Left-leaning independent Connolly set to be Ireland's next president after her rival concedes defeat
London (AP): Left-wing independent Catherine Connolly is set to become Ireland's next president after her rival conceded defeat in the country's presidential elections on Saturday.
Vote counting was still underway but ahead of the official result being declared, Heather Humphreys, of the centre-right party Fine Gael, told reporters that she “wanted to congratulate Catherine Connolly on becoming the next president of Ireland."
“Catherine will be a president for all of us and she will be my president, and I really would like to wish her all the very, very best,” she said.
Polls have suggested consistent and strong voter support for Connolly, 68, over Humphreys, 64, for president, a largely ceremonial role in Ireland.
Connolly, a former barrister, and an independent lawmaker since 2016, has been outspoken in criticising Israel over the war in Gaza.
The politician has garnered the backing of a range of left-leaning parties, including Sinn Féin, the Labour Party and the Social Democrats.
Others, including deputy premier Simon Harris, who leads Humphreys' Fine Gael party, and the Social Democrats also congratulated Connolly.
“From day one, her message of inclusion, equality and social justice resonated with voters in every corner of Ireland," said Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns.
Initial and incomplete results show Connolly taking more than 60 per cent of votes.
Connolly and Humphreys were the only contenders after Jim Gavin, the candidate for Prime Minister Micheál Martin'sFianna Fail party, quit the race three weeks before the election over a long-ago financial dispute.
Martin, who heads Ireland's government, had personally backed Gavin as a presidential candidate. Though Gavin had stopped campaigning, his name remained on the ballot paper because of his late withdrawal from the race.
While Irish presidents represent the country on the world stage, host visiting heads of state and play an important constitutional role, they do not have the power to shape laws or policies.
The leader of the Irish Labour Party said Connolly has united parties “with an alternative vision."
Ivana Bacik said left-wing parties could now look at how they can “combine together” and “offer a real alternative” in the next general election.
Others — including musician Bob Geldof and the former mixed martial arts champion Conor McGregor — had indicated they wished to run for president but failed to receive enough backing for a nomination.
Connolly will succeed Michael D. Higgins, who has been president since 2011, having served the maximum two seven-year terms. She will be Ireland's 10th president and the third woman to hold the post.
Voting slips were being counted by hand. The final result will be declared later Saturday once all 43 electoral constituencies have completed counting.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
