NEWS

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Northern Ireland, with forecasters cautioning that “periods of heavy rain may lead to travel disruption and some flooding” between 00:00 on Sunday 14 December and 06:00 on Monday 15 December 2025. According to the warning, “outbreaks of rain will affect Northern Ireland Sunday and clear away on Monday morning.” The rain is expected to be “heavy and persistent at times with accumulations of 20–30 mm expected to develop

(L-R): Mick Campbell, Wrightbus Head of Sales (Key Accounts); NCT representatives Andy Thompson; Rob Sutcliffe; Anthony Carver-Smith; and David Conway; and John McLeister, Wrightbus MD of Sales for UK and Ireland. Ballymena-based manufacturer Wrightbus has completed six new ultra-low emission StreetDeck Ultroliner buses destined for the Midlands, following a partnership with Nottingham City Transport (NCT). The vehicles were recently inspected by NCT representatives during a

The Education Authority (EA) has confirmed that there are no plans for general school closures today despite the escalating weather situation as Storm Bram moves across Northern Ireland. A spokesperson for the EA said: “Following the escalation of the Storm Bram warning this morning, the Education Authority has discussed the situation with the Department. At this stage, it is not planned to issue general school closure notices.” “Instead, school principals are being encourag

The Met Office has issued both yellow and amber weather warnings for Northern Ireland today (Tuesday 9 December) as Storm Bram sweeps across the region, bringing the potential for widespread disruption. The yellow and amber warnings, which span from 9:00am to 10:00pm on Tuesday, cover the province, with the most severe conditions expected in western and northern areas where the amber warning applies. According to forecasters, “Storm Bram is expected to pass close to western I

Multi-agency preparations are underway across Northern Ireland ahead of Storm Bram, with a Met Office yellow warning in place for strong winds on Tuesday 9 December from 9am to 9pm. Forecasters warn that gusts of 50–60mph are expected widely, with the potential to exceed 70mph in the most exposed western areas. The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has activated emergency response measures, as teams continue clearing road gullies, checking drainage systems and placing addit

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Northern Ireland as Storm Bram — officially named by Met Éireann — is forecast to bring severe winds and heavy rain across the UK later on Monday and through Tuesday. The warning is in place from 9:00am to 9:00pm on Tuesday 9 December 2025, with forecasters urging the public to prepare for disruption to travel, power supplies and coastal areas. Storm Bram is expected to track close to western Ireland on Tuesday, generatin

A new suspected case of Bluetongue has been identified on a farm near Greyabbey, prompting the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to impose a second 20km Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) in Co Down. The case was detected during routine surveillance testing within the existing TCZ, established on 29 November 2025 around a holding near Bangor where the Bluetongue BTV-3 virus was first discovered. According to DAERA, the latest controls will take effect

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for rain  covering all six counties of Northern Ireland this Sunday, 7th December 2025. The warning, which is active between 8:00am and 3:00pm , cautions the public about the likelihood of heavy rainfall leading to some disruption across the region. . Anticipated Impact and Rainfall Totals A band of rain is set to sweep northeast across Northern Ireland during Sunday daytime. The primary concern is the volume of rainfall falling onto

Michael Meharg, Nicola Bothwell and Eimear Kearney accept the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Northern Ireland Awards Gold award on behalf of Lough Neagh Partnership for Best Public Affairs Campaign from Samantha Livingstone and Brittany Breslin of CIPR NI Committee. Lough Neagh Partnership has been awarded the prestigious Gold award for Best Public Affairs Campaign at the inaugural Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Northern Ireland Awards. The event, wid

Drains Bay on the Antrim coast A report on bathing water quality at Mid and East Antrim beaches during the summer was presented to the Borough Council’s Neighbourhoods and Communities Committee at a meeting in The Braid, Ballymena, on Tuesday evening. Findings showed that following water quality testing on July 29, swimming was temporarily advised against at Portmuck, Islandmagee, due to faecal pollution. Committee members were told this can arise from sewage outfalls, combin

