NEWS

Northern Ireland has no identified link to a rare case of classical BSE — commonly known as mad cow disease — confirmed on a farm in Scotland, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has said. The case was discovered on a farm in Dumfries and Galloway and identified through routine BSE surveillance. Movement restrictions have now been put in place while investigations continue to establish the origin of the case. Importantly, the affected animal did not enter the human food chain, a

Victims and survivors of terrorism in Northern Ireland are being remembered today as the UK marks its first dedicated National Day recognising people whose lives have been changed forever by terrorist attacks. The new annual commemoration takes on particular significance in Northern Ireland, where generations of victims, survivors and bereaved families continue to live with the consequences of the Troubles and subsequent paramilitary terrorism. Secretary of State for Northern

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham at 10 Downing Street. (Picture by Alecsandra Dragoi / No 10 Downing Street) Northern Ireland’s entire Executive has united to demand an urgent meeting with new Prime Minister Andy Burnham, warning that mounting financial pressures are threatening the ability of departments to plan and deliver public services. In a joint intervention signed by all Executive Ministers, Stormont leaders argue Northern Ireland is not being funded on a comparable bas

Taryn Simpson and Hannah Spence who received results today for Level 3 Health and Social Care from Northern Regional College in Ballymena. Taryn is heading off to study Adult Nursing at Queen’s University Belfast, while Hannah progresses to study Psychology at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh. Northern Ireland has recorded the best A-level results across the UK, with 86.9% of entries achieving a grade C or above, as thousands of young people receive their A-level, AS-le

Jo Bamford CBE flanked with the Ryze Power team - Head of Engineering Pratik Nayek, Head of Power at HydraB Steven Hardman and Ryze senior engineer Jay Acanthe. Ballymena bus manufacturer Wrightbus has played a supporting role in a remarkable feat of British engineering after a hydrogen-powered supercar smashed a world land speed record at more than 406mph. Wrightbus owner Jo Bamford CBE said expertise developed through almost a decade of hydrogen work helped provide the refu

Aldi has hundreds of supermarkets across Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland, yet Northern Ireland remains a conspicuous gap in its network — and a new competition ruling involving both Aldi and Lidl has put the reasons for that absence back under the spotlight. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally decided that Aldi, Lidl Great Britain and Lidl Northern Ireland should be brought under rules designed to prevent major supermarket chains using land

A new once-daily tablet that could improve the lives of people living with a serious inherited heart condition is being considered for use in Northern Ireland after receiving approval for NHS patients in England. Aficamten, marketed as MYQORZO, has been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and simultaneously recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for adults with symptomatic obstructive hypertrophic c

One of London’s famous red Routemaster buses undergoing extensive refurbishment by Ballymena headquartered Wrightbus London’s famous red Routemaster buses are being given a new lease of life through a major refurbishment programme led by Ballymena-based bus manufacturer Wrightbus. The latest bus to complete the programme has returned to passenger service after a comprehensive overhaul, with dozens more set to follow over the coming year as part of a project designed to extend

Celebrations with football World Cup winners Spain Prime Video will give football fans an inside look at Spain’s latest World Cup success later this year with an exclusive four-part documentary series charting the national team’s journey to lifting the trophy. The streaming service has confirmed the docuseries will launch worldwide before the end of the year, offering unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to the squad that secured Spain’s second World Cup title after defeati

Northern Ireland will gain a new direct air link to Scotland next winter after easyJet announced it will launch flights between Belfast International Airport and Aberdeen. The new service, which begins on 4 January, will operate twice a week on Mondays and Fridays, with easyJet becoming the only airline to offer a direct connection between the two cities. The route is one of three new winter services unveiled by easyJet⁠ on Wednesday, alongside a new Bristol–Strasbourg route

UK’s new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham Northern Ireland politicians have urged the UK’s new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, to ensure his promises of change deliver tangible benefits for people across the region, with the cost of living, trade and the future of the Union among the issues they want addressed. The calls came as the Prime Minister began his first full day in office by speaking with the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, signalling a commitment to work

Millions of people using Buy Now, Pay Later services such as Klarna, PayPal and Clearpay are covered by new consumer protection rules from today (Wednesday 15 July), bringing the products into line with other forms of regulated credit for the first time. The changes mean shoppers will benefit from stronger legal rights if something goes wrong with a purchase, while lenders must now carry out affordability checks before offering Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) credit. The reforms af

Households across Northern Ireland who rely on home heating oil could benefit from stronger consumer protections after the UK’s competition watchdog called for new regulations to better safeguard customers during periods of price volatility. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has recommended that the UK Government and Northern Ireland Executive introduce a new regulatory framework for the heating oil sector, arguing that the current system leaves around 1.5 million U

Most people in the UK are not getting enough fibre, despite it being linked to a lower risk of bowel cancer, and Marks & Spencer is hoping to change that with a nationwide campaign backed by Bowel Cancer UK. Running throughout July and August, the retailer has launched its Better with Beans campaign alongside a complete refresh of its beans and pulses range, making products such as chickpeas, green lentils, butter beans and kidney beans available in glass jars from just 55p.

North Antrim MP Jim Allister, and inset, former Lagan Valley MP, Jeffrey Donaldson Questions have been raised over payments totalling almost £12,000 made by the Ministry of Defence to former Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson while he was serving as a sitting Member of Parliament. The issue has been brought into the spotlight by North Antrim MP and TUV leader Jim Allister, who said the payments were made for consultancy work connected to peace efforts in Cameroon at a time whe

Entrance to Tullygarley Community Centre car park, and the local playing fields Residents living near Tullygarley playing fields are set to see overnight access restrictions introduced after concerns were raised about anti-social behaviour involving vehicles in the area. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has confirmed it will arrange for the entrance barrier at the popular Ballymena facility to be closed nightly between 8pm and 8am once repairs to the existing gate have bee

Political fallout intensified across unionism on Friday night after a special edition of BBC Spotlight examining the double life of former DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson prompted renewed scrutiny over what was known, when it was known, and who, if anyone, failed to act. The programme, presented by investigative journalist Mandy McAuley and titled Politician, Predator and Paedophile, examined how one of the most powerful figures in modern Northern Ireland politics was able to ri

People living with obesity in Northern Ireland will soon be able to refer themselves directly into NHS weight management services without needing to wait for a GP appointment, under a major new UK-wide programme backed by £85 million in government and industry funding. The move forms part of a series of pioneering projects designed to transform how obesity care is delivered across the UK, using technology, digital services and community-based support to make help easier and f

Families flying with Ryanair will see a change to how their seats are allocated from today (Thursday, June 25), after Europe’s largest airline announced a tweak to its long-standing family seating policy. The airline says parents who choose not to pay to reserve seats in advance will now receive their family seating allocation free of charge only after checking in for their flight, bringing its approach into line with what it describes as the industry standard across Europe.

Marks & Spencer’s is latest food-on-the-move innovation, the new Chocolate, Strawberry & Pistachio Creme Sandwich Marks & Spencer is bringing back its hugely popular Red Diamond Strawberry & Creme Sandwich after it sold more than one million units in just five weeks last summer, while also launching a brand-new chocolate and pistachio version in time for Wimbledon. The retailer announced the return of the fan-favourite sandwich alongside the launch of its new Chocolate, Straw