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circus emoji Tributes were paid to the former Scottish first minister, who died suddenly in North Macedonia in October at the age of 69. A private family funeral has already taken place, with Saturday’s memorial service in Edinburgh held to celebrate his love of Scotland and his commitment to the cause of independence. But while some 500 people, including family, friends and politicians from across the spectrum attended the service at St Giles’ Cathedral, his successor Nicola Sturgeon was not present. A rift between her and Mr Salmond – who she had previously described as her mentor – developed during her term as SNP leader. Ms Sturgeon attended the funeral of Scottish comedian Janey Godley in Glasgow on Saturday morning. Her successor, Mr Swinney, was met with boos as he arrived at the service – held on St Andrew’s Day – with at least one person in the crowd outside on the Royal Mile shouting “traitor”. Mr Salmond stood down as SNP leader and first minister after the 2014 referendum in which Scots voted to stay part of the UK. He helped found and went on to lead another pro-independence party, Alba, with Kenny MacAskill, a long-time friend who served as justice secretary in Holyrood under Mr Salmond. Mr MacAskill, now the acting Alba leader, told the congregation – which included Mr Salmond’s widow Moira as well as Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, former Labour first minister Henry McLeish and Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay – that Mr Salmond had been a “giant of man”. Mr MacAskill, who quit the SNP to join Alba, hailed Mr Salmond as “an inspiration, a political genius” and being “most of all a man who had the cause of independence burned into his heart and seared in his soul”. The cause of independence was Mr Salmond’s “guiding light, his north star”, the former justice secretary said, adding that “he came so close to achieving it”. He added: “Those of us who share his dream must conclude that journey on his behalf. That’s the legacy he’d expect and the duty we owe him.” Recalling Mr Salmond’s words from when he stood down as first minister that “the dream shall never die”, Mr MacAskill concluded his address with the words: “Your dream shall be delivered.” Former Conservative Brexit minister and long-time friend of Mr Salmond, David Davis, gave a reading as did former Scottish government minister SNP MSP Fergus Ewing. Scottish folk singer Dougie MacLean performed his famous song Caledonia, while singer Sheena Wellington led mourners in a rendition of Robert Burns’ classic A Man’s A Man For A’ That. Scottish rock duo the Proclaimers were applauded for their performance of Cap in Hand – a pro-independence song which features the line “I can’t understand why we let someone else rule our land, cap in hand”. Brothers Craig and Charlie Reid said: “We’re going to do this for Alex, with love and respect and eternal gratitude for everything you did for our country.” Christina Hendry described her Uncle Alex as a “political giant, a strong leader, a fearless campaigner” but also remembered his as a “dearly loved husband, brother and uncle”. While she said he had been “the top man in Scotland”, he had “always made time for his family”, recalling how he phoned her brother on his birthday – the day after the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 – to apologise for not posting a card “as he’d been busy”, before telling them he would “resigning in 10 minutes”. She told the congregation: “As his family, we always felt loved no matter how far away he was or the time that passed before we saw him next. “We always knew he was standing up for our country, and for that we were grateful.” Ms Hendry continued: “The world will be a much quieter place without Uncle Alex, for Moira, for the wider family and for Scotland. “Uncle Alex passing means a great loss for many. A loss of Scotland’s voice on the international stage. A loss of integrity in Scottish politics. And a great loss to Scotland’s independence movement. “As a family it is likely a loss we will never get over.” Duncan Hamilton KC, who was an SNP MSP after the first Scottish Parliament elections, but also served as a political adviser and legal counsel to Mr Salmond, said the former first minister had “rightly been hailed as one of the greatest Scottish politicians of this, or any, generation”. He told how Mr Salmond took the SNP from being “a fringe act trying to get onto the main stage” to a party of government. “In Scottish politics, his success was both spectacular and unrivalled,” Mr Hamilton said. “Alex Salmond will forever be a pivotal figure in Scotland’s story. He changed a nation. He inspired a country. “History will certainly remember him as a man of talent, charisma and substance. But also as a political leader of courage, vision and intelligence. “He dared to dream. And so should we.” As the service finished the crowd gathered outside applauded and chanted “Alex, Alex” before singing Flower Of Scotland.