Preliminary test results released by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) have revealed the suspected presence of Bluetongue virus (BTV-3) in a further 44 cattle within a Co Down herd, following the confirmation of two initial cases last week. The findings relate to a holding near Bangor, situated within the 20km Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) introduced on Saturday 29 November. DAERA has stressed that while Bluetongue poses no risk to human heal

Ulster Unionist Agriculture Spokesperson and Chair of the Stormont Agriculture Committee, Robbie Butler MLA , has warned that a suspected case of Bluetongue in Co Down marks a “deeply worrying development” for Northern Ireland’s farming community. His comments follow confirmation that DAERA officials are investigating the presence of Bluetongue virus in two cows at a holding near Bangor. A 20km Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) is now in force, restricting the movement of suscept

DAERA vets are investigating a suspected case of Bluetongue virus at a livestock holding near Bangor, Co Down, prompting urgent disease control measures and the introduction of a 20km Temporary Control Zone (TCZ). The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) confirmed that results from its active Bluetongue surveillance programme “indicated the presence of the disease in two cows”. Officials have now implemented what they describe as “robust disease co

The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) has issued a stark warning that Northern Ireland’s fishing industry is facing an existential crisis, following new scientific advice recommending dramatic quota cuts for key species in 2026. Speaking in the Northern Ireland Assembly on Tuesday, November 18, TUV MLA Timothy Gaston said the fishing sector was “standing on the edge of a cliff” and called for “swift and decisive intervention” to prevent the collapse of what he described as “

Belfast Harbour Secretary of State Hilary Benn has praised a landmark £100 million offshore wind investment during a visit to Belfast Harbour, where two of the largest planned wind farms in the Irish Sea are set to be assembled. The visit comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced at COP30 that the project could create more than 300 jobs, following the major agreement by joint venture partners JERA Nex bp and EnBW to lease Belfast Harbour’s offshore wind terminal.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has announced new legislation that will ban the sale and supply of wet wipes containing plastic in Northern Ireland, as part of a coordinated UK-wide approach to tackling plastic pollution. The regulations — which include limited exemptions for business-to-business supply and medical use — will take effect in May 2027, following an 18-month transition period. This will allow retailers time to clear existing

Giants Causeway, part of the Antrim Lava Group. (Image: Professor Stuart Gilfillan from our School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh) Ancient volcanic rocks beneath County Antrim – the same basalt that forms the iconic columns of the Giant’s Causeway – could become a cornerstone of future climate action, with scientists revealing they could permanently store more carbon dioxide than any other site in the UK. A new study led by the University of Edinburgh has ident

The Met Office has issued a further tellow weather warning for snow and ice across all six counties of Northern Ireland as wintry showers are expected to intensify from Wednesday evening into Thursday morning. The alert will be in place from 17:00 on Wednesday 19 November 2025 until 12:00 on Thursday 20 November 2025, covering County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County Fermanagh, County Londonderry, and County Tyrone. Forecasters warn that the combination of falling te

The Met Office has issued a Yellow weather warning for snow and ice across all six counties of Northern Ireland, with forecasters cautioning of “wintry showers on Tuesday night into Wednesday” that “will bring some icy patches and lying snow in places, leading to possible travel delays.” The warning is in force from 00:00 to 12:00 on Wednesday 19 November 2025, affecting County Antrim, County Armagh, County Down, County Fermanagh, County Londonderry and County Tyrone. Accor

NewPower, the repowering division launched by Ballymena-based zero-emission bus manufacturer Wrightbus in 2024, has announced a groundbreaking EV-to-EV Repower agreement with leading operator Metroline. The deal marks the first time NewPower will upgrade an existing electric fleet with state-of-the-art EV technology, positioning the company at the forefront of Europe’s transition to greener public transport. Under the contract, 28 Metrodecker electric buses—previously hindere