NEWS

Pupils from Armoy Primary School Children at Armoy Primary School have been learning a startling lesson about one of the world’s most essential resources after discovering that just 1% of the planet’s water is drinkable. The eye-opening fact formed part of a visit by NI Water’s education team, which delivered a series of interactive sessions focused on water conservation and the importance of using water responsibly. Pupils took part in games, practical demonstrations and act

Maeve Owens while studying at MSU took the opportunity to travel to Chicago A student from Magherafelt has described her four-month study experience in the United States as “the best thing I’ve ever done” after returning home from a life-changing exchange programme at one of America’s biggest universities. Maeve Owens, who studies BSc (Hons) Food Business Management at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), recently completed a semester abroad at Michi

USPCA CEO Heather Weir and Baroness Sue Gray The USPCA has appointed Baroness Sue Gray as its new chair at a time when the Northern Ireland animal welfare charity says demand for its services has surged to unprecedented levels. The former senior civil servant and current member of the House of Lords takes over leadership of the organisation following a year in which the charity responded to more than 2,300 wildlife rescues and handled almost 69,000 calls from the public. Her

CAFRE staff, Lori Hartman and James Crawford, welcome visitors to Greenmount Campus, Antrim, for Open Farm Weekend. Enjoy exploring the campus and browse a wide selection of plants available to purchase throughout the event. Families, food lovers, aspiring students and farming enthusiasts are set to get rare behind-the-scenes access to one of Northern Ireland’s leading agricultural campuses later this month as CAFRE Greenmount opens its gates for Bank of Ireland Open Farm Wee

Caroline Martin, Dale Farm pictured with Sixth Form pupils from Cullybackey College One of Northern Ireland’s best-known food producers has been strengthening its connection with young people in Ballymena through a year-long partnership designed to give pupils real insight into careers beyond the classroom. Through the ‘Adopt a School’ initiative run alongside Dale Farm and Business in the Community Northern Ireland, students at Cullybackey College have been given hands-on ex

Sue Ellen McAuley (right) pictured with Grainne Whyte and Leon Whyte. More than 100 children with disabilities across Northern Ireland are currently waiting to be matched with a short breaks foster carer, as one County Antrim woman urges others to consider what she describes as “the most rewarding thing that you’ll ever do.” With growing pressure on families caring for children with complex needs, foster carers are being asked to provide vital short breaks that give parents a

Northern Ireland has entered its most peaceful era in modern history — but too many people still feel left behind economically, according to Ulster Unionist Party leader Jon Burrows MLA, who is set to deliver a major speech calling for a new political and economic direction. In a keynote address in Dublin on Thursday, Mr Burrows will argue that while the Good Friday Agreement transformed Northern Ireland by ending decades of violence, peace alone is no longer enough if famili

Police have confirmed that enquiries into an alleged drugging-related incident at a Limavady petrol station have concluded with no evidence found to support claims circulating online. The reports, which spread widely on social media earlier this week, alleged that a woman became seriously unwell after being approached by men at a forecourt in the Ballyquinn Road area of the town. The online claims prompted concern locally and led to a public appeal from the PSNI for informati

A 23-year-old woman wanted in Lithuania to serve a prison sentence for serious sexual offences against a child was found hiding in a wardrobe after PSNI officers forced entry to a rural property in Co Tyrone. The arrest happened in the Coalisland area on Wednesday morning as officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s International Policing Unit executed a Lithuanian extradition warrant. Police said the woman is wanted in connection with offences committed in the M

STORY UPDATE: TAP HERE Police are investigating reports of a suspected drugging-related incident in Limavady after alarming claims circulated online about a woman allegedly becoming unwell after being approached by men at a local fuel station. The incident, which is understood to have allegedly happened at a forecourt in the Ballyquinn Road area of the town, has prompted a public appeal from the PSNI as officers attempt to establish exactly what occurred. According to reports