Iran pres. stresses need for cooperation with world countriesMassachusetts politicians and residents are remembering former President Jimmy Carter, who died at the age of 100, after more than a year in hospice care. He was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government as president and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 while making himself the most active and internationally engaged of ex-presidents. He was a peacemaker, a champion of democracy and public health, and a monitor of human rights around the world. Carter said his Baptist faith demanded that he do whatever he could, wherever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. "We're not going to see a political leader like that — you know, coming from the humble origins that he did, a peanut farmer. Someone who basically ran as a non-partisan candidate," said Boston University historian Tom Whalen. "He is a complicated fellow but the bottom line is that he had such enormous integrity both as president and in his post-presidency year that makes him a candidate, in my mind, for Mt. Rushmore." Gov. Maura Healey ordered flags in Massachusetts to be flown at half-staff through Jan. 28 in honor of Carter's life. "President Carter lived a life dedicated to peace, human rights, democracy and moral clarity. He set an enduring example of what it means to serve others, and his legacy will continue inspire generations to come," Healey said in a statement. "I'm sending love and strength to the Carter family as they, and our nation, process this profound loss. May we all honor his memory by building a more just, peaceful and caring world." Numerous other Massachusetts politicians also issued statements about Carter on Sunday evening, including: President Jimmy Carter led with compassion, integrity, & an heroic determination to lift humanity’s spirit. We will forever be indebted to him for building a more peaceful world. Thank you, Mr. President, for being conscience, caretaker, and commander for the U.S. and our world. pic.twitter.com/iZS7y8z8iB Jimmy Carter was a true public servant and peacemaker. Our country is a better place because of him. My thoughts are with his family. President Carter’s service of compassion and humility leaves a legacy that will be admired for generations to come. As we come together as a grateful nation to mourn and honor President Carter, my thoughts and prayers are with the entire Carter family. My full statement. pic.twitter.com/00JbvXQH97 President Carter embodied compassion and an unwavering commitment to humanity and public service. His faith in God and practicing that faith informed his life's work of building a more just, equitable, and peaceful world. I’m thinking of his family and everyone who loved him. pic.twitter.com/OWVFepUAkp I’m deeply saddened by the news of President Carter’s passing, and my condolences go out to his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who he and Rosalynn adored more than anything in the world. pic.twitter.com/H4Xfc68qCF President Carter was an inspiration to me and so many others. My thoughts go out to the entire Carter Family. Rest in peace, Mr. President. pic.twitter.com/HdYAUQyQ2E James Earl Carter, Jr. led a long and distinguished life committed to service and will be remembered for his humble, yet iron-will to do good unto others. His remarkable sense of character and selflessness traced back to his humble beginnings in Plains, GA, and he upheld the... https://t.co/WioVgTbkfy President Carter lived a life we should all aspire to - with humility and honesty, selflessness and faith, and an unwavering devotion to his fellow man. This country is better for his service to it. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

NEW YORK (AP) — The leaders of Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign insist they simply didn’t have enough time to execute a winning strategy against Donald Trump, pointing to “ferocious” political headwinds that were ultimately too much to overcome in the 107-day period after President Joe Biden stepped aside. Harris’ leadership team, speaking on the “Pod Save America” podcast that aired on Tuesday, defended over the campaign’s closing days, some of which have faced scrutiny in the weeks since . Specifically, they defended Harris’ outreach to Republican voters, her from Biden, her silence on and her inability to schedule an interview with popular podcaster Joe Rogan. “In a 107-day race, it is very difficult to do all the things you would normally do in a year and a half, two years,” said Harris campaign senior adviser Jen O’Malley Dillon. David Plouffe, another senior adviser, added, “There was a price to be paid for the short campaign.” The pointed reflections on Harris’ loss came just before she was scheduled to host a conference call with supporters as the party begins a painful process of self-examination. Trump won every swing state and traditionally aligned with Democrats — young voters and voters of color, among them. Harris’ team did not question the legitimacy of Trump’s victory. “We lost,” O’Malley Dillon said. But none of the Harris’ advisers acknowledged any mistakes during the wide-ranging podcast interview hosted by former Democratic operatives. Instead, they indicated that Harris had few options given the