NEWS

UK television audiences continued to make their voices heard in 2025, with Ofcom receiving almost 50,000 complaints about broadcast and on-demand content over the course of the year, according to newly published figures from the media regulator. The complaints related to more than 8,000 television, radio and on-demand programmes, a level of engagement which Ofcom said demonstrates how strongly viewers and listeners feel about the standards of the content they consume. “Every

North Antrim MP Jim Allister The government’s decision to raise the inheritance tax relief threshold for farm holdings and business assets has been welcomed by Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader Jim Allister — but he has warned the change does not go far enough to protect farming families. Reacting to today’s announcement that the Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs threshold will rise from £1 million to £2.5 million from April 2026, Mr Allister said the move rep

Marks & Spencer is bringing sustainability to the heart of the Christmas dinner table this year, thanks to a pioneering seed-to-shelf approach developed with its long-standing Scottish sprout supplier, Seahills. Based on Scotland’s east coast near Arbroath, Seahills supplies 100% of M&S’s hand-trimmed Brussels sprouts, producing what is recognised as the UK’s longest sprout season — harvesting from early September through to April and May. In a move designed to boost biodiver

Fibrus Networks Ltd appointed to deliver Project Gigabit. More than 9,000 rural homes and businesses across Northern Ireland are set to benefit from fast, reliable broadband under a major new £34.6 million infrastructure programme announced by the Economy Minister. Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has confirmed that Fibrus Networks Ltd has been appointed to deliver Project Gigabit, the UK government-funded scheme aimed at bringing gigabit-capable broadband to hard-to-re

WWF Award NI group photo L-R: Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Harrison (NPCC National Lead for Wildlife Crime and Rural Affairs), Dr Jon Lees (Northern Ireland Environment Agency), Emma Meredith (PSNI Wildlife and Animal Welfare Officer), Mark Wright (WWF), Kevin Lacks-Kelly (National Wildlife Crime Unit). A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) wildlife and animal welfare officer has been recognised at a national level for her role in safeguarding one of Northern Irela

Sir Cliff Richard and Dermot Murnaghan Sir Cliff Richard has revealed he has been treated for prostate cancer over the past year, speaking candidly about his diagnosis in a powerful call for a national screening programme for men. The 84-year-old music legend opened up during an exclusive interview on Good Morning Britain, where he spoke to journalist Dermot Murnaghan about his experience and the importance of early diagnosis. Sir Cliff said he was diagnosed while preparing f

Laura Harbard taking part from the comfort of indoors Eleanor Bentall (RSPB Images) Hundreds of thousands of people across the UK are being encouraged to take part in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2026, as the world’s largest garden wildlife survey returns at a critical time for nature. Taking place from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 January 2026 , the annual Birdwatch invites people to spend just one hour observing and counting the birds they see in their garden, local green space,

Ahead of Christmas 2025, the Post Office has shared new research that reveals rising demand and a growing number of people leaving festive sending to the last minute. The organisation is urging the public to post early, with fresh data showing that more people plan to send gifts this year compared with 2024 (33 per cent in 2025 vs 20 per cent in 2024). The Post Office says early planning is essential to avoid queues, reduce last-minute stress and ensure parcels arrive before

The United Kingdom’s embrace of the digital realm has reached unprecedented heights, with 98 per cent of adults now online – a testament to seamless connectivity that has transformed everyday routines. Yet, as Ofcom’s comprehensive Online Nations 2025  report illustrates, this near-universal access is shadowed by widening disparities in app adoption and persistent digital exclusion. Drawing on surveys of more than 6,000 adults and detailed usage data from May 2025, the repor

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald and Invest Northern Ireland CEO Kieran Donoghue have welcomed confirmation that Boeing and Airbus have completed their long-awaited acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems — a move set to reshape Northern Ireland’s aerospace landscape and strengthen its global position. The deal, finalised on Monday 8 December 2025, brings two of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers directly into Northern Ireland’s engineering ecosystem, including the Bel

