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A DAILY Million player has just hours to claim a life-changing €500k prize – and Lotto bosses are keeping their “fingers crossed” that the winner will come forward.

Time is ticketing for the punter as the they have until 5pm today to collect their winnings.

https://www.lottery.ie/

https://www.lottery.ie/

The winning ticket was purchased in a Tesco in Stillorgan, Dublin[/caption]

As €500,000 is yet to be claimed from the 2pm draw on Friday, 28 March.

The winning Quick Pick ticket was purchased at Tesco, Stillorgan Shopping Centre, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin, on the day of the draw.  

The winning numbers were: 17, 22, 23, 25, 30, 37 with the bonus being  32.

National Lottery spokesperson Emma Monaghan has urged Dublin punters to carefully check their old tickets from late March to ensure they do not miss out on claiming this life-changing prize. 

“With just hours left to go until the claim deadline for the €500,000 Daily Million Plus prize,

“We urge everyone who bought a ticket at Tesco in Stillorgan Shopping Centre to immediately check their old tickets very carefully.

“We are keeping our fingers crossed that the winner contacts us very soon.”

Ticketholders have 90 days from the date of the draw to claim their prize.

The ticket holder is advised to sign the back of their ticket and make contact with the Prize Claims Team on 1800 666 222 or email claims@lottery.ie as soon as possible.  

Meanwhile, another lucky punter has managed to win half a million euro in the latest draw.

Their win comes after they successfully matched the five correct numbers in the Lotto plus.

The numbers were 16, 20, 38, 41, and 50.

The player, who has yet to be revealed, will be able to claim a life changing €500,000.

And Lotto bosses revealed that the golden ticket was sold in Dublin, although the exact location has not yet been named.

There were also multiple winners of the second draw, in which players need to match four winning numbers.

The prize is worth a tidy €2,000 and there were 46 winners.

The third tier, won by matching three of the right numbers, is worth €20.

And 1,615 people won that draw and can now claim their handy prize.

https://www.lottery.ie/

AT least two people including a child have died after a violent storm battered Paris last night.

Fierce winds sent Parisians rushing for cover as 39,000 lightning bolts eerily flashed in the sky before the French capital was swamped with floodwater.

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Rainwater flooded the streets of Paris[/caption]

Reuters

View of broken tree branches on a damaged car in a street the day after a heavy storm hit Paris[/caption]

After several days of sweltering heat, violent rain and gusty winds hit the streets of Paris, causing absolute carnage.

Footage showed streaks of lightning turning the sky into an eerie yellow hue across the capital.

Metro stations and some streets in the capital were left under water as torrential rain and lightning swept.

Locals were seen walking down the streets flooded with rainwater.

In the Dordogne, huge hailstones tore through the roofs of the buildings during the peak of the storms.

Some than 70 buildings were damaged in the commune of Belvès alone, The Telegraph reports.

Aftermath of the violent storm showed fallen trees on the streets, while cars were left stranded in deep water.

In southern France, a falling tree tragically killed a 12-year-old boy.

Meanwhile, a man on a quad bike died after crashing into another fallen tree that was downed by the storm.

The violent downpour late Wednesday injured 17 others, including one seriously, France‘s emergency services said.

And rain also leaked through the roof of the lower house of parliament, forcing lawmakers to suspend talks on the conflict in the Middle East.

“It’s raining in the chamber… I repeat: it’s raining in the chamber,” wrote MP Maud Petit on her X account.

The storms followed a sweltering heatwave with temperatures passing 35 degrees Celsius.

It brought gusts of wind exceeding 62 miles per hour that damaged property.

Nearly 100,000 homes were still without electricity on Thursday, mainly in central France, emergency services said.

“Trees blocking roads, damage to infrastructure and homes, flooding, and power outages have been reported,” it reported.

 Firefighters responded to some 40 reports of fallen trees.

Shutterstock Editorial

View of the Pantheon and lightning storms[/caption]

Shutterstock Editorial

Trees and branches were torn from the ground in the streets of the capital[/caption]

Getty

Reuters

View of broken tree branches on a damaged car in a street the day after a heavy storm hit Paris[/caption]

According to Lightning Maps, a weather-tracking website, more than 39,000 lightning strikes were recorded across France – and some in Belgium.

It comes after three people were killed in thunderstorms that battered southern France last month.

Downpours flooded entire streets, causing power and water outages and widespread destruction – as hundreds of rescuers rushed to the region famous for seeing 300 days of sunshine.

