God may mind them keep them strong pray for all the family again this is a painful world – rest in peace Jason,” the relative wrote.

Messages of condolence continue to pour in for Jason, with one friend calling him an “angel”.

“So heartbreaking, two lovely angels gone to heaven – rest in peace Jason Faulkner my heart goes out to your family. God wrap your arms around Banny, Mary and family.” Another mourner commented: “This is just beyond devastating, the nation needs to keep the Faulkner family in their taughts [sic] and prayers, how much heartache can this family take?”

Scarlett, 28, from Limerick, had been on life support at Cork University Hospital for three weeks following catastrophic injuries sustained in a vicious roadside assault on the R494 near Birdhill on March 21.

Her heartbroken family, who maintained a round-the-clock bedside vigil, confirmed she died on Monday April 13.

At her sister’s funeral, Victoria Faulkner said: “You were Daddy’s girl and Mommy’s world, we will love you forever, our sleeping beauty, from your ten sisters and five brothers, and most importantly you’re beautiful daughter Oceanna, who you loved dearly, the same way she loved you.”

She added: “You have left a big hole in each and everyone of our hearts but you also touched the hearts of many others in this world.

“You were a good mother, daughter, sister, sister-in-law, friend to us all, you have left us with a beautiful little girl, ‘Oceanna’ – a gift from god, who reminds us of you so much.”

Scarlett, a well-regarded member of a Traveller family from Limerick county, was savagely attacked by a gang armed with weapons at the roadside on the R494 in Birdhill.

A woman and a 16 year old girl have been charged in connection with the serious assault of Scarlett.

The reason for the brutal attack remains unknown. Emergency services discovered Scarlett at the roadside with devastating head injuries.

It is believed she was set upon by one or more armed individuals at around 5.30pm on Saturday, March 21.

Gardaí are pursuing a number of lines of enquiry in connection with the assault, amongst them the possibility that innocent Ms Faulkner may have been travelling in a vehicle that was deliberately rammed by occupants of another car, before being dragged out and brutally attacked with weapons at the roadside.

Detectives based at Nenagh Garda Station are continuing their investigation into the incident.

Anyone with information relating to the attack is urged to get in touch with Nenagh Garda Station on (067) 05450, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any local Garda station.

The poll, if replicated at the election, could make the SNP vulnerable to losing power at Holyrood for the first time since 2007.

A new poll has found the pro-UK parties could hold the majority in Holyrood after the election. The survey, carried out for More in Common, suggested the SNP would continue to be the largest party.

But John Swinney’s party and the pro-independence Greens would fall one seat short of a majority, leaving the SNP vulnerable. Such a result could lead to the pro-UK parties teaming up to install Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar as First Minister.

More than 5,000 Scots were spoken between February 4 and April 10 for the poll. According to the survey, the SNP would drop to 56 seats – down from 64 at the last election.

Reform UK would move into second place on 22 seats, while Labour would fall to 17 MSPs and remain in third. Nigel Farage’s party would be the main winner on the regional lists, with at least two MSPs in every area and up to four in West Scotland.

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The Tories would drop to 12 seats, compared with 31 in 2021. The Lib Dems would jump to 14 MSPs – eight of which would be in constituencies.

The Scottish Greens, who are projected to take eight seats, would claim their first constituencies in Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill, as well as Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith.

Even though the pro-indy parties are projected to lose their majority in this poll, the SNP would likely argue they would have the moral mandate to continue in office.

Despite being projected to come second, no other party would likely vote for Reform leader Malcolm Offord to become FM. If the pro-UK parties were determined to topple the SNP, they could put Sarwar in Bute House instead.

More in Common found that 39 of the 73 constituency seats in Scotland are considered marginal, the pollster’s UK director Luke Tryl said.

“Having been in power for almost two decades, the SNP are clearly suffering from the curse of incumbency that has afflicted governments around the world,” he said.

“Although they look set to maintain power in Holyrood it will almost certainly be with significantly diminished vote share and this model estimates a lower seat count too.