compressed timeframe and the broad anti-incumbent headwinds that have challenged elected officials across the world. They also gave Trump’s team some credit. They specifically pointed to Trump’s closing attack ad, which highlighted Harris’ support for taxpayer-funded sex reassignment surgeries for transgender prisoners. “Obviously, it was a very effective ad at the end,” said Harris deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks. “I think that it made her seem out of touch.” The campaign tested several potential response ads but, in the end, decided it was best to avoid a specific rebuttal. “There’s no easy answers to this,” O’Malley Dillon said. Plouffe said he thought the Trump attack ad against “Bidenomics” was even more effective, but he acknowledged that the transgender attacks were not helpful. “She was on tape,” he said. “Surgery for trans people who want to transition in prison was part of the Biden-Harris platform in 2020. It was part of what the administration did, right?” And while the campaign has faced lingering questions about its media strategy, Harris’ team said she actually wanted to participate in a podcast with Rogan, who is among the world’s most popular podcasters and ultimately endorsed Trump. Stephanie Cutter, another Harris senior adviser, said the campaign wasn’t able to “find a date” to make it work. “We had discussions with Joe Rogan’s team. They were great. They wanted us to come on. We wanted to come on,” she said. “Will she do it sometime in the future? Maybe. Who knows. But it didn’t ultimately impact the outcome one way or the other.” Plouffe noted that the campaign offered to do the Rogan podcast on the road in Austin, Texas. with Rogan in the podcaster’s studio. Harris’ campaign brass also defended her decision to court moderate Republicans in the campaign’s closing days. The decision has drawn ire from some progressives, who believe Harris should have worked harder to turn out more traditional Democratic voters. “This political environment sucked, OK? We were dealing with ferocious headwinds,” Plouffe said. “So we had a complicated puzzle to put together here in terms of the voters.” He acknowledged some “drift” toward Trump among non-college-educated voters, particularly voters of color, which made Harris’ outreach to moderate voters even more important. “Yes, of course you have to maximize your turnout and your vote share amongst liberal voters if you’re a Democrat. That was a huge focus,” he said. He added, “You’ve got to couple that with dominating in the middle. Not just winning it a little. We have to dominate the moderate vote.”

In a bid to halt the electoral decline of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, party president Mayawati has called on party members to evaluate and rectify local deficiencies. The directive followed recent bypoll losses that saw BSP candidates relegated to lower standing in multiple constituencies. Addressing a gathering of party officials, Mayawati emphasized the necessity for Dalits and Ambedkarites to consolidate their efforts for political empowerment. She criticised the prevailing use of financial and political clout to undermine democratic processes, urging the restoration of public trust in democratic institutions. Furthermore, Mayawati criticized the ruling BJP's alleged diversionary tactics and urged a focus on the pressing socio-economic issues affecting the populace. She reiterated the BSP's commitment to Dr. BR Ambedkar's vision, announcing plans to commemorate his contributions in upcoming events. (With inputs from agencies.)LEBANON — A team of Dartmouth engineering students are helping bring public electric bicycle charging to Lebanon. Dartmouth seniors Avery Moorhead, Nathan McAllister, Gannon Forsberg and Grace Connolly paired up with Lebanon Energy and Facilities Manager Tad Montgomery in September to solve two separate problems: the city needed a low-cost skilled engineering team and the students needed an engaging senior capstone project. The team will give Montgomery a report that outlines design and implementation recommendations for e-bike charging stations around Lebanon. “I don’t know where I would find an engineering team that has expertise in e-bike charging stations ... These Dartmouth students are very resourceful, they have lots of resources to tap into at Dartmouth and in the Upper Valley,” Montgomery said. The project was born out of the 2023 Walk, Bike, Ride Leb report that assessed Lebanon’s infrastructure resources and how to create a safer, more accessible and less car-based transportation system. Montgomery began working early this year — at the request of City Manager Shaun Mulholland — to develop plans and cost estimates for solar-powered e-bike charging stations. Before working with the team, the city learned that there was little to no funding available to do the design work, according to a September memo written by Montgomery. This made the Dartmouth team, who also bring a range of expertise and resources despite being students, an ideal option, Montgomery said. Students enrolled in Dartmouth’s Bachelor of Engineering program have to complete senior capstone projects through the Cook Engineering Design Center. This group is one of 28 teams working on different projects, Center Director Emily Monroe