A couple in their eighties died after their car was swept away by floodwaters in the seaside town of Le Lavandou, France 24 reported.

The woman’s body was found trapped inside the wreck, a public prosecutor in Toulon said.

A third person drowned in their vehicle in the commune of Vidauban, according to cops.

There were reportedly power and water outages in the town of Cavaliere, where 25cm of rain fell in the space of one hour.

A car park also collapsed in the town, leading to dozens of people needing to be rescued.

Around 200 firefighters and 35 gendarmes have reportedly been deployed in Var.

TWO people have been seriously injured and 14 homes evacuated following a huge explosion in Halifax last night.

The blast occurred just after midnight on Thursday, with six of the homes in Spring Hall Grove, near the town centre, affected.

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The powerful explosion rocked houses on Spring Hall Grove, off Spring Hall Lane, in Halifax[/caption]

Five fire crews attended the scene, as well as the technical rescue and command unit.

A West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue spokesperson said: “Crews used large jets and an aerial ladder to extinguish the fire.

“Three people were taken to hospital.”

Two of them were also seriously injured, and the third received treatment for minor injuries.

West Yorkshire police added:  “Officers at the scene assisted with closing the road and evacuating the occupants of 14 houses.

“The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.”

The explosion is not thought to be related to a gas network fault.

Northern Gas Networks said: “We are working closely with the emergency services to support the incident, which is not suspected to be related to our network.”

SAM Thompson and Samie Elishi have SPLIT after dating for just two months.

The Sun can exclusively reveal the pair have decided to go their separate ways weeks after first being spotted together on a cosy date.

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The pair are no longer an item[/caption]

A source close to the former couple said: “It was a mutual thing and there is no bad blood between them.

“They both just have really busy schedules and it was really hard to make it work. They’re still good mates.”

IT WAS an explosive night on Love Island, which saw FOUR Islanders get dumped from the villa.

Now two bombshells have had their say on the current couples in the villa, and have claimed TWO of them “won’t last”.

ITV

Shea was sent home last night in a brutal Love Island dumping[/caption]

ITV

Poppy, Caprice and Will were also sent packing[/caption]

Shutterstock Editorial

One dumped Islander has had their say on Meg and Dejon[/caption]

Eroteme

The foursome were dumped after Helena, Dejon, Emily and Remell had to decide whether to couple up with one of the bombshells or stick with their villa couple.

Sadly this meant four people were sent packing, and they were new Islanders Poppy, Caprice, and Will – Shea in the main villa was also dumped as Helena chose new boy Giorgio.

Now the axed Islanders have been having their say, following their shock exit.

Dumped Will, who was one of the new bombshells, gave his take on how he thought Helena and his pal Giorgio will work out in the villa.

Speaking to ITV, he said: “I think they get on well, it’s early days but I’d be surprised if they were to last.”

Shea then echoed this when he was asked the same question about Dejon and Meg, after he chose to stay with her in last night’s recoupling.

“It’s a bit different with them, I’m not too sure if it’s going to last,” the dumped hunk said.

“Just from what I was seeing it’s a bit one sided from Meg’s side.

“Only time will tell.”

BRUTAL DUMPING

Last night’s nail biting episode saw Maya Jama enter the sleepover villa and reveal that four Islanders faced the chop.

In a shock twist, the stunning host told Helena, Dejon, Emily and Remell that they had to decide if they wanted to stick in their current couple or recouple with a bombshell.

In the end, only Helena decided to recouple and opted to go back with Giorgio.

Dejon decided to stick with Meg, despite kissing Caprice during his time at the sleepover villa.

ITV

Helena, Emily, Dejon and Remell had to decide whether to stick or twist[/caption]

Remell hesitated but chose to stick with Alima, even though he told Poppy earlier he felt different with her and they shared a snog.

That left Emily, who opted to stay with Conor- unaware of his growing connection with Megan back in the main villa – over new boy Will.

As a result, Shea, Poppy, Caprice and Will were all sent home.

Love Island continues at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

WHEN Tamsyn Gerrits woke up one morning with a swollen belly, she assumed it was just bloating.

But what started as mild discomfort quickly turned into a terrifying ordeal that would change the 28-year-old’s life forever.

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Tamsyn Gerrits initially put her swollen belly down to bloating[/caption]

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Tamsyn with her husband, Jaco[/caption]

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The bloating made her look like she was four of five months pregnant[/caption]

At first, Tamsyn looked like she was about four of five months pregnant – but she wasn’t.

