NEWS

Lauren McGaughey, Openreach NI Director (right), with an Openreach engineer Thursday 15 October 2026 Around 35,000 households and businesses across Northern Ireland still need to move away from the old analogue telephone network before a major switch-off deadline on 31 January 2027, with warnings that medical devices, security alarms and other essential equipment could be affected. With fewer than 15 weeks remaining, Openreach is urging customers to check not only their landl

Thursday 08 October 2026 Drivers in Northern Ireland will be able to compare petrol and diesel prices on Google Maps from today, with the government estimating that shopping around could save households with a car around £40 a year. Near real-time pump prices are being added to the app across the UK on Thursday 8 October, making it easier to check nearby forecourts before filling up. The feature uses Fuel Finder data, which the government says now covers around 99% of all fue

Saturday 03 October 2026 There were 560 reports of social media and email account hacking in Northern Ireland during the 2025/26 financial year, as police urge people to take simple steps to stop criminals gaining access to their digital lives. Police say compromised accounts can give fraudsters access to personal information and trusted networks of family and friends, allowing them to impersonate victims and ask contacts for money or promote bogus offers. Detective Inspector

Saturday 03 October 2026 People looking for love online are being warned never to send money to someone they have only met through the internet, after romance scams resulted in reported losses of more than £814,000 in Northern Ireland last year. In 2025, 61 dating scams were reported in Northern Ireland, with victims reporting combined losses of £814,400 — an average of more than £13,000 per report. Police believe the true scale of the crime could be higher because some victi

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon, helps launch the new Go Succeed AI Advantage Programme at the Ecos Hub in Ballymena Tuesday 29 September 2026 Small businesses across Mid and East Antrim are being offered practical help to use artificial intelligence in everyday work, from handling customer enquiries and processing documents to marketing and planning. The new AI Advantage Programme will combine five specialist workshops with tailored one-to-one mentoring,

Tuesday 29 September 2026 People in Ballymena and across Northern Ireland will be able to contact neighbourhood police, raise local concerns and help shape policing priorities through a free platform rolling out on Thursday 1 October. PSNI Connect will allow residents, businesses and community groups to receive updates from local officers and feedback on how police are addressing issues in their area. Users can choose which information they receive, including crime prevention

Wednesday 23 September 2026 Residents across Mid and East Antrim can now check their bin collection information and report a missed collection through a streamlined online service launched by the borough council. The new waste and recycling dashboard is intended to give households quicker access to everyday collection information, including real-time updates when services change. Check collections and report missed bins Residents can use the dashboard from home to check their

Inset: Education Minister Paul Givan Schools across Northern Ireland are being told to become mobile phone-free during the school day as Education Minister Paul Givan launches a 12-week consultation on whether the approach should ultimately be backed by legislation. Strengthened Department of Education guidance published today makes clear that pupils should not routinely have access to personal mobile phones during the school day, although individual schools will retain flexi

Sam Gamble, Tournament Co-ordinator of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI, Ryan Young, Creative Partner at Astutely, and budding young footballer Theo Lever are pictured launching the new official Budget Energy SuperCupNI website and mobile app ahead of the 2026 tournament. The Budget Energy SuperCupNI has unveiled a new official website and mobile app ahead of this week’s tournament, giving thousands of players, families and football fans a single place to follow every fixture, re

My Care app users, County Antrim couple Roy (80) and Gloria Lowry (79) An inspiring couple from Carrickfergus are encouraging others not to be put off by technology after discovering how a digital health app has helped them stay informed, reduce anxiety and take greater control of their healthcare. At 80 and 79 years old respectively, Roy and Gloria Lowry say the health service’s My Care app has transformed the way they access appointments and medical information, proving tha

Children across the UK will be banned from using major social media platforms under landmark government plans designed to “give kids their childhood back”, in what ministers are describing as the most far-reaching package of online protections introduced anywhere in the world. The proposed measures would prevent under-16s from accessing platforms including Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube, while also introducing sweeping restrictions on harmful online feat

More than one million people across the UK have now used a free online checker designed to help consumers avoid poor mobile phone coverage, dropped calls and frustrating signal blackspots. The milestone, announced by Ofcom, highlights growing public concern over patchy mobile reception as people increasingly rely on smartphones for everyday essentials including banking, GP appointments, navigation, travel bookings and remote working. The regulator says its free “Map Your Mobi

EA’s Chief Education Officer, Eve Bremner is pictured with Shane O’Neil, EdIS Lead; Nettlefield Primary School Principal, Simon McLean; and St. Comgall’s Primary School Principal, Jim Matthews. Schools across Northern Ireland are set for one of the biggest digital overhauls in years as a new cloud-based management system begins rolling out across every school sector, promising faster communication with parents, improved pupil safeguarding and less administrative pressure on t

A still Image from the NSPCC’s new campaign ‘Shift Ctrl’ Children across Northern Ireland and the UK are increasingly turning to Childline in fear that intimate images shared online could destroy their futures, as new figures reveal a dramatic rise in counselling sessions linked to online sexual abuse and exploitation. The NSPCC says children are being exposed to growing levels of harm on social media and digital platforms, with young people reporting blackmail, coercion, onl

School leaders listening to presentations from staff and students Ballyclare Secondary School has opened its doors to school leaders from across Northern Ireland to demonstrate what life looks like without mobile phones during the school day — and staff say the results have been “remarkable”. The County Antrim school has been operating a phone-free system since August 2025 using lockable Yondr pouches, becoming one of the first schools in the area to adopt the approach amid g

Fibrus specialist with students in Mount St Michael’s Primary School, Randalstown. A new campaign to help children across Northern Ireland navigate the risks of the digital world has been launched, with a key rollout event taking place at Mount St Michael’s Primary School in Randalstown. Full fibre broadband provider Fibrus has begun delivering its “Surf Smart Stay Safe” initiative in primary schools, aiming to equip pupils with practical skills to stay safe online — from

The Education Authority has confirmed that personal data linked to a small number of schools in Northern Ireland was compromised in a targeted cyber attack on the C2k school network, marking a major escalation in an incident that has already caused widespread disruption across the education system. The development emerged on Wednesday 15 April, just hours after detectives from the PSNI’s Cyber Crime Investigation Team arrested a 16-year-old boy in connection with the ongoing

Primark has officially launched its first-ever mobile app in Northern Ireland, marking a significant digital step for the high street retailer as it brings real-time stock checks, personalised notifications and store information directly to shoppers’ phones for the first time. The move means customers across Northern Ireland can now browse favourite items, check availability before travelling to store and receive updates on new collections — a major shift for a retailer whose

The Education Authority has confirmed that Northern Ireland’s C2k school system has been the target of a cyber attack, with access to the network currently unavailable following emergency action to contain the incident. The development is expected to affect schools, staff and pupils across Northern Ireland, with the authority acknowledging particular concern for students preparing for exams or completing coursework during the Easter period. In a statement issued on Friday, 3

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer The Government has announced urgent action to strengthen the Online Safety Act and close legal loopholes that ministers say are putting children at risk, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledging that “no platform gets a free pass” when it comes to online safety. Speaking to parents and young people on Monday 16 February, the Prime Minister will set out new powers designed to ensure the law keeps pace with fast-moving technologies, including