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wild casino crypto Newport News City Council on Tuesday is expected to vote on an ordinance that would prohibit people from possessing, carrying or transporting firearms in buildings owned or used by the city government. The city currently prohibits the open carrying of firearms in city buildings and facilities. Still, it does not prohibit a concealed carry permit holder from bringing a concealed weapon. City code states that “No person shall openly possess, carry or transport any firearm, ammunition for a firearm, or any components or combination ...” and goes onto list various prohibited locations. The proposed ordinance amendment removes “openly” from the text so that it reads, “No person shall possess, carry or transport any firearm ...” In addition to government-owned buildings, the new rules would apply to any recreation or community center facility operated by the city government or by any authority or local governmental entity created or controlled by the city. In buildings not owned by the city, or by any authority or local governmental entity created or controlled by the city, the new rules would only apply to the part of the building that is being used for a governmental purpose and when such building is being used for a governmental purpose. The council meeting is at 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, at 2400 Washington Ave. The prohibition won’t apply to authorized law enforcement officers, authorized military personnel in the performance of their lawful duties, security guards employed by the city or any authority or local government entity created or controlled by the city in the performance of their lawful duties. It would also not apply to exceptions mandated by state law. The proposed ordinance would allow lawfully possessed firearms and ammunition that are stored out of sight in a locked private motor vehicle lawfully parked on city property or on a public street. Virginia adopted a numerous pieces of gun safety legislation in 2020, when Democrats controlled the House, Senate and executive branch. One of those bills gave localities the ability to ban firearms in government buildings, public community centers, and parks, as well as at permitted events. City spokesperson Kim Bracy wrote in an email response to questions about the proposal that Newport News is “committed to ensuring a safe environment for both the public and our employees.” She said the city is dedicated to its practice of assessing safety vulnerabilities and addressing them within the framework of the law. “The security landscape has evolved, particularly in the government sector, and we are responding proactively,” she said. The Virginia Citizens Defense League, a pro-gun rights organization, issued a news release opposing the proposed ordinance, critiquing it as an infringement on gun owners’ right to carry a firearm for self defense. The organization did, however, praise one change made in the proposed ordinance, which crossed out public parks from a list of places prohibiting firearms. The proposed ordinance allows security personnel and law enforcement to deny entry to people violating the new gun rules and direct the violators to leave. Those who fail to leave after being directed may face trespassing charges. Josh Janney, joshua.janney@virginiamedia.comLudhiana: 70 scooters gutted in Basti Jodhewal blaze

‘Gladiator II’ review: Are you not moderately entertained?

Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer said that Matt Gaetz ’s nomination to head the Justice Department fizzled because it would have cost too much “political capital” for Donald Trump to try to push his confirmation through the Senate. In a lengthy interview with Politico , the North Dakotan was candid about the president-elect’s most controversial picks for his upcoming administration. Cramer lauded Gaetz’s decision this past Thursday to pull his name from contention, amid a slew of sexual misconduct allegations, which has paved the way for Trump to name a markedly more conventional nominee: former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi. ADVERTISEMENT “I would say whatever the circumstances are, this is one of the more positive things Matt Gaetz has done in a while,” Cramer told Politico. “I think in terms of his patriotism, in terms of his honor, in terms of his respect for the institutions, good for him to recognize that early on and prevent further wasting of the resources.” Cramer explained that Trump had told him as recently as Tuesday that he still hoped to push Gaetz’s nomination through, but that, in the end, the cost of doing so was apparently too great. “I’ve been everywhere just saying that the hill is very, very steep and the capital that you’d have to spend to succeed, much less probably not succeed, with the confirmation would be probably more than it would be worth,” he said. “I think that’s how he gamed it out. And good for him for not spending a lot more capital.” Cramer added that “political capital is our currency”—and that it’s “what you gather by doing things for people, with your partners, with your colleagues.” The risk for Trump, according to Cramer, was that he would have had to start heavily leveraging