Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland will relax on blood donations by gay and bisexual man

Northern Ireland will relax rules on blood donations by gay and bisexual men, the health minister said on Wednesday, advancing LGBT+ equality in the socially-conservative region of Britain. The change…

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52-year-old man to be charged with murder of journalist Lyra McKee

A 52-year-old man has been charged with the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, police in Northern Ireland said Wednesday. In a statement the police said “Detectives from the PSNI’s Major…

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Historic win for nationalist in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland elected more Irish nationalists to Britain's parliament than pro-British unionists, a first since the partition of Ireland in 1921. Nationalists said the result paved the way towards…

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IRA ‘planned to knock out power supply’ to south east of England

South east England's power supply was the target of an IRA plot in the final years of its terror campaign, a former member has claimed. The plan, which is alleged…

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Big gap’ remains in UK-EU Brexit deal discussions

The UK is willing to make concessions to its plans for the Northern Ireland border after Brexit but "a big gap" remains over customs arrangements, EU ambassadors have been told.…

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Brexit talks ramp up in Brussels

Intense Brexit negotiations are continuing in Brussels this weekend after Boris Johnson proposed a compromise to break the deadlock. Sky News reports that indications are that the prime minister's plan…

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High court rules Northern Ireland abortion law in breach of UK’s human rights obligations

Abortion laws in Northern Ireland are in breach of the UK's human rights obligations, the High Court in Belfast has ruled. The judgement made on Thursday marked an important development…

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UK government announces £163 million economic package for Northern Ireland

The UK government has today announced £163 million to support growth in Northern Ireland. Mid South West and Causeway Coast and Glens in Northern Ireland are to benefit from a…

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Hard border on island of Ireland will return under no-deal Brexit, warns Juncker

In an exclusive interview with Sky News, outgoing European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker warned a hard border will return on the island of Ireland if Britain leaves the EU without…

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Poll finds UK-wide support for second Scottish independence referendum

A second referendum on Scottish independence and one on the Northern Irish border issue have widespread support among voters on the UK mainland, a new poll suggests. A BMG survey…

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Police in Derry attacked with petrol bombs

Police have been attacked with petrol bombs after finding a suspicious object in the Creggan area of Londonderry. Around 80 officers had been searching for bomb-making equipment on Monday, targeting…

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Man arrested after bomb is found in Strabane, near Irish border

Police in Northern Ireland have confirmed that a bomb was found following a security alert near the Irish border on Saturday morning. The improvised explosive device (IED) was discovered in…

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US wants that Ireland’s stability and Northern Ireland’s peace deal is respected in Brexit

The United States wants the terms of Britain's exit from the European Union to protect stability on the island of Ireland and respect Northern Ireland's 1998 peace deal, U.S. Vice…

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Police escape injury in bomb attack in Northern Ireland

Police officers have escaped injury in a bomb explosion in County Fermanagh, in Norther Ireland. The explosion happened at Wattle Bridge, near Newtownbutler, close to the Irish border, during a…

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Backstop is not up for renegotiation – Irish PM

The Brexit stalemate looks set to continue after the Irish government said the backstop would not be up for renegotiation at a planned meeting between Boris Johnson and Leo Varadkar.…

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The Backstop is dead – Johnson

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson pushed Britain closer to a no-deal exit from the European Union on Monday, insisting he will not hold Brexit talks with EU leaders unless the…

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No deal Brexit will raise questions on Irish unification and Scotland’s place in UK – Irelands PM

The question of the unification of Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland will inevitably arise if Britain leaves the European Union without a divorce deal on Oct. 31, Irish Prime Minister…

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New Northern Irish police chief warns of detrimental Brexit impact to peace

Northern Ireland’s new police chief warned that a hard Brexit could have a “detrimental” impact on two decades of peace in the British-run province and risk his officers becoming…

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House of Commons votes in favour of extending same-sex marriage and lifting of abortion ban in Northern Ireland

MPs have voted to extend same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland, a plan the government has said it will honour despite ministerial doubts. The House of Commons voted 383 to 73…

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Brexit without backstop is as damaging as no-deal Brexit – Varadkar

A Brexit without a backstop is as damaging to Ireland as a no-deal Brexit, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said. Varadkar told Irish public radio RTÉ on Saturday that he…

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Trump plays down importance of post-Brexit Irish Border

