Ethan Davies

Five teenagers—Jeremy O'Brien, Alex McCarthy, Joey Carthy, Jack Kennedy and Kamil Pustkowski—were killed when their BMW travelled the wrong way on the M9 in County Kildare and collided head-on with a Hyundai carrying a family of four. The survivors, including a seven-year-old boy, remained seriously or critically injured in hospitals around Dublin. Tributes were paid to the teenagers as Gardaí revised their initial belief that the BMW had been stolen, concluding it had been legitimately purchased. Fiosrú is examining Garda contact with the vehicle before the crash, while the tragedy has intensified debate over police pursuit training, road safety and reckless driving filmed for social media.

Five teenage males died when an allegedly stolen BMW was driven the wrong way on the M9 in County Kildare and collided head-on with a Hyundai carrying an extended family. Three women and a seven-year-old child in the Hyundai were seriously injured, with two women reported in critical condition. Gardaí said the BMW had twice travelled against traffic after officers disengaged, and investigators are examining whether the occupants had been involved in attempted break-ins. An Garda Síochána is investigating the crash, while policing watchdog Fiosrú is independently examining any prior Garda interactions with the vehicle. Authorities are also investigating a similar recent wrong-way collision on Dublin’s M50 and appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage.

The UK government has announced the closure of 13 more hotels housing asylum seekers, including Blackpool’s Grade II-listed Grand Metropole Hotel and the Grosvenor Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon. The closures are expected to save £51 million and reduce the number of asylum hotels to below 160, as the government shifts asylum accommodation toward former military sites and aims to end hotel use before the next election. Plans to house thousands of asylum seekers at military bases and expand existing sites have prompted local opposition. The Refugee Council supports ending hotel use but warns that moving people to military facilities will not resolve delays in Home Office asylum decisions or concerns about accommodation quality.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is taking an overseas family holiday just over two weeks after entering Downing Street, although officials say he will remain in contact with them and continue holding meetings. The government is expected to operate normally during his absence. The holiday follows a busy first fortnight in office, during which Burnham announced proposals involving electricity-bill VAT, rough sleeping, bus fares, social care, business rates for pubs, regional mayoral powers and measures against small-boat crossings.

The Football Association of Wales has formally withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election as FIFA president, becoming the first national association to do so. The decision follows controversy over a proposed private company that would have managed major FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, and attracted outside investment. Although the project was cancelled, UEFA-backed boycott action, criticism from CONCACAF and resignations by advisers have intensified pressure on Infantino. Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has also said Infantino is the wrong person to lead world football, while other British football associations have not yet withdrawn their support.