his capital for Gaetz to have a shot as attorney general. Even so, it still would have been a longshot. “Donald Trump would have had to spend a lot,” Cramer said. “If he was going to get Matt Gaetz across the finish line, he’d have to start transacting with some pretty strong skeptics. And it may very well be that there were not enough that were even persuadable.” Of another eyebrow raising Trump cabinet pick, prospective Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Cramer explained that he is a fan of the former Fox News host who faces a sexual assault allegation . “I think Pete, as a face of the military, as a warrior, as sort of a blue-collar, talented television personality, I think he gives hope to those people that say, there’s somebody at the top that actually understands my role in this military as opposed to just the general’s role,” Cramer said. The senator admitted, though, that he thought Hegseth should drop his controversial stance that women should be prohibited from combat roles in the U.S. military. “I think the landing position on it is simply the position that the requirement for combat readiness has to be the same for women as it is for men,” Cramer said. “And there are a lot of women who have met that standard that a lot of men could not. In which case, why would you not allow women in combat?”Hook Ups & Break Ups Don't miss out on the headlines from Hook Ups & Break Ups. Followed categories will be added to My News. Rocketman actor Taron Egerton has been spotted getting rather close to his new love interest. The 35-year-old Welsh actor was spotted strolling around New York City on Sunday, with him accompanied by stunning American actress Chloe Bennet, 32. The pair even packed on the PDA, seemingly confirming their relationship. Taron Egerton confirms his new relationship with Chloe Bennet during outing in New York City on December 8. Picture: TheImageDirect.com Egerton, who played Elton John in the epic biopic Rocketman , could be seen with his hair buzzed while donning a green puffer jacket, and his face looking stoic as he walked around the Big Apple. With his puffer jacket, Egerton wore some blue jeans with some brown shoes. He also rocked some sunglasses to shield his eyes from the US winter sun. Meanwhile, Bennet rocked a long grey coat and scarf, with the brunette beauty keeping her makeup natural with a nude lip and bold brows. Bennet is known for having starred as Daisy Johnson / Quake in the ABC superhero drama series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D . The Welsh actor was seen kissing the American star in a very public PDA session. Picture: TheImageDirect.com Twinning with her love interest, Bennet, who hails from Chicago, also rocked some blue jeans. The actress donned some black boots with her denim garment, a white shirt, and a grey jumper to complete the look. One snap on social media the pair holding hands as they walked through the crowds together, while another saw them chatting as they looked into the distance. But the couple also packed on the public displays of affection on their outing, with one sizzling snap showing the pair smooch while on the street. Egerton could be seen with his hand caressing his new girlfriend’s head, while the pair leaned in for a big and very public snog. Egerton will soon star in the Netflix movie Carry On. Picture: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Bennet can be seen in the superhero drama Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Picture: Unique Nicole/Getty Images Back in October we exclusively revealed that the couple had been secretly seeing each other for several months, enjoying dates on both sides of the pond. An American source said at the time: “Taron has had a turbulent few years but things are much better with Chloe in the picture. “They met in the US and went on a string of dates here before deciding to take a trip to the UK together. “He showed her some of his favourite spots and they managed to fly under the radar, which was convenient because they’re both super-private people. “They are busy and ­taking it slowly, but from what they’ve been telling friends, it is going really well.” Egerton previously dated Emily Thomas, with the pair even attending red-carpet events together. They split up in 2022 after a rocky on-and-off relationship. Egerton previously dated Emily Thomas for six years before their 2022 split. Picture: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images Speaking to Vogue in 2019 after the pair split and reconciled, Egerton explained how the pair spent some time apart because of work, but he then realised how much he missed her. When the couple split for good in April 2022, an insider told us: “Taron and Emily have both been really busy for the past year and it put a lot of pressure on their relationship. “They have separated and it hasn’t been easy for either of them. He is taking some time for himself now but he is open to meeting someone else soon. “He has been putting himself out there on Raya in the hopes he can ease himself back into dating.” Bennet was last romantically linked to Charles Melton, known for his work on the hit series Riverdale . Before Charles, Bennet dated YouTube sensation Logan Paul. As for