She also thought it didn’t feel like regular bloating.

“Every morning, my stomach looked round and hard. Not soft or squishy like normal bloating. I just knew something wasn’t right,” she said.

Tamsyn, whose son Elan is only a year old, had ultrasounds but doctors struggled to pinpoint the problem.

“All they could see was a large fluid-filled mass pressing on my bladder,” she said.

“They weren’t sure if it was a cyst, a hernia, or something else entirely.”

They also made her take five pregnancy tests – all of which came back negative.

“I knew it wasn’t a baby, but it was frustrating having to constantly prove it,” she added.

Then, over Easter weekend, Tamsyn’s condition took a dramatic turn for the worse.

At 4am she was woken by a sharp, shooting pain in her lower back and left abdomen.

“It felt like cold metal scraping the inside of my body. I was nauseous and scared,” she said.

“It was a public holiday and my medical aid wouldn’t approve a scan or surgery. No one answered their phones. I was lying there in pain, knowing something was growing inside me, and I couldn’t do a thing about it.”

Eventually a gynaecologist examined her and made a chilling discovery, an ovarian tumour growing very rapidly.

“I went in on Friday, and the mass was 12cm. By Monday, it was 17cm. That’s how fast it grew,” Tamsyn, from Cape Town, South Africa, said.

“The doctor said we had to operate immediately or I could lose my ovary.”

‘Extremely lucky’

Surgeons found a massive dermoid cyst – a type of tumour that can contain tissue like hair, skin, and even teeth.

“It was right on the verge of bursting,” Tamsyn said.

“In fact, it did burst the moment they removed it.

“This was extremely lucky, because if it had burst inside my body, I likely would have progressed straight to Stage 3 or 4 cancer. The fact that it was intact when removed played a crucial role in catching it early.”

Doctors were able to save her ovary and used her C-section scar to minimise additional scarring. But the real shock came days later, when her biopsy results confirmed the tumour was Grade 2 – high-grade and cancerous.

“I went numb,” Tamsyn admitted.

You never think it’s going to be you…especially when you’re young and healthy, and have a child to raise

Tamsyn Gerrits

“You never think it’s going to be you. Especially when your blood work was all clear.

“Especially when you’re young and healthy, and have a child to raise.”

Tamsyn has had aggressive chemotherapy, which has left her physically and emotionally drained.

“I gained 1st 8lbs (10 kilos) in just five days from all the steroids, fluids, and hormones they pumped into me,” she said.

“Then I dropped 1st 12lbs (12kg) in a weekend. My body didn’t recognise itself. I didn’t recognise myself.

“My hair started falling out in clumps by day 16. So I decided to take back some control and shaved it all off. A bold chop. My way of saying: ‘You don’t get to take this from me too.’”

‘This is a rollercoaster’

Just as Tamsyn began to find a rhythm in her treatment regime, she was rushed to hospital with an infected chemo port and dangerously low white blood cells.

“My body was shaking uncontrollably. I was freezing, nauseous, and scared. The infection was winning because my immune system was too weak to fight it,” she said.

Doctors paused her chemo and began IV antibiotics, plus painful injections to stimulate her bone marrow.

“I’ve been told I’ll probably be in hospital for another 10 days,” she says.

“It feels excessive, but they want to be sure I’m strong enough to continue treatment.”

Despite it all, Tamsyn remains defiant.

“This is a rollercoaster, but I’m holding on,” she said.

“I’m grateful we caught it early. I’m grateful for my support system – my husband, Jaco, who’s my best friend, and our beautiful one-year-old son, Elan, who gives me a reason to keep going.”

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On an ultrasound a large fluid-filled mass pressing on her bladder could be seen[/caption]

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Eventually a gynaecologist examined her and made a chilling discovery, an ovarian tumour growing very rapidly[/caption]

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During aggressive chemotherapy, Tamsyn decided to shave all her hair off[/caption]

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The former Miss South Africa Top 5 finalist shares her experiences on social media[/caption]

She hopes her story will encourage other women to trust their instincts.

“We’re told we’re overreacting, being dramatic, or hormonal. But if your body is screaming that something is wrong, listen. There are no medals for being tough,” she said.

Tamsyn, an entrepreneur and beauty queen who is a former Miss South Africa Top 5 finalist, shares her experiences on social media @‌tamsyn_gerrits and through her own marketing agency Jane Doe Media.

