Latest news with #TonyKelly
BBC News
16-07-2025
- BBC News
Man tried to kill child by stepping in front of moving train
A man who stepped in front of a moving train while carrying a toddler on his shoulders has been found guilty of attempting to murder the child. Frederick Danquah, 28, took the two-year-old to Glasgow's Garrowhill station in July 2023 after he was told that his relationship with his former partner was were struck by the train and taken to hospital but the toddler was left with minor grazes and has since fully recovered. Danquah claimed he was unable to appreciate his actions due to mental illness but was convicted at the High Court in Glasgow. Remanding him in custody ahead of sentencing, judge Tony Kelly said the case had been described in court as a "murder suicide"."This is grave - to cause harm to a child is beyond comprehension," he told Danquah. The trial heard that Danquah had split up with his partner several months earlier but they continued to live together. On the day of the incident, she had discussed a new relationship she was in and made it clear they were not getting back together. Danquah then collected the child from another address in the city and posted a message on Facebook saying he could not "continue to live in this darkness". Some time later he was spotted trying to pull himself and the child over a fence on a footbridge near the M8 motorway in the Anderston area of the city. He was spoken to by a police officer and allowed to leave the then made his way with the toddler to the Garrowhill station where the incident occurred at about 19:20 which left both of them injured. The child suffered grazes or bruises on the forehead, head, back, face and nose - and was described as looking shocked in the hospital. Danquah sustained fractures to his lower spine and his first offender, of the city's Lambhill, was also convicted of culpable and reckless will be sentenced next month after judge has considered background reports.
Irish Independent
23-06-2025
- Climate
- Irish Independent
One of Galway's Aran Islands has been in drought status for two months as water restrictions continue to apply
The Aran Island was hit with official drought status in mid-April, due to low rainfall levels over the winter months. Uisce Éireann has issued a reminder to customers about the restrictions on the island's water supply. The water body says that the measures were introduced in to conserve water and safeguard the island's daytime supply. Restrictions remain in effect from 11pm to 7am and are seen as essential to protect reservoir levels on Inis Oírr, Uisce Éireann says. They say that enforcing restrictions overnight ensures a continuous daily supply of water is available for residents and visitors on the island. Uisce Éireann's Tony Kelly thanked customers on Inis Oírr for their co-operation and called on them to conserve water. 'We are asking customers to be mindful of how they use water. Simple water conservation efforts can have a big impact on reducing demand on the supply,' he said. 'Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth and shaving can save up to six litres of water per minute. Taking a shower instead of a bath or using a watering can rather than a hose when gardening can also make a big difference in water use. 'We are also encouraging people with responsibility for properties that are currently unoccupied to check for leaks and turn off water where it is not required,' he added. Vulnerable customers who have registered with Uisce Éireann receive direct communications for planned and unplanned outages lasting more than four hours. Uisce Éireann's customer care team is available 24/7 on 1800 278 278 and customers can also contact us on X @IWCare with any queries. For further updates, visit the service and supply section of Uisce Éireann has a free text service, providing real-time updates for local issues. Customers can sign up with their Eircode and mobile number at the text alerts page.
The Australian
19-06-2025
- Politics
- The Australian
Liberals must seize opportunity to keep focus on super tax
The Liberals would be smart to accept Janet Albrechtsen's suggestion and accept the reality of Labor's obnoxious new super tax, but push for an amendment that exempts unrealised gains on super fund assets ('Libs' chance to expose Labor on super tax', 18/6). There must be many rusted-on Labor voters who are wincing at the prospect of the implementation of an unprincipled tax on funds, designed not only to meet one's financial needs in retirement but to improve our budgetary position by easing the pressure on Age Pension spending. Labor's legislation lacks integrity and the Liberals should keep the public focus on the issue of tax on unrealised gains. Bob Miller, Leederville, WA Those who are conducting the review of the policy and strategy of the Liberal Party will need to have skills in excess of what is required for such a 'coronial inquiry' ('Autopsy into Libs' dead duck campaign', 18/6). May I suggest that an understanding of resurrection – the ability to make someone rise from the dead – is the required skill level for this task? Tony Kelly, West Melbourne, Vic No moral equivalence Why is Foreign Minister Penny Wong refusing to directly criticise Iran in its conflict with Israel? Israel has engaged in a targeted campaign against military targets, particularly Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran is indiscriminately targeting civilians, including men, women and children. They do not care who they kill or injure. Iran has openly promised the total destruction of Israel and the genocide of Israel's people, which is the sole reason Tehran wants nuclear capacity. Unlike Israelis, Iranians cannot vote in free and fair elections and basic human rights are a joke. And yet our government apparently believes in moral equivalence in this conflict. Jeremy C. Browne, Ripponlea, Vic Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong and the rest of the Labor cabinet, in calling for diplomacy and dialogue, completely ignore that Iran and its proxies – Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis – have forever been totally open in their goal of destroying Israel. Where do Labor politicians see the common ground that would lead to a lasting ceasefire? Ian Porter, Subiaco, WA Powerless future As attention is once more on AUKUS and nuclear activity, Anthony Albanese needs another wake-up call, and it is not only in defence. The US is building new nuclear facilities and reopening old in anticipation of a jump in electricity demand by 2030. In Australia, winter is only just upon us and already we have concerns about electricity supply. Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen's renewables master plan is falling further behind schedule. With lack of maintenance or new construction, coal-fired generation is falling. Gas supplies are declining as projects are blocked by environmental legislation and the nuclear option remains banned. Meanwhile, electricity demand from population growth, electric vehicles and data centres is predicted to increase over the next 10 years. With rising cost and unreliability of supply, union intransigence and over-regulation, we appear powerless to halt the decline in manufacturing investment. The future literally looks dark. Graham Pinn, Maroochydore, Qld The first thing our government needs to learn from the proposed productivity summit is what productivity is, why it is important, and what governments should do and not do to increase productivity. Our productivity-destroying policies are: 1. Increasing the price of energy. Energy is an input into everything. 2. Increasing the cost of labour through industrial relations policies. 3. Increasing immigration. Migrants tend to work in less productive jobs given the same skills as resident workers. And the economy has not been able to increase investment in infrastructure to accommodate the number of migrants. 4. Blowing out the size of the public sector, which sucks workers out of the (more productive) private sector. 5. Blowing out the size of the care economy, particularly the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which draws resources from more productive activities. The government needs to have a solid workshop with the Productivity Commission or the Reserve Bank. Ross Guest, emeritus professor of economics, Griffith University Losing out on Santos It does not take much business skill to see the Abu Dhabi-based group's takeover offer for Santos is cheap and will rob Australian investors, many through their super, of the true future value of Santos's developing assets. We now need to ask, is our obsession with renewables the greatest economic folly in the history of our nation? Ian Morison, Forrest, ACT
BreakingNews.ie
26-05-2025
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Council gives green light for €5m Clare GAA Centre of Excellence
Clare County Council has granted planning permission to €5 million plans by senior All-Ireland winning hurlers, Clare to expand and redevelop the county's GAA Centre of Excellence. The planners have given the ambitious plans to unearth the next Tony Kelly or Shane O'Donnell the green light on condition that a range of measures are put in place to safeguard the Lesser Horseshoe Bat. Advertisement The project last November benefited from €3.2 million in state funding from the Government's Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund to develop the Centre of Excellence at Caherloghan near the east Clare village of Tulla. The scheme for the county's elite hurlers and footballers - includes the construction of a 1-2 storey extension to the existing Clare GAA Centre of Excellence building accommodating additional player welfare facilities including new dressing rooms, a gymnasium, dining and administrative areas. It also includes two new full length playing pitches, the construction of a new all-weather synthetic playing pitch, the construction of a new hurling 'ball-wall' and the construction of a new covered spectator stand serving Pitch 3. The Council has attached the bat protection conditions as the Centre of Excellence expansion proposal lies close to Newgrove House which is a designated Special Area of Conservation (SAC) due to the presence of the Lesser Horseshoe Bat. Advertisement According to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Newgrove House SAC 'is considered to be of international importance' due to the presence of the tiny bat. The Lesser Horseshoe Bat is one of the world's smallest bats, weighing only 5 to 9 grams with a wingspan of 194-254mm and a body length of 35 to 45 mm and is afforded legal protection through the EU Habitats Directive. The measures include specialist outdoor lighting at the expanded centre of excellence and a 10pm curfew on lighting each day. Bat boxes are to be erected at the edge of the site while additional tree planting to the east of Pitch 2 is expected to provide some additional foraging for bats. Advertisement A bat activity survey carried out on behalf of Clare GAA found that four species of bat including the Lesser Horseshoe Bat were detected on the eastern edge of the site. An ecological assessment commissioned by Clare GAA and lodged with the planning application stated that the mitigation measures will ensure that no adverse impacts will occur which could affect the integrity of the Newgrove House SAC and no adverse impacts are predicted against the conservation objectives of the Lesser Horseshoe Bat. However, it remains to be seen if the mitigation measures go far enough for the Department of Heritage which does have the option of appealing the grant of permission to An Bord Pleanála. In a submission to the Council at the end of last month the Department told the council that there can be no doubts or lacunae regarding what is required for mitigation measures proposed. No third-party objections are made against the proposed scheme.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Gambling addicts need someone to talk to says ex-footballer
A former professional footballer who turned to gambling after trying to fit in with teammates is urging others with addiction to "confide in someone".Tony Kelly was signed by Bristol City at 16 before being released, ending up playing non-league football in London two years later where his addiction told John Darvall on BBC Radio Bristol he moved to London as a "quiet" teenager who wanted to "feel a sense of belonging"."When I saw the older players go to the bookmakers to put their football bets on, that was my way to join in," he said. In December 2024 NHS England said nearly 2,000 people were referred to gambling clinics between April and September - up from 800 in the same period in Problem Gambling Severity Index is available on the NHS website. Mr Kelly, who is from Coventry, started gambling with horses and football, then he spent years in professional football, he got involved in casinos before finishing his career at 30 years old with more than £500,000 in debt."I often wonder to myself, how did I not get to the point of no return? I lost absolutely everything," Mr Kelly added gambling also cost him his two houses and relationship issues, and he filed for bankruptcy in wrote and published Red Card, which was about his addiction and his career in 2013, which he said was the start of his recovery."When I went on BBC Breakfast [to promote the book] that was it, because the feedback from that was unbelievable. "It opened my eyes in terms of how many people it resonated with.""I knew then I had been in denial for years. It was a massive weight off my shoulder." Mr Kelly founded the Red Card Gambling Project in a bid to help others with a gambling addiction, and has written a second book about his journey."I strongly urge that before you hit rock bottom, you will have your wins, but over a long period of time it will destroy you. "You've got to confide in someone, you've got to talk because you will end up hitting rock bottom, and even worst."