Bennet, she dated YouTube star Logan Paul for one year, splitting in 2018. Picture: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images Bennet and Paul were photographed kissing while in Hawaii while filming Valley Girl in July 2017. The pair then addressed their romance in a vlog, with their relationship then confirmed. Paul also shared a gushing post about his then-girlfriend, with the controversial star writing: “I never thought it was possible, but this girl has won my heart.” The YouTuber then proceeded to list several reasons why he loved his girlfriend, saying how she never turned her back on him and “risked her career and personal friendships” for the sake of their relationship. The couple then broke up in October 2018, but rekindled their relationship a few months later before calling it quits again. More Coverage Netflix star revealed to be a pedophile Jamie Phillips - The Sun Fans ‘spot’ disturbing detail in film trailer Christine Estera Originally published as Actor Taron Egerton confirms relationship with stunning actress by sharing a very public kiss Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories Hook Ups & Break Ups Star’s flirty video with co-star after split A video of Megan Fox appearing flirty with her sexy co-star has resurfaced in the wake of her split from Machine Gun Kelly. Read more Movies Exes offered millions to reunite on-screen A Hollywood producer has offered exes Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie a jaw-dropping amount to put their differences aside and star in a movie together. Read more

ATLANTA (AP) — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors . He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners . He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian , would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015 . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” Former Associated Press journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.Indiana edges Winthrop despite horrid 3-point shooting

The NYE celebration that could land you in jailThree long days of counting in the General Election finished late on Monday night when the final two seats were declared in the constituency of Cavan-Monaghan. Fianna Fail was the clear winner of the election, securing 48 of the Dail parliament’s 174 seats. Sinn Fein took 39 and Fine Gael 38. Labour and the Social Democrats both won 11 seats; People Before Profit-Solidarity took three; Aontu secured two; and the Green Party retained only one of its 12 seats. Independents and others accounted for 21 seats. The return of a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael-led coalition is now highly likely. However, their combined seat total of 86 leaves them just short of the 88 needed for a majority in the Dail. While the two centrist parties that have dominated Irish politics for a century could look to strike a deal with one of the Dail’s smaller centre-left parties, such as the Social Democrats or Labour, a more straightforward route to a majority could be achieved by securing the support of several independent TDs. For Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and current taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, wooing like-minded independents would be likely to involve fewer policy concessions, and financial commitments, than would be required to convince another party to join the government benches. Longford-Westmeath independent TD Kevin “Boxer” Moran, who served in a Fine Gael-led minority government between 2017 and 2020, expressed his willingness to listen to offers to join the new coalition in Dublin. “Look, my door’s open,” he told RTE. “Someone knocks, I’m always there to open it.” Marian Harkin, an independent TD for Sligo-Leitrim, expressed her desire to participate in government as she noted that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were within “shouting distance” of an overall majority. “That means they will be looking for support, and I certainly will be one of those people who will be speaking to them and talking to them and negotiating with them, and I’m looking forward to doing that, because that was the reason that I ran in the first place,” she said. Meanwhile, the Social Democrats and Irish Labour Party both appear cautious about the prospect of an alliance with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. They will no doubt be mindful of the experience of the Green Party, the junior partner in the last mandate. The Greens experienced near wipeout in the election, retaining only one of their 12 seats. Sinn Fein appears to currently have no realistic route to government, given Fianna Fail and Fine Gael’s ongoing refusal to share power with the party. Despite the odds being stacked against her party, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald contacted the leaders of the Social Democrats and Labour on Monday to discuss options. Earlier, Fianna Fail deputy leader and outgoing Finance Minister Jack Chambers predicted that a new coalition government would not be in place before Christmas. Mr Chambers said planned talks about forming an administration required “time and space” to ensure that any new government will be “coherent and stable”. After an inconclusive