NEWS

Officers conducting a vehicle checkpoint during this week's dedicated policing operation. Police have arrested 32 people during a coordinated operation aimed at tackling violence against women and girls and bringing offenders to justice across Northern Ireland. The proactive policing initiative, carried out on Thursday 16th October, was led by Superintendent Sinead McIldowney and involved collaboration across Neighbourhood Policing Teams, Local Policing Teams and District Sup

A 56-year-old US citizen who conned Northern Ireland clients out of around £135,000 while working as a mortgage advisor has been jailed for four years. Marianne Smyth was sentenced today (Friday 17 October) at Downpatrick Crown Court after being found guilty of three counts of fraud by abuse of position and three counts of theft following a four-day trial last month. The offences date back to when Smyth was working as a mortgage advisor in Northern Ireland between 2005 and 20

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MLA Jon Burrows (right) and Independent Councillor Rodney Quigley . Streetlights in a residential area of Ballymena have been restored following local action by Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MLA Jon Burrows and Independent Councillor Rodney Quigley. Mr Burrows took joint action with Ballymena Independent councillor, Rodney Quigley, after becoming aware of the removal of street lighting in several communities across Northern Ireland, often with no imm

Remembering Maggie The Coast Road Darts Team in Glenarm have once again shown their community spirit by raising an impressive £5,100 for Air Ambulance NI, in memory of Maggie Black, who tragically passed away almost four years ago from undiagnosed Addison’s Disease. The team gathered at the Coast Road Inn, which kindly hosted the fundraising event, for the official cheque presentation. Representatives from Air Ambulance NI, including charity staff member Kerry Anderson, atten

Translink’s MPV leaf busting train keeping Northern Ireland rail passengers moving As autumn takes hold, Translink has launched a major seasonal operation to tackle the annual “Leaf Fall” challenge, aiming to keep passengers across Northern Ireland moving safely and on time. Every year, fallen leaves combined with wet weather and train movement create a slick film on railway tracks — a problem similar to black ice on roads. This slippery residue reduces train traction, affect

Image: Anne Kelly The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for heavy rain across Northern Ireland this weekend, warning that the conditions may cause some disruption overnight on Saturday 18 October into Sunday 19 October. The warning is in place from midnight until midday on Sunday (00:00 – 12:00 BST), with forecasters predicting that the heaviest rain will fall in the southeast of the region, particularly around the Mourne Mountains. A Met Office spokesperson sai

Police in Mid Ulster have issued a warning to residents after reports of potential rogue traders cold-calling at homes and offering services. In a statement, officers said they had been made aware of individuals approaching properties in the Ballyronan area and urged members of the public to remain cautious. A spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said: “Police have been made aware of potential Rogue Traders, who have been cold calling at addresses offering

Julie Patterson, Assistant Director for Corporate Parenting in the Northern Trust, Nikki Gregg, Assistant Director of The Fostering Network NI, Shauna and Christopher Rocks, winners of the excellence in kinship care award, and Julie Bell, Head of Service for Fostering in the Northern Trust. Foster carers from across Northern Ireland have been celebrated at the Northern Ireland Foster Care Awards, hosted by The Fostering Network in partnership with HSC NI Foster Care. Now in t

South Antrim MP Robin Swann, Ms Antoniazzi, and UFU President William Irvine Ulster Unionist MP Robin Swann has hosted a high-level meeting in Westminster with representatives from the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) and the Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee, Tonia Antoniazzi MP, to discuss the major challenges facing the farming sector. The meeting followed a presentation by the UFU to the Committee earlier the same day, with discussions focusing on the pres

A Ballymena homeowner has urged residents in the Fisherwick and Broughshane Road areas to stay vigilant after confronting an intruder who entered their home through an unlocked door on Wednesday evening. The incident occurred shortly after 9pm when the homeowner discovered a man had entered the property through the open front door. Issuing a warning to neighbours, the resident said: “Last night we had an intruder in the house after 9pm, our front door was open and he came ri