said. To her knowledge, this year is the first time Lebanon has been a sponsor. The center matches student groups with “sponsors” such as companies and municipalities who have engineering needs. Monroe organizes these real-world projects before the start of the fall academic term. Students are assigned to a team based on their background and preferences. “I’m not sure if any of us chose this as our first choice (project) but for me I’m super grateful to be placed on this project ... it combines all of this technology work with very real-world applications,” McAllister said. “I think working with the city forces us to consider some constraints that aren’t normally considered in academic engineering projects.” While students enrolled in accredited engineering programs nationwide have to do capstone projects, Monroe said Dartmouth is unique because all of its projects are “industry-based” and always “interdisciplinary,” with teams comprised of students with different engineering specializations. On this team, McAllister is specializing in mechanical engineering, while the team’s other members are energy and electrical engineering students. Moorhead said she is especially interested in electricity as it relates to green infrastructure, which drew her to the project. “It’s also great to see your work in a tangible sense given that it’s a local project where many of the projects aren’t local so you might never see any result of your work,” Moorhead said. The city hopes to build three to five electric bike charging stations around Lebanon in “high-use areas” and has identified Kilton Library, two locations on the pedestrian mall and Colburn Park as possible charging locations, according to the students’ project pre-proposal. The team has to determine if these are the best charging locations. It also has to address remaining logistical questions such as whether solar panels are a viable option to power the stations, what kind of chargers the team should design or city should purchase, if the city can charge residents for using the stations and how to fund the project. So far, the Dartmouth team has conducted preliminary research and created a digital survey to assess key questions. They released the survey Nov. 13 through the city email network and posted QR code links around town in areas with a lot of bike activity, Moorhead said. Responses were due Nov. 30. The team has almost completed a report for the city “fulfilling all of their requests,” McAllister said. Because of their overwhelming interest in electrical work, he said that during the winter term they are “pivoting” to designing an e-bike fire prevention system so that they can do more “technical electrical work.” Despite the unexpected shift, “it’s been really interesting to work on a project that’s actually getting applied versus an engineering project where you might just build something and not see an outcome to it. It’s been great to work with the city and think about how the project impacts stakeholders,” Moorhead said. Montgomery will use the students’ report to present design and cost estimates to the city manager. He had hoped to do this by the end of the year but said “that may be delayed because of the extra effort needed to bring in the Dartmouth team.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Kaapo Kaako scored a power-play goal with 24 seconds left, and the New York Rangers stopped a five-game slide by topping the Montreal Canadiens 4-3 on Saturday. Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad also scored for the Rangers, who got their first win since a 4-3 victory at Vancouver on Nov. 19. Adam Fox had two assists, and Jonathan Quick made 25 saves. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.5 major Suffolk events happening in January

Women investors in Indian mutual fund industry grow 2.5 times in 2024 NEW DELHI: Women investors in the Indian mutual fund (MF) industry, especially from the smaller cities and towns, have grown more than 2.5 times (year-on-year) on average amid the boom in the stock market, a report showed. Women’s financial inclusion is increasing across urban and emerging regions and tier 4 cities saw a whopping over 140 per cent growth in women’s participation in the MF market, according to data shared by online brokerage Groww. “While we had amazing growth across all segments in 2024, two segments stood out. Rise of women investors – number has doubled this year. And the number of portfolios with size greater than 1 crore tripled this year,” Lalit Keshre, Co-founder and CEO, Groww, posted on X on Saturday. The women’s participation in MFs saw more than 100 per cent growth in Metro, tier 1, 2 and 3 cities. Among the cities with the highest number of women MF investors are Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata (Metro) and Pune, Lucknow, Nagpur, Ahmedabad and Jaipur (Non-Metro). “Women’s SIP contributions are 25 per cent higher than men’s, and female SIP investors now make up one in four (compared to one in five last year),” the data showed. When it comes to monthly SIP contribution, the average ticket size is Rs 2,500 (indicating a focus on long-term wealth). Among the women SIP investors, 50 per cent are less than 30 years of age, followed by 33 per cent in the 30-40 year bracket and 17 per cent are