“The SNP benefit however from a further fragmentation of the unionist vote with Reform UK emerging as the strongest unionist party and official opposition as Farage finally breaks through north of the border.”

Commander Helen Flanagan, of CTP London, said earlier on Saturday: “At this stage last night’s arson is not being linked to other incidents in the north-west London area over the last week or last month’s arson in Golders Green, but counter-terrorism officers are leading due to the similarities of each attack.

Operation Take Off was rolled out at Teesside International Airport this week, with officers stopping drivers arriving home from trips abroad to ensure they were not driving under the influence.

The campaign aims to make travellers think twice about driving under the influence, ultimately reducing fatalities across the County Durham and Darlington area.

Durham Police launched Operation Take Off following the devastating loss of baby Zackary Blades and his aunt Karlene Warner who were killed on their way home from Newcastle International Airport, in May 2024.

Zackary Blades, left, and Karlene Warner who were killed by drink driver on A1(M) in County Durham in May 2024 (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Their killer, Darryl Anderson, had also landed at the airport and selfishly decided to get behind the wheel even though he was nearly three times over the drink drive limit making his way back to his home in South Yorkshire.

Darryl Anderson, 38, from South Yorkshire, jailed for more than 17 years for two counts of causing death by dangerous driving (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Officers have been conducting Operation Take Off in the years since, in a bid to spread awareness, educate drivers and prevent further fatalities.

Detective Constable Natalie Horner, of the force’s Collision Investigation Unit, said: “Despite his horrendous actions, Anderson told officers during his arrest that he was ‘not a bad guy’ and that ‘mistakes happen’.

“We disagree.

“There is no excuse for driving under the influence and we will continue to carry out these important operations in memory of Zackary and Karlene whose deaths were completely avoidable.

“Their families continue to live with the pain of losing their loved ones which is why we will continue to do everything in our power to help prevent this happening again.

“Thankfully everyone who was stopped this morning and passed the breathalyser test.

“We want to thank them for doing their bit to keep other road users safe.”

She added: “Remember, don’t fly, drink, then drive.”

Anderson, 38, was jailed for 17 years and three months after admitting two county of causing death by dangerous driving at Durham Crown Court, in July 2024.

The reform could benefit some workers but there is still a ‘risk’, one expert has warned

The state pension age is the earliest a person in the UK can claim their state pension entitlement. From the start of April 2026, it will be increasing from 66 to 67 in a phased rollout continuing for the next two years.

Future state pension age rises are also still under review, leaving middle-aged workers uncertain about exactly when they will be able to retire with their state pension. While it has caused some concern, one expert believes some people could benefit from the current and future age rises but warned workers to educate themselves.

Dr Kathy Hartley, Interim Subject Head, Human Resource Management Group at the University of Salford, explained that state pension age increases could mean some people have more time to build up their retirement funds and make themselves more financially secure in retirement by working longer than their predecessors may have.

She said: “In one sense, some workers have been choosing to remain in employment beyond what was once the norm for some time now, particularly since the default retirement age of 65 was removed back in 2011.

“For some, this is clearly beneficial financially, even if it involves reduced hours or, in some cases, less strenuous forms of work, especially in the context of rising living costs. Others remain in roles they find intrinsically interesting, feel motivated and healthy, and see no reason to stop what they have been doing.”

Even in these cases where extra years in the workforce could benefit workers, Dr Hartley noted there’s a risk it may create for employers as an employee’s performance and health may start causing more disruptions as they age.

Another group that may benefit from spending more years in the workforce are those that have made mid-life career transitions, as the expert noted that people over the age of 60 only just beginning “new starts” are becoming more common than before.

She added: “Some older workers decide to take on new challenges, perhaps working part-time at what they have done for years while combining this with other forms of work that may have interested them for some time, effectively creating a new or ‘portfolio career’ later in life.”

Regardless of where people stand in their careers and when they expect to access their state pension, the expert warned: “One thing that many of us need, however, is greater ‘financial literacy’, or simply to pay closer attention to the state of our pension pot and what kind of future it is likely to provide.