outcome to the 2020 election, it took five months for Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Greens to strike the last coalition deal. Mr Chambers said he did not believe it would take that long this time, as he noted the Covid-19 pandemic was a factor in 2020, but he also made clear it would not be a swift process. He said he agreed with analysis that there was no prospect of a deal before Christmas. “I don’t expect a government to be formed in mid-December, when the Dail is due to meet on December 18, probably a Ceann Comhairle (speaker) can be elected, and there’ll have to be time and space taken to make sure we can form a coherent, stable government,” he told RTE. “I don’t think it should take five months like it did the last time – Covid obviously complicated that. But I think all political parties need to take the time to see what’s possible and try and form a stable government for the Irish people.” Fine Gael minister of state Peter Burke said members of his parliamentary party would have to meet to consider their options before giving Mr Harris a mandate to negotiate a new programme for government with Fianna Fail. “It’s important that we have a strong, stable, viable government, whatever form that may be, to ensure that we can meet the challenges of our society, meet the challenges in terms of the economic changes that are potentially going to happen,” he told RTE. Despite being set to emerge with the most seats, it has not been all good news for Fianna Fail. The party’s outgoing Health Minister Stephen Donnelly became one of the biggest casualties of the election when he lost his seat in Wicklow in the early hours of Monday morning. Mr Donnelly was always predicted to face a fight in the constituency after boundary changes saw it reduced from five to four seats. If it is to be a reprise of the Fianna Fail/Fine Gael governing partnership of the last mandate, one of the major questions is around the position of taoiseach and whether the parties will once again take turns to hold the Irish premiership during the lifetime of the new government. The outcome in 2020 saw the parties enter a coalition on the basis that the holder of the premier position would be exchanged midway through the term. Fianna Fail leader Mr Martin took the role for the first half of the mandate, with Leo Varadkar taking over in December 2022. Current Fine Gael leader Mr Harris succeeded Mr Varadkar as taoiseach when he resigned from the role earlier this year. However, this time Fianna Fail has significantly increased its seat lead over Fine Gael, compared with the last election when there were only three seats between the parties. The size of the disparity in party numbers is likely to draw focus on the rotating taoiseach arrangement, raising questions as to whether it will be re-run in the next coalition and, if it is, on what terms. On Sunday, Simon Coveney, a former deputy leader of Fine Gael, said a coalition that did not repeat the rotating taoiseach arrangement in some fashion would be a “difficult proposition” for his party. Meanwhile, Fine Gael minister Paschal Donohoe said he would be making the case for Mr Harris to have another opportunity to serve as taoiseach. On Monday, Mr Chambers said while his party would expect to lead the government it would approach the issue of rotating the taoiseach’s role on the basis of “mutual respect” with Fine Gael. “I think the context of discussions and negotiations will be driven by mutual respect, and that’s the glue that will drive a programme for government and that’s the context in which we’ll engage,” he said. On Monday, Labour leader Ivana Bacik reiterated her party’s determination to forge an alliance with fellow centre-left parties with the intention of having a unified approach to the prospect of entering government. Asked if Labour was prepared to go into government with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael on its own, she told RTE: “No, not at this stage. We are absolutely not willing to do that. “We want to ensure there’s the largest number of TDs who share our vision and our values who want to deliver change on the same basis that we do.” The Social Democrats have been non-committal about any potential arrangement with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, and have restated a series of red lines they would need to achieve before considering taking a place in government. Leader Holly Cairns, who gave birth to a daughter on polling day on Friday, said in a statement: “The party is in a very strong position to play an important role in the next Dail. In what position, government or opposition, remains to be seen.” Fianna Fail secured the most first preference votes in Friday’s proportional representation election, taking 21.9% to Fine Gael’s 20.8%. Sinn Fein came in third on 19%. While Sinn Fein’s vote share represented a marked improvement on its disappointing showing in June’s local elections in Ireland, it is still significantly down on the 24.5% poll-topping share it secured in the 2020 general election. The final breakdown of first preferences also flipped the result of Friday night’s exit poll, which suggested Sinn Fein was in front on 21.1%, with Fine Gael on 21% and Fianna Fail on 19.5%.