Italy’s governing coalition suffered a surprising blow as voters rejected a constitutional reform in a weekend referendum, handing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a significant political defeat.Preliminary results showed roughly 54% voting against the proposal and about 46% in favour, with turnout close to 60%.Early exit polling pointed to a narrow lead for the no camp that widened as counting...

Michael Lyster, one of RTÉ Sport’s most familiar presenters, has died aged 71.Lyster began his journalism career at The Tuam Herald in County Galway before moving to RTÉ around 1980.In his first year with the broadcaster he covered the Moscow Olympic Games and soon became a regular voice across its sports output. He took over presenting duties on The Sunday Game in 1984 and remained closely...

Ministers are considering slowing HS2 trains as a way to reduce costs after the high-speed rail project ran into delays and ballooning budgets.The transport department has asked the company building the London-to-Birmingham section to study whether trains could initially operate at a lower top speed.A formal update on the programme’s timetable and cost is now expected only after the May...

Michael Lyster, one of the most recognisable voices in Irish sports broadcasting, has died at the age of 71.He was best known as the presenter of The Sunday Game, a role he held for more than three decades.Lyster began his journalism career at The Tuam Herald in County Galway before moving to RTÉ around 1979–1980. In his first year with the broadcaster he was part of the team covering the...

A senior UK minister has dismissed claims that Iran possesses missiles capable of reaching London, saying government intelligence does not back that assertion.Housing Secretary Steve Reed told the BBC there is no official assessment showing Iran is targeting the UK or has the capacity to do so.He declined to disclose operational details about a recent missile incident. The remarks follow an...

Italy is holding a weekend referendum on changes to its constitution that would alter how judges and prosecutors are governed.What began as a technical tweak has morphed into a political showdown that could reshape Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s standing.The measure would split the career tracks of judges and prosecutors, set up separate governing bodies for each and create a new disciplinary...

Unconfirmed US reports say Iran launched two ballistic missiles toward the US-UK base on Diego Garcia, but neither weapon hit its target.One missile reportedly malfunctioned mid-flight and the other was intercepted by a US naval vessel, though the exact timing of the launches remains unclear.The BBC says the accounts are credible, and Britain’s Ministry of Defence accused Iran of escalating...

A small French town has found itself in the social media glare after an unusual name clash in its local election.Incumbent mayor Charles Hittler is contesting a runoff against Antoine Renault-Zielinski, a coincidence that has sent the internet into a frenzy.Arcis-sur-Aube, a community of about 2,785 people roughly 160km southeast of Paris, heads to the polls in a municipal run-off this...

The Confederation of African Football has overturned Senegal's 2025 Africa Cup of Nations triumph, awarding the championship to Morocco after ruling that Senegal forfeited the final.Senegal won the match on the field in January after a dramatic finish: a stoppage‑time penalty was awarded to Morocco, Senegal's players briefly walked off in protest, returned after about 17 minutes, the penalty...

The NFL looks set to expand further into Europe, and the New Orleans Saints are positioning themselves at the centre of a push to bring a regular-season game to Paris.Stade de France is in the running to host a fixture in 2026 or 2027, and the Saints have indicated they would like to be the visiting team if the French capital wins the bid.New Orleans has been the league’s on-the-ground team in...