“For more of us to have genuine choice over whether to stay in the workplace for longer, financial understanding and planning will be key, as will employer support in relation to flexible working and adjustments. Such support has risen in recent years, driven by various changes in employment law, and the need for this – along with open conversations about employees’ longer-term aspirations – is unlikely to lessen.”

Dr Hartley admitted that for young people just entering the workforce, it’s very difficult to even anticipate what the state pension age will be when they hit their 60s and she revealed this is already being reflected in the workforce.

She added: “Younger people (are) less inclined to rush into paid employment than previous generations. Pressure on entry-level jobs, combined with expectations of working into one’s later years (70 and beyond,) may help to explain some of this hesitancy.”

It was only fitting that Kane scored on a historic afternoon in Munich on Sunday.

There have been several standout performers for Bayern this season, but none more so than the number nine.

It was only two years ago that Kane was being challenged about his decision to move to Germany as Bayern ended a season trophyless for the first time in 12 years.

But fast forward to the present day and Kane has not only helped his side return to the summit of German football by winning back-to-back titles, but has also put himself in contention to win football’s most prestigious individual accolade – the Ballon d’Or – after netting 32 goals in 27 Bundesliga appearances this term.

No player in Europe’s top five leagues has managed more goals than Kane’s 50 in all competitions.

Now in his third season at Bayern, Kane is also delivering in the Champions League.

This month he scored home and away against Real Madrid in the quarter‑finals to help Bayern reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2024, while equalling Frank Lampard as the highest‑scoring Englishman in the knockout stages of the competition with 15 goals.

“I could score 100 goals this season, but if I don’t win the Champions League or the World Cup, you’re probably not going to win the Ballon d’Or,” said Kane in November.

“It’s the same with any player. You have to be winning those major trophies.”

If he can help Bayern to a seventh Champions League title and play a leading role for England at this summer’s World Cup, Kane would surely have a strong case to become the first Englishman to win the Ballon d’Or since Michael Owen in 2001.

Primrose Holidays, a coach tour operator based in the region, is targeting the growing market of older travellers—and offering hassle-free, experience-led travel across the UK and Ireland.

‘Silver tourists’ generally refers to people aged 55 and over.

Shaun Read, owner of Primrose Holidays and a board member of the Coach Tourism Association, said: “Today’s older travellers are increasingly discerning.

“They’ve holidayed more than previous generations, they’re comfortable travelling and they want to continue exploring – but without the hassle of planning and booking every trip from scratch.

“At Primrose Holidays, we remove the pain points.

“We’ve chosen each destination for its rich mix of things to see and do, hand-picked every hotel for its high standard of rooms, meals and facilities, and selected the most interesting attractions based on visitor feedback.”

Famous Glenfinnan Railway Viaduct in Scotland (Image: Georgy Krivosheev)

The company offers curated coach tours with a focus on comfort and convenience.

Many packages include a door-to-door transfer service from areas in south Northumberland, the east coast, Sunderland and Durham.

Mr Read said: “Primrose Holidays will collect customers from their homes and transfer them directly to and from the comfort of our executive coaches.

“It’s all part and parcel of our more personalised offer for older travellers, prioritising quality over quantity to deliver a more relaxed holiday.”

The company says it supports the growing appeal of ‘slower tourism’—spending longer in fewer places, and travelling outside peak season to less crowded destinations.

Mr Read also believes coach travel offers a positive social experience.

He said: “Coach holidays can be a really social way to holiday, whether for solo travellers, couples or groups, providing shared experiences in a safe, friendly and supportive setting.”

The programme includes trips covering railways, canals, historic houses, Scottish landscapes, and an ABBA-themed weekend in London.

Liverpool news as two players who could join Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson through the Anfield exit door are named

The end of the season cannot come soon enough for Liverpool following a deeply disappointing title defence. Despite spending £450million last summer, the Reds have gone backwards, raising questions over Arne Slot’s future.

Liverpool may have to rely on the Premier League’s bonus spot, fifth place, to secure Champions League football next season. Thanks in part to Chelsea’s slump in form, that looks like it will be salvaged, but it will be of little consolation.