age 40 and above. Meanwhile, the Indian mutual fund industry saw a meteoric rise in 2024, as the assets under management (AUM) of all MF schemes increased by more than Rs 17 lakh crore this year. According to data from the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI), the mutual fund industry’s AUM was Rs 68 lakh crore at the end of November 2024, which is Rs 17.22 lakh crore or 33 per cent more than the December 2023 figure of Rs 50.78 lakh crore. A record 42,76,207 investors joined the Indian stock market in November, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) data showed. As per a latest SBI Research report, the country is witnessing at least 30 million new demat accounts being opened every year since 2021. AgenciesJimmy Carter, former US president, dies at 100Counting is under way across the country – and each constituency has its own backdrop of political intrigue and turf wars, while playing its role in the national picture. The Irish Times will be monitoring key races – the contests that will tell the story of the count as the 34th Dáil is pulled together. Keep track of the most important moments that matter below. Follow live news updates here . A year ago, it looked like immigration was going to be a defining issue for this election - but it seemed to reach a high water mark just around the local elections and then recede in relevance for voters. Our exit poll found that just six per cent of voters said immigration was most important to them when heading to the polls. A slew of candidates who were running primarily on migration are running - but how are they getting on? Cllr Malachy Steenson in Dublin Central was not looking strong for one of four seats, with 4.9 per cent of the tally. Derek Blighe of Ireland First tallied just four per cent of first preferences and was well adrift of the five seats on offer. Cllr Gavin Pepper looks to be in similar shape in Dublin North West, tallying at about six per cent, and not in the running in the three seater Phil Sutcliffe is on just two per cent in Dublin South Central where Sinn Féin has rallied in a big way. He won’t have been helped by his very visible support for Conor McGregor. Philip Dwyer has bombed in Wicklow, securing less than one per cent of the vote with almost all boxes open. One of the major questions heading into this election was how Fine Gael would defend a whopping 18 seats without the benefit of incumbency. Let’s take a whirl around a few and see how they’re getting on: In Kerry, where Brendan Griffin stood down, there’s a third of the tally in. Fine Gael ran just one candidate – former Kerry footballer Billy O’Shea, and he is duking it out with Fianna Fáil’s second candidate Michael Cahill, on 10.8 per cent and 10.2 per cent. In Donegal, the Fine Gael vote is down, as it seeks to hold on to Joe McHugh’s seat – and both its candidates are some way outside the seats during the tally, with Sinn Féin predictably leading the way and Fianna Fáil in the hunt for two seats. Fine Gael have a lot to do here to come into the reckoning. In Cavan-Monaghan, David Maxwell looks likely to hold on to Heather Humphreys’ seat. Holding two in Dublin-Rathdown is a key target for Fine Gael, where Maeve O’Connell is hoping to hold on to Josepha Madigan’s seat. With all boxes open, she has her nose in front of Fianna Fáil’s Shay Brennan. But with a lot of candidates bunched together on between 6 and 9 per cent, there could be some volatility below her which she will hope to avoid. Emer Currie looks set to hold in Dublin West, Leo Varadkar’s old seat. John McGahon, caught up in campaign trail controversy, is trailing in Louth where Simon Harris effectively removed his endorsement late in the race. But a lot of those boxes are from the Drogheda end of the constituency, not his heartland in Dundalk. Cork East , where Mark Stanton is hoping to defend his father David’s seat, is tightly bunched at the moment with six candidates on between 10 and 12 per cent of first preferences with a little more than half the boxes tallied. Stanton is among them, on 12 per cent, with running mate Noel McCarthy on 11 per cent. We’ll check back in on the other constituencies in a while. The battle for primacy between the Civil War parties is going to be a ground war – the path looks clear for a government based on a coalition between the two, but their candidates are fighting it out between themselves – and against others – in a way that could decide who holds the upper hand. Some races to watch: In Fingal East, Fine Gael’s Alan Farrell was predicted to take a seat comfortably alongside Fianna Fáil’s Darragh O’Brien. While the Minister for Housing is sitting pretty, Farrell (14.4 per cent) is marginally behind Labour’s Duncan Smith (14.5 per cent) and Sinn Féin’s Anne Graves (14.6 per cent). Aontú, Independents4Change, and Green transfers will come into play soon, with Joan Hopkins of the Social Democrats still in touch. Across the border in Fingal West, Fine Gael’s Grace Boland and Fianna Fáil’s Lorraine Clifford Lee are polling close to each other with all boxes open. But they trail Louise O’Reilly of Sinn Féin and Labour’s Robert O’Donoghue, who the party heavily tipped for a seat. If there’s only one government seat here, one of the pair of Boland and Clifford Lee look likely to