Stena Connecta pictured during the naming ceremony in the CMI Shipyard in Weihai, China. Stena Line has officially named its newest vessel, Stena Connecta, at a ceremony held on 16 October at the CMI Shipyard in Weihai, China. The ferry will soon begin her maiden voyage to the Irish Sea, where she will operate alongside her sister ship, Stena Futura, to deliver a 40 percent boost in freight capacity on the Belfast–Heysham route. The event was attended by Stena Line CEO Niclas

As Northern Ireland prepares for another challenging winter, the Department of Health has published its 2025–26 Winter Preparedness Plan, setting out a comprehensive strategy to protect vital health and social care services and support staff across the system. The plan, described as “an overarching framework for regional and local action,” identifies ten priority areas designed to maintain patient safety, improve hospital flow, and strengthen workforce resilience through the

Police have arrested a man in connection with a breach of court bail conditions after he was found carrying alcohol on a train service between Belfast and Coleraine on Tuesday, 14 October. Officers from the Safe Transport Team were conducting patrols when they observed the man boarding the train at Ballymena Train Station carrying two large bottles of alcohol. A spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland said: “Officers spoke to the male on board and ascertained

A damning new report by the Northern Ireland Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has revealed what it describes as a “worrying picture of systemic failure” in the management of the region’s school estate — with the cost of outstanding repairs and maintenance potentially reaching £800 million. The report, Managing the Schools’ Estate , follows an inquiry launched by PAC in May 2025 , which heard evidence from officials at the Department of Education, the Education Autho

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has hailed “real and meaningful change” across Northern Ireland’s health service, as new figures show major progress in cutting some of the longest waiting times for care under the Department of Health’s Reset Plan. Since April 2025, more than 100,000 red flag or time-critical patients have been seen, diagnosed, or treated across Health and Social Care Trusts (HSC), including through partnerships with the independent sector. The Department expect

the Asian hornet The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has confirmed further sightings of the Asian hornet in the Dundonald area of Belfast, just days after the first confirmed identification of the invasive species in Northern Ireland. The latest reports, confirmed by NIEA officials, suggest that a nest may be present in the area, raising concerns over the potential establishment of the species, which poses a serious threat to native honeybees and pollinators. The i

Lidl Northern Ireland is helping families across the region enjoy a spooktacular Halloween this year — without haunting their household budgets — thanks to the launch of its frightfully fun and affordable range of costumes, decorations and trick-or-treat essentials now available in stores. With prices starting from as little as £0.99, Lidl’s latest Halloween collection promises to make the season more accessible and enjoyable for families everywhere, offering a wide variety o

(L-R) Rab McAuley, from Galgorm, who was crowned Ulster Supersport Cup Champion for 2025, GP Dr Louise Beck, of Victoria Surgery, who has been named GP of the Year 2025, and Slemish College student Emilee Leacock, who has been called up for the Northern Ireland Under-17 Women’s Football Squad Mid and East Antrim Mayor, Councillor Jackson Minford, has congratulated Larne-based GP Dr Louise Beck, of Victoria Surgery , who has been named GP of the Year 2025 by the Royal College

Detectives are appealing for information following a terrifying armed robbery in Antrim on Tuesday evening, during which a woman was threatened with a blade and had her purse stolen. The incident occurred at around 8.30pm on 14th October, as the woman, aged in her 40s, was walking along the Greystone path in the Rathmore Gardens area. Detective Sergeant Ash said: “At approximately 8.30pm a woman aged in her 40s, was approached from behind by an unknown man who was carrying a

L-R: Siobhan Martin, Clare Wilson, Charlene McLaughlin, Health Minister Mike Nesbitt, Eileen Dolan, Dr Mary McDaid, Sarah McElholm and Margaret Ferris Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has paid tribute to clinicians working within the Western Health and Social Care Trust’s specialist Autism Early Intervention Service (EIS) as part of World Allied Health Professionals (AHP) Day celebrations. World AHP Day is an annual event dedicated to recognising the vital contributions of Allied