It’s clear the squad needs a revamp ahead of next season, with at least two departures, Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, already confirmed. Mirror Football brings you a round-up of the latest news from Anfield.

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Two more players tipped for exit

Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones could also be heading out of Anfield this summer. According to football journalist Alan Nixon’s Patreon page, the pair are at the top of the list of players who could be potentially sold, which would free up funds for signings.

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In keeping with the team in general, Mac Allister has been a shadow of his former self this season. And with the Reds reportedly in the hunt to sign Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, the Argentine could make way. A strong showing at the World Cup would drive up his value.

Jones, who surprisingly started at right-back against Everton with Jeremie Frimpong on the bench, could be looking for a fresh start, with Aston Villa among the clubs believed to be tracking him. As a homegrown player, his transfer fee would be recorded as pure profit on the balance sheet. A sale could be best for both parties.

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Klopp’s plans clear

If Slot departs, many Reds fans will be hoping for an emotional return for Jurgen Klopp. Since leaving Anfield, the German has taken on roles as head of global football with the Red Bull Group and as an advisor to the German Football League.

However, he has distanced himself from a return to club management, recently rubbishing reports linking him with Real Madrid. According to AS, the only job that would tempt him back into the dugout is with Germany.

The Spanish title reports that managing his country is his long-term ambition. Whether he gets to fulfil that ambition in the near future could hinge on how Germany fare at the World Cup under Julian Nagelsmann, who has a contract until after Euro 2028 in the UK and Ireland.

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Manchester City beat Arsenal 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday to blow the title race wide open and Mikel Arteta has delivered his verdict

Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal still believe they can win the title even after losing the potential decider at Manchester City.

Gunners boss Arteta came out fighting after a heartbreaking defeat at the Etihad and actually claimed he has even more confidence after their battling display. City can go top on goal difference if they win their game in hand at Burnley on Wednesday night but Arteta says his players are ready for the straight shoot-out in the last five games.

Arteta said: “If they need to be more convinced, I think they are now more convinced. They were talking about it in the dressing room. It’s a new league now. They were a game in hand. We have three points of advantage and five games to play. So everything is still to play for.

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“So we know how much we’ve won it and we’re not going to stop and we’re going to go again, that’s for sure. Obviously, they were very disappointed not to get a result from the game in the manner that it happened.

“That’s the feeling, immediately you could tell that they were talking about, and they said okay, we lost an opportunity today, but we have the biggest one now in the next five games, so let’s do it.”

Kai Havertz drew Arsenal level but then missed a glorious chance in the 95th minute to snatch a point which would have really turned the race in their favour. Arsenal also hit the woodwork twice and skipper Martin Odegaard insisted they can still win the title.

Odegaard said: “Disappointed not to win. Obviously we wanted to get a result and we were really up for it today. We played a good game, we pressed really well.

”Especially in the second half we looked dangerous, big moments in front of goal. Small margins to decide a game like this and we weren’t sharp enough in front of goal and that’s why we go home with nothing.

“That’s football at this level. It was always going to be like that. Very intense, very tough. Small margins. Frustrating but a lot of good things in the game from us. Now it’s about looking forward to the next game to bounce back.”

Our columnist argues that all the parties’ approaches have strengths and weaknesses

In this Senedd election the smaller parties are offering three very different answers to one of the most important questions for the future of the nation – what should the Welsh economy actually look like over the next decade?

That matters because while Labour, the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru have dominated the main economic debate over the past five years, Reform is pitching a low-tax, anti-bureaucratic populism, the Liberal Democrats are offering a pro-enterprise, moderate agenda, and the Green Party is arguing for a very different development model built around community wealth, green investment and public intervention.

Each approach has strengths and weaknesses, and each tells us something about the wider frustrations now shaping Welsh politics.

Reform has the bluntest economic message of the three, arguing that Wales suffers from weak private-sector growth, out-migration of skilled workers, and overreliance on public spending.

Its answer is simple, namely cut taxes, shrink bureaucracy, scrap what it sees as anti-growth regulation and push ahead with more visible infrastructure.

