Donald Trump once promised a “showbiz” convention, packed with flash, celebrities, and a “winner’s night” featuring sports stars and champion coaches.

An 18-year-old gunman who opened fire with a high-powered rifle outside a Wisconsin high school prom, wounding two youngsters before being killed by a police officer, intended to carry out a shooting rampage inside, a school chief has said.

Next Tuesday’s Wisconsin presidential primary is a crucial lifeline for Republicans desperate to stop Donald Trump’s march to their party’s nomination. 

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Wisconsin governor, Scott Walker, will not pardon a man convicted with his nephew of murder, in a case dramatised in the television documentary, Making a Murderer, despite online petitions seeking their release, his office said.

Scott Walker has halted his 2016 White House bid, warning the Republican race has become too nasty and calling on some of his party rivals to do the same, citing an urgent need to “clear the field” to help defeat front-runner Donald Trump.

Amid the bombast of the Republican race for US president, Ben Carson comes across like a whisper.

Donald Trump said he wants to deport everyone who’s in the US illegally, but he doesn’t want to talk about how much it would cost.

An estimated 24 million Americans watched Fox News Channel’s prime-time debate with the top 10 Republican presidential candidates, the highest-rated broadcast in the network’s history.

When Hillary Clinton wrote to her supporters that she wouldn’t be watching last nights Republican debate, we imagine they didn’t expect she would be doing this instead.

Donald Trump, the man to beat in tonight’s first televised Republican presidential debate, said he does not plan to attack his rivals and downplayed expectations for his performance, saying “I’m not a debater.”

Money still talks in US presidential elections, as political kingmakers think nothing of writing multimillion-dollar cheques to back their favourite candidates, writes Bette Browne.

Some Republicans gleefully scripted Donald Trump’s political obituary in the wake of his scathing comments about Senator John McCain’s military service earlier this month, hoping that his freewheeling presidential campaign had finally imploded.

Real estate magnate Donald Trump moved to the top of the 2016 US Republican presidential field in a CNN poll released yesterday, edging rival Jeb Bush and gaining support from Republicans in the last month despite a series of controversial statements.

The Republican establishment may hope this is the beginning of the end for Donald Trump’s circus-like run for the presidency.

BRENDAN MCCAHEY is from Co Monaghan, and won The Voice of Ireland last year. His latest single, ‘Safe and Well’, is out now, and his new album, To Where I Begin, is also on release.

Hillary Clinton will hold her first campaign event in Iowa today after she formally announced that she is seeking the Democratic nomination for president in 2016.

Former secretary of state to make second bid for White House

Senator Rand Paul, a favourite of the conservative tea party movement and frequent antagonist of leaders of his own Republican Party, has declared his candidacy for US president.

US senator Ted  Cruz opened the first major campaign of the 2016 presidential season yesterday with a kick-off speech courting cultural conservatives and declaring that he will devote himself to “reigniting the promise of America”.

Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, will address a gathering of Republicans in California today that will mark his first public comments since making it known that he may run again in 2016.

Republicans have won control of the US Senate, seizing seats from Democrats in mid-term elections shaped by deep voter discontent with President Barack Obama.

Life’s A Breeze (12A) might have Pat Shortt on its poster but Lance Daly’s (Kisses, The Halo Effect) film centres on Fionnula Flanagan’s grouchy pensioner and debutant Kelly Thornton’s sullen teenager, using the Tipperary comedian for occasional comic effect.

Nicolas Cage's "song of choice" is TLC's hit 'Waterfalls'.

The most gripping crime dramas often revel in the minutiae and onerous procedures of police work.

Payments to players in Irish club rugby will be outlawed from September 2014 as the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) effectively seeks to return the domestic game to its amateur roots.

Irish Rugby chiefs have announced a multi-million euro investment plan to develop women’s rugby.

Mourners have started paying their final respects to six worshippers gunned down by a white supremacist at a Sikh temple in the US almost a week ago.

US President Barack Obama has strongly urged European leaders to prevent their looming debt crisis from dragging down the rest of the world.

Wisconsin’s Scott Walker became the first governor in US history to survive a recall election in a decisive victory that dealt a blow to the labour movement and raised Republican hopes of defeating Barack Obama in the presidential election in November.

The Irish Rugby Football Union has announced the appointment of two new senior management positions.

Vanessa Hudgens has signed up for serial killer movie 'Frozen Ground'.

A new national rugby competition, dubbed the IRFU Club Sevens Championship, has been launched today.

IT’S that time of year when the British music industry is whipping itself into a state of apoplectic excitement at the prospect of a new batch of pop contenders sweeping all before them.

THE country’s senior rugby clubs have been told they cannot expect to attract large crowds for All-Ireland League matches but can benefit from the growing numbers playing the sport.

THE All-Ireland League (AIL) has been no stranger to structural tweaks down the years and the IRFU announced the latest set of alterations yesterday, which will come into play at the beginning of the 2011/12 season.

THE IRFU’S High Performance Manager believes there is ample talent with which to build on last season’s triumphs but has warned that English “vultures” remain a huge threat to the development of young Irish players.

The film world is gearing up for tomorrow’s Baftas with Julie Christie and Daniel Day-Lewis tipped to continue their winning streak.

Stephen Kijak expertly explores the life and extraordinary times of a brilliant cult rock figure in Scott Walker — 30th Century Man (Verve, €24.99) through the testimony of fans and collaborators, including Radiohead, Jarvis Cocker, Mark Almond and David Bowie.

Whatever happened to Scott Walker, one of the legendary Walker Brothers of Take It Easy On Yourself and The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore fame?

Music veteran Elton John and newcomer Corinne Bailey Rae were among the winners at the Mojo music awards.

Coventry today appointed Eric Black as manager following the resignation of Gary McAllister.