“I’ve been discharged from hospital, and my body has miraculously and thankfully managed to overcome the infection,” she said.

“I’m scheduled to resume chemotherapy – just two more rounds to go.

“I’m not hiding. This is part of my life now. And if I can help one woman avoid being dismissed, if I can make one mum feel seen – then it’s worth every post, every chemo drip, every tear.”

A YOUNG man has been killed in a fatal single-vehicle crash on a busy road in Co Laois.

The man, aged in his 20s, died in the crash on the R445 at Ballaghmore, Borris-in-Ossory in the early hours of this morning.

Gardai and emergency services rushed to the scene after being alerted of the collision at around 3:15am.

The man, who was the driver and sole occupant of the car, was sadly pronounced dead at the scene of the incident.

His body has been removed to the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise where a post-mortem examination will take place in due course.

Gardai confirmed that the local Coroner has been informed.

The R445 road remains closed this morning with local diversions in place following the horror crash.

Garda Forensic Collision Investigators are currently conducting an examination of the scene.

In a statement this morning, gardai said investigations into the fatal crash are “ongoing” and urged anyone who may have any information to come forward.

A spokesperson said: “Gardai are appealing for witnesses to the incident to come forward.

“Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) from the area between 3am and 3.30am are asked to make it available to Gardai.

“Anyone with information is asked to contact Portlaoise Garda Station on (057) 8674100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.

“Investigations are ongoing.”

As of this morning, a total of 81 people have lost their lives on Irish roads.

This is exact same number of people who died in crashes and collisions during the same period in 2024.

Separately, a motorcyclist who was killed in a fatal crash over the weekend has been named locally.

A total of 29 people who have died on Irish roads this year have been drivers, 21 have been pedestrians, 14 have been motorcyclists and eight have been pedal cyclists.

Seven more people have been passengers in a vehicle, one has been a pillion passengers and another was someone on an e-scooter.

Patrick Joseph Crotty Junior died in a single-vehicle collision on the R515 near Milford in Co Cork, believed to have happened on Saturday.

The tragic biker was discovered unresponsive on Sunday morning and was sadly pronounced deceased by emergency services at the scene.

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The R445 road has been closed following the crash[/caption]

PREMIER Inn has launched a huge new range of burgers this summer – and we tried them all out.

The budget hotel’s Battle of the Burgers sees seven different burgers go up against each other, with the winner being a permanent feature on the menu.

Ranging from Korean and Japanese inspired chicken burgers, to classic American steak burgers as well as an Indian veggie option, choosing the best one was a hard task.

They explained: “I think the whole point of it is to create a little bit of fun with kind of things that are trending and actually what guests want to see.”

Not only that, but they also have four new cocktails as part of their Clash of the Cocktails range.

So we headed down to our nearby Premier Inn and took on the task of trying them all out – here’s our lowdown.

The Classic Cheese and Bacon

When it comes to classic burger lovers, Premier Inn has three beef options to choose from.

The simplest was the cheese and bacon, with just one steak patty, as well as crispy bacon and melted cheese along with tomato, onion, lettuce and burger sauce.

This is the one that feels like a classic McDonald’s burger, just slightly pimped up.

And perhaps surprisingly, this one came out on top of the beef options.

Travel Report Alice Penwill said: “I loved the crunch of the bacon, meaning the burger had great texture.

“Sometimes a classic done well is better than anything too fancy – and I loved the coleslaw on the side”.

The Smokey Big Stack

The Smokey Big Stack is a crowd-pleaser for anyone who likes all the frills for their burger.

This means two steak patties, with cheese, BBQ sauce and gherkins, along with lettuce, red onion and onion rings.

It was certainly a lot, so you will need to bring an empty stomach for this one.

And the flavour of the sweet BBQ sauce and gherkin was praised as well – but we definitely struggled to finish it.

The Tex-Mex

One of least favourites was the Tex Mex, sadly.

This is also with two steak patties and cheese, but having chipotle mayo as well as tomato salsa, sour cream and tortilla chips.

The concept is great, and nachos with all the dressings are always a crowd pleaser.

However, it sadly paled in comparison to the other two burgers, and you have to eat quick to avoid the nachos going soggy.

The Korean Crunch

For fried chicken fans, the new burger range has two options to choose from.

The Korean Crunch is a crispy chicken breast with chilli sauce, lettuce and an Asian crunchy slaw.

While it may not sound like much is in there, the chicken was extremely juicy and soft, with enough coating without feeing overwhelming.