Specifically, it promises a 1p cut across all bands of Welsh income tax by the end of the Senedd term, referendums on council tax rises above 4.99%, a 10% reduction in Welsh Government civil service headcount, a root-and-branch review of business rates, and support for large road schemes. It also says scrapping net zero policies would help “kickstart” the Welsh economy.

There is no doubt Reform believes a section of the electorate is tired of the lack of action and receptive to a message that says government is too large, too slow, and too expensive.

In that sense, its economic offer is emotionally well-targeted, although clarity is not the same as credibility.

Indeed, it could be argued that Reform is at its strongest when diagnosing frustration and at its weakest when explaining how Wales can become more productive, more innovative and more competitive.

Tax cuts and fewer quangos may be politically attractive, but they are not, in themselves, an economic game-changer.

Indeed, their manifesto says the income tax cut will be funded by lower spending elsewhere, without reducing frontline services, but has yet to show that the sums are robust enough for a devolved government already operating under extreme fiscal pressure in a world about to face a massive economic slowdown.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats offer a more conventional and, in some respects, more credible economic programme.

Their manifesto is not centred on an economic slogan, but once you get past the “Protect the NHS, Stop Independence” branding, it contains a recognisably pro-business agenda.

It backs access to capital for scaling firms, a Welsh industrial strategy focused on entrepreneurship and innovation, stronger procurement rules for SMEs, and support for apprenticeships.

It also wants a larger role for universities in research and innovation and calls for Wales to secure a bigger share of UK R&D funding.

For local economies, it proposes permanent business rate relief for retail, leisure and hospitality, a freeze on the multiplier for struggling firms, a £400m town centres fund, faster change-of-use approvals, and a stronger community right to buy. On energy, it pushes for warmer homes, tidal power, floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea, rooftop solar and Welsh zonal electricity pricing.

This is, in many ways, the most recognisably centrist economic offer of the three, acknowledging the importance of business formation, scale-up finance, skills, infrastructure and innovation without lapsing into anti-market rhetoric.

It also recognises that Welsh universities matter to economic development, which is more than can be said for some other manifestos.

Its weakness is that it never quite becomes a full economic story, and while there are plenty of sensible policies, they feel more like a collection of well-judged interventions than a transformative vision for the Welsh economy.

The Liberal Democrats are right about the need for stronger businesses, more innovation and fairer energy pricing, but the manifesto stops short of explaining how Wales changes gear economically rather than simply improving performance at the margin.

Despite having no members in the Senedd, the Green Party offers the clearest economic philosophy of the three, albeit one that many will disagree with.

Their manifesto is not traditionally pro-business, and instead it argues that Wales needs to move away from what it sees as an extractive model of economic development and towards one rooted in community wealth, social value and the green transition.

It backs co-operatives, social enterprises, and locally rooted business models, while proposing a green transformation fund for Wales, citizen-backed transformation bonds and a green jobs workforce plan.

It also calls for procurement to do more for local firms and social enterprises, stronger borrowing powers, business tax reform, and a community wealth building bill to keep more money circulating in Welsh communities.

Alongside that is a wider programme of home retrofit, social housing, cheaper public transport, and investment in low-carbon infrastructure.

In other words, the Green Party is offering a very different vision by asking the economic question that Welsh politics often avoids, namely, not just how to grow the economy, but who owns it, who benefits from it, and how much of the wealth generated in Wales actually stays here.

But here the weakness is realism, and while it could be argued that the manifesto has direction and values, it is much thinner on the fiscal and institutional constraints facing a devolved government.

Promises such as large-scale housing and cheaper transport sound attractive, but the delivery challenge is enormous, and the Greens seem better at describing the kind of economy they want than at explaining how Wales competes in a tough market environment.

Therefore, despite massive ideological differences in their content, these three manifestos indicate that they are responding to the same reality, namely that too many people in Wales feel the economy is not working for them.

And if they are to gain seats on May 7, it will not be just about which party understands that frustration best, but who can actually do something about it.