miss out. Fianna Fáil are looking to add a seat in Clare, where Timmy Dooley is out in front with 21 per cent with more than half the tally in, while Cathal Crowe is on 9 per cent. Fine Gael’s Joe Cooney (14.9 per cent) is ahead of party colleague Leonora Carey (8.4 per cent), with Fianna Fáil comfortably ahead of Fine Gael on first preferences as it stands. In Galway West, Fine Gael’s Seán Kyne (10.6 per cent) is ahead of party colleague, the super junior minister Hildegarde Naughton (8.3 per cent) with a little more than half boxes tallied. John Connolly is comfortably outpolling celebrity candidate Gráinne Seoige who is currently outside the seats. In Louth, with a third of boxes tallied, John McGahon (who was ensnared in a campaign controversy over a fight he was involved in outside a pub several years ago) is trailing both his own party colleague Paula Butterly and both Fianna Fáil candidates Erin McGreehan and Alison Comyn. Early boxes tallied seemed to be from Drogheda though, with McGahon’s base in Dundalk . On the eve of the election, the Greens mood was growing increasingly despondent. There was a glimmer of hope for them in the exit poll on Friday night, having them on 4 per cent nationally. But everywhere you looked on Saturday morning, tallies were not favourable for the party, including in its heartlands. In Dublin West , with almost all boxes open, Roderic O’Gorman (6.5 per cent) had his nose in front of John Walsh of the Labour Party (5.6 per cent). But with Fianna Fáil’s Jack Chambers (20.9 per cent) and Sinn Féin’s Paul Donnelly (17.1 per cent) looking strong, and Fine Gael’s Emer Currie odds on to hold Leo Varadkar’s old seat (15.2 per cent). But Ruth Coppinger was going well on 8.6 per cent, making her early favourite to take the fourth seat, leaving O’Gorman scrapping for the last. In Dún Laoghaire , Ossian Smyth is a bellwether for the entire party’s fortunes – probably even more so than O’Gorman. He will be looking very nervously at the Social Democrats’s Hugo Mills, tallying just 105 votes behind the Green in a strong performance. In Dublin South Central , where the party was hopeful of holding on to Patrick Costello’s seat, he is holding just 6 per cent of the vote in the tally, making it hard to see him coming home. Ditto Neasa Hourigan across the river in Dublin Central. Steven Matthews is struggling in Wicklow, with Marc Ó Cathasaigh on 3 per cent in Waterford. Hazel Chu is also facing a big battle to keep Eamon Ryan’s seat in Dublin Bay South where he topped the poll in 2020. It looks like a dark day for the Greens. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin went down the N11 to Wicklow on the last day of campaigning, in a bid to shore up support for Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly in what was always going to be an absolute bear pit, with five TDs seeking four seats in a shrunken constituency. Donnelly is in one hell of a scrap. With 53 per cent of boxes open, he had 6.4 per cent of the vote. This has him just behind the second Fine Gael candidate, Edward Timmins on 6.6 per cent. The Green Party’s Steven Matthews looked doomed on just under 4 per cent, trailing the Fine Gael gene-pool Independent Shay Cullen (4.8 per cent). If we assume (and on these numbers it looks likely enough) that Taoiseach Simon Harris , Sinn Féin’s John Brady and Social Democrats’s Jennifer Whitmore are heading back to the Dáil (30.1 per cent, 13.8 per cent, 13.7 per cent), then Donnelly will have to get ahead of Timmins and hope for a favour from Harris’s surplus, and that Cullen’s presumed elimination doesn’t favour Timmins too heavily. Independent Joe Behan, a former Fianna Fáil TD, was on 5.6 per cent, so perhaps some Fianna Fáil-leaning votes might come home to Donnelly – but remember, many view him as Fianna Fáil in name only. Gerry Hutch – the gangland figure running as a non-party candidate in Dublin Central – has attracted perhaps more coverage than any other independent across the country. And with 100 per cent of boxes tallied, the man known as “the Monk” was right in the heel of the hunt on Saturday. He has polled way above the expectations privately proffered by his competitors, taking north of 3,000 first preference votes, leaving him in fourth position in the tally. Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald will top the poll, followed by Fine Gael’s Paschal Donohoe . Hutch trailed Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats – who on these numbers, was looking good for the third seat on 13.3 per cent of the poll – but on 9.4 per cent was out in front of Fianna Fáil’s Mary Fitzpatrick (7.1 per cent) and the centre left candidates, Labour’s Marie Sherlock (7.5 per cent) and the Green Party’s Neasa Hourigan (6 per cent). The key question is: where can Hutch get the transfers to stay in the race for a seat. He will likely pull strongly from Independent Malachy Steenson’s 1,588 votes, perhaps extending his lead – but then, it could become a case of the chasing pack reeling him in. If Hourigan goes out, her transfers should break for Labour and Gannon, and if Fitzpatrick follows her out, few if any votes will make their way to Hutch. So, if we had to call it now, he could get squeezed. But he’s doing better than expected – arguably, much better. A nail biter.