And the slaw and chilli sauce means anyone who likes a bit of spice will be pleased.

This was a favourite of our Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski who said: “I like the raw slaw in the burger, as it cuts through what can often be a heavy burger.

“It has a nice level of spice, and felt really fresh compared to the others”.

The Kickin’ Katsu

The other chicken option is the Kicken’ Katsu, also with a crispy chicken breast and mayonnaise, with lettuce, pickled red onions and signature curry sauce.

Think Wagamamas in a bun, dipping the burger into the popular curry sauce made it a stand out burger.

Head of Travel (Print) Lisa Minot said: “I like that it’s not a big wedge of batter on the chicken, it is lightly coated so you still get enough of the juicy chicken itself.

“And the pickled red onions are a lovely addition for a an extra hit, while that curry sauce is perfect for dipping the chips too.”

The Big Bombay

Vegetarian’s don’t have to worry as there are two choices on the menu for them.

The Big Bombay is an Indian take on a burger, with an Indian spiced bean burger with potato, pumpkin and pea, as well as yoghurt slaw ,lettuce, pickled red onion and a mango and tomato chutney.

The flavours were amazing, but we were left down by the texture.

Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding explained: “Despite being a coated bean burger it was still extremely soft so could have done with some thing for a bit of crunch.

“I did like the slaw on the side though, that was a nice addition, but it definitely needed some more oomph in the burger itself.”

The Gourmet Vegan

The only vegan option on the menu, the Gourmet Vegan has a plant-based protein GARDEN GOURMET® Sensational burger with a Violife slice as well as lettuce, gherkins, red onions and burger sauce.

This one took us by surprise – not only could you barely tell it was a meat-free option, but it was much less greasy as well.

Travel Intern Jenna Stevens said: “It’s better than a Big Mac to me!

“it was so satisfying even without the meat, and the pickle was delicious with it.”

So what’s the winner?

The resounding winner was the Kickin’ Katsu, with three out of seven testers saying it was their favourite.

However, The Gourmet Vegan also deserves a shout out – it wasn’t just a winner with our vegetarian testers, with even our meat-eaters also impressed with it.

The Battle of the Burgers is running until September, to which the winning burger will be a permanent option on the menu.

The burgers are included in the hotel’s £29.99 meal deal, which includes a two course dinner and drink, as well as unlimited breakfast.

A new food menu is being rolled out this September, with more ‘global inspired’ choices including gyoza, filled ravioli and Middle Eastern nourish bowls.

And keep your eyes peeled this winter, with suggestions of a follow up Festive Battle of Burgers.

In the mean time, we also tested out the new Wetherspoons burger menu.

And here is what to expect from the Greggs burger menu.

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN has vowed to stay in darts for another decade.

The Dutchman, 36, recently took time away from the sport after announcing he is divorcing wife of 11 years Daphne.

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Michael van Gerwen returns to action this weekend in New York[/caption]

Instagram / @mvg180

The Green Machine recently confirmed he was getting a divorce from wife Daphne[/caption]

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Daphne and MVG have been married for 11 years[/caption]

Van Gerwen dropped out of the Dutch Darts Championship and has not played since the Premier League finals on May 22.

He said in a statement: “It is with great sadness that I inform you that Daphne and I have decided to end our relationship.

“As a result, I have withdrawn from the upcoming tournaments.”

MVG will return to action this weekend at the US Masters in New York.

It’s a tournament where the Green Machine has tasted recent success in 2017 and 2023.

Van Gerwen shares two children with Daphne.

And he has vowed to put them first – while aiming to rule the world again at the oche.

Van Gerwen said: “I love playing darts, but one thing I love more and that’s my kids.

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“I want to live a bit healthier as well and I still want to do this in 10 years, so I think you need to make a sacrifice in life, it’s as simple as that.

“I will see how things go, but I’m living by the moment.

“I have had more success in [the US Masters] than anyone else ever.

“I need to make sure I’m going to maintain that by giving 100 per cent.”

Van Gerwen, 36, and Daphne began dating in 2008.

They tied the knot six years later.

MVG is a three-time world champion but has struggled with his form over the past year.

He has battled numerous health concerns, including an issue picked up during a holiday in Thailand in January.

MANILA, Philippines – Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Thursday that he intends to meet with Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo following a claim that the mastermind behind the missing “sabungeros” (cockfighting enthusiasts) has influence within the judiciary. The witness, “Alyas Totoy,” according to Remulla, is credible. Aside from his testimony, he possesses documents and