Donald Trump has insisted Brexit poses no threat to the Irish border, saying before talks with Leo Varadkar that the frontier will be “just fine” after Britain’s withdrawal from the…

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Bomb found underneath police officer’s car in Belfast

A bomb was found underneath a police officer's car in Belfast in Northern Ireland. Police said that said the bomb was "clearly intended to kill the police officer", adding…

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‘Real IRA’ leader Seamus McGrane dies in prison

A Real IRA leader who plotted an explosion during the State visit of Britain’s Prince Charles in 2015 has died in prison. Seamus McGrane (64) died from a suspected heart…

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On this day, in 1998, the Good Friday Agreement was accepted by 75% in a Referendum in N.Ireland

In 1998, on this day, the Good Friday Agreement was accepted in a referendum in Northern Ireland with 75% voting yes. Good Friday Agreement referendum, 1998 was a referendum held…

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Joint announcement by May and Varadakar for all-party talks about Northern Ireland’s future

The Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister have confirmed the establishment of talks involving the main political parties in Northern Ireland in an effort to restore power-sharing. In a statement…

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Video – Police release new images of man believed to murder journalist Lyra McKee

Police in Northern Ireland have released new images of the man they believe murdered journalist Lyra McKee. Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy released footage which shows three men walking together in…

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Journalist Lyra McKee revealed plans to propose hours before she was murdered

Family and friends paid tribute to slain journalist Lyra McKee during her funeral service in Belfast on Wednesday. The 29-year-old was shot last Thursday night as she observed the rioting…

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Woman arrested over murder of journalist McKee

Sky News is reporting that a 57-year-old woman has been arrested in Derry in connection with the murder of journalist Lyra McKee. The arrest comes after the so-called New IRA…

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New IRA admits responsibility for killing journalist Lyra McKee

The New IRA has admitted responsibility for the killing of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee. In a statement given to The Irish News, using a recognised code word, the group…

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Corporate Dispatch Morning Briefing and Newspaper Review

Good morning The latest from Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland, Ukraine and the headlines of Malta's front page stories in your morning briefing for Monday. The death toll in Sri Lanka…

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Northern Ireland police free 2 men held in journalist’s death

Two teenagers who were arrested in the shooting death of a 29-year-old journalist in Northern Ireland have been released from police custody without being charged. Their release means…

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Violence in N. Ireland which took life of journalist, claimed to be orchestrated to impress an MTV production fronted by Reggie Yates

Two suspect devices have been found in Londonderry and a 39-year-old man has been arrested, amid concerns that recent violence in the area may have been aggravated by the presence…

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Heartbroken Bill Clinton says McKee’s death is a reminder that one can’t let go 21 years of hard-won peace in N. Ireland

Former US president Bill Clinton has said he was "heartbroken" by the murder of journalist Lyra McKee. The former US president tweeted that the challenges in Northern Ireland were "real-but…

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Two men arrested in connection with murder of journalist Lyra McKee

Two men have been arrested by the PSNI in connection with the murder of Lyra McKee in Derry on Thursday night. RTÉ reports that the men, aged 18 and 19,…

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Police release footage of journalist McKee and killers in quest for help

Police released footage showing Ms McKee in a crowd of onlookers in the Creggan area on Thursday night shortly before she was murdered. It also shows the gunman at a…

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UPDATED: Journalist shot dead in ‘terrorist incident’ in Londonderry – police

A 29-year-old journalist has been shot dead as she covered riots in Londonderry, with police treating it as a "terrorist incident". Police have appealed for calm after petrol bombs were…

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Blair and Ahern call for second referendum and the importance of the Good Friday Agreement

Former prime minister Tony Blair and former Irish taoiseach Bertie Ahern have called for a second Brexit referendum, in a joint editorial emphasising the importance of the Good Friday Agreement.…

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Leading US Senator warns: US must put the EU first and Britain second

Chris Murphy, a rising star in Democratic Party, during a visit to London, stressed that there was strong and growing bipartisan view in the Senate and House of Representatives in…

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Brexit: London announces tariff cuts, border plans

Reuters reports that the British Government said it would eliminate import tariffs on a wide range of goods and avoid a so-called hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland in…

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Northern Ireland firms warn of risks from no-deal Brexit

Northern Ireland businesses urged British lawmakers to seek a compromise over Brexit and avoid the economic and social risks the province faces in crashing out of the bloc without…

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Corporate Dispatch Photo of the Day – Rainbow over the Irish Border