Belfast Area Commander Chief Superintendent Amanda Ford The Police Service of Northern Ireland has appointed its first ever female Belfast Area Commander at a time of mounting pressure on policing resources, rising concerns around organised crime and anti-social behaviour, and increasing demands across the city. Chief Superintendent Amanda Ford has officially taken over the senior leadership role for Belfast, succeeding Chief Superintendent Jeremy Lindsay. The appointment mar

Patrick Grasso, former Belfast Giants forward and 3ICE USA roster member. Belfast is set to welcome a major international ice hockey spectacle next month after the full player rosters for the inaugural 3ICE World Cup were officially confirmed. The two-day tournament, arriving at the home of the Belfast Giants on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July 2026, will bring together former NHL players, Elite League stars, international prospects, and Stanley Cup-winning coaches in what organi

Hundreds of thousands of extra appointments, scans and operations have been delivered across Northern Ireland’s health service in a major drive to tackle some of the country’s worst waiting lists, with ministers claiming significant progress for patients left waiting years for care. New year-end figures released by the Department of Health show more than 385,000 additional assessments, diagnostics and treatments were carried out during 2025/26 as part of an intensive elective

A chinook helicopter like the one that crashed in 1994 on Mull of Kintyre, and (inset) Sir Liam Fox More than three decades after one of Britain’s deadliest military aviation disasters, fresh pressure is mounting on the UK Government to re-examine the circumstances surrounding the RAF Chinook crash at the Mull of Kintyre that killed 29 people — including many of Northern Ireland’s most senior security and intelligence personnel. Former UK Defence Secretary Sir Liam Fox has wr

Ballymena United supporters will begin the new season with a completely new way to buy tickets after the club announced a fresh three-year partnership with ticketing platform TicketCo ahead of the 2026/27 campaign. The deal will see the Championship side introduce a new integrated ticketing system designed to simplify how fans purchase season tickets and matchday admission, with the platform going live immediately as season ticket sales open this week. The move marks one of t

L-R, Michael McKillop, MD of Glens of Antrim Group, Stephen Ferris, Chef & Glens of Antrim ambassador & Nigel Doherty, Produce Buying Manager, Tesco NI A major new Tesco contract has handed Glens of Antrim another significant boost, with the Ballycastle-based food producer launching a new convenience-focused potato range into stores across Northern Ireland after a three-year development programme and a £180,000 investment. The move expands the company’s presence in the fresh

Liam Wilson (left) with David Mitchell at the company’s premises in Ahoghill A long-established Ballymena financial advisory firm is entering a new chapter after appointing a new Director with ambitions to expand its reach across Northern Ireland while keeping its strong family-focused approach at the centre of the business. Mitchell & Wilson Financial Planning has confirmed that Liam Wilson has become Director of the Ballymena-based firm, taking over leadership as the compan

Volunteers carried 60 wool logs weighing 8kg onto site at Slievenanee Mountain An ambitious new environmental restoration project in the Antrim Hills is turning one of farming’s most undervalued by-products into a potential weapon against peatland erosion and climate damage. The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU), Ulster Wildlife and a group of industry and research partners have launched Northern Ireland’s largest trial to date using locally sourced wool to restore damaged blanket

Anne Campbell, Kevin Cassidy and Paddy Graffin pictured at an event celebrating 25 years of Causeway Hospital. Causeway Hospital has marked 25 years since opening its doors, with health leaders using the milestone to underline renewed commitments to the future of acute services on the north coast. Staff, former colleagues, patients, volunteers and members of the Causeway Hospital Partnership Forum gathered on Monday for a special anniversary event celebrating the hospital’s q

Ailbhe McCusker, Community Champion at Share Energy, and participants at the Ballymoney Show launch. Agricultural shows across Northern Ireland are facing growing financial pressure, but organisers behind this week’s Ballymoney Show say the events remain vital lifelines for rural communities, small businesses and the local economy. The Ballymoney Show returns on June 5 and 6 at Ballymoney Showgrounds, bringing together farmers, traders, families and rural organisations at a t