St Louis Grammar School, Ballymena St Louis Grammar School has secured its place among Northern Ireland’s top-performing post-primary schools, ranking ninth in the prestigious Sunday Times Parent Power 2026 guide . The annual league table, widely considered the definitive benchmark for school performance across the UK, will be published online on Friday 5 December and in print on Sunday 7 December. Nationally, St Louis Grammar also earns a strong position at number 65 within

Ballymena’s young star Kain Stewart, presented with the WKO Grand Champion belt, alongside medals and certificates, which were presented by WKO UK President Jon Green Ballymena’s rising star Kain Stewart, aged 10 and from Foxton Wood Square, has capped off an extraordinary year by being crowned WKO Grand Champion at the WKO Grand Prix awards ceremony in Barnsley on Saturday evening, 29 November. Kain’s dominance throughout the season saw him rise to the top of the 10–11-year

The Giant’s Causeway is set to be seen by travellers across the world as it takes pride of place in the newly redesigned British passport, officially issued from today, Monday 1 December. The landmark basalt columns join three other UNESCO-protected natural landscapes in a major visual update to the UK passport’s pages. The new design also marks the first appearance of His Majesty King Charles III’s Coat of Arms in a British passport, symbolising a new chapter in the document

Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden appearing on ITV’s Lorraine Strictly Come Dancing professional Amy Dowden has opened up about her decision to undergo a preventative mastectomy on her left breast, in an emotional and exclusive interview on Lorraine. The dancer, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023, previously underwent a single mastectomy, chemotherapy and later entered remission. However, after pre-cancerous cells were discovered during a recent mamm

A large majority of UK motorists want to see alcohol interlocks – also known as ‘alcolocks’ – introduced to crack down on drink-driving, according to new figures from the RAC. The motoring organisation’s latest Report on Motoring found 82% of drivers support fitting alcohol interlocks to prevent repeat drink-driving. Only 7% of respondents opposed the idea, while 12% remained unsure. Alcohol interlocks are already widely used in countries including Belgium, the Netherlands, A

(L-R) are: Northern Ireland - 12 year old Megan McCabe from west Belfast, who plays for Linfield and the Irish FA’s Performance Programme which is based at Ulster University’s Jordanstown Campus; Wales - Sophia Huntley aged 9 who plays for Buckley Town, a thriving club with a committed volunteer base; Scotland - Erin Smith , who plays for Clark Drive and is in the South West Emerging Talent Centre programme; and England - Victoria Jones , 14 years old from Liverpool and

Escapes is set to close out the year with a nationwide cinematic treat, offering free preview screenings of Eternity, the new romantic fantasy from acclaimed director David Freyne, on Monday 1 and Tuesday 2 December. The film, distributed by A24, will officially be released in UK cinemas on Friday 5 December. The special previews — screening across more than 100 cinemas including Omniplex Antrim — form part of Escapes’ ongoing mission to make cinema accessible to all audience

Crowned ‘Newcomer of the Year’ at the 2025 British Hairdressing Awards, Chloe Houston of Houston Hair, Ballymena Chloe Houston of Houston Hair has been crowned Newcomer of the Year at the 2025 British Hairdressing Awards, sponsored by Schwarzkopf Professional — a remarkable achievement for the 21-year-old stylist in her first ever entry to the competition. Her win marks a significant milestone, placing her among the brightest rising stars in UK hairdressing. Known locally for

Tesco customers across Northern Ireland are being urged to help families facing hunger this winter by donating long-life essentials as part of the supermarket’s 13th annual Winter Food Collection. Running from 24–29 November in Tesco Express stores and 27–29 November in larger stores , the UK’s biggest seasonal food drive will support FareShare and the Trussell community of food banks, both of which are preparing for unprecedented levels of demand. Last year alone, generous

The managing director of M&S Food has warned the Chancellor that a recent change to inheritance tax treatment of family farms risks destroying generational businesses and imperilling the UK’s food security. In a direct appeal ahead of next week’s Budget, Alex Freudmann said ministers should “think again on inheritance tax” and adopt practical safeguards to protect genuine working farms. Farming under pressure — and inheritance tax adds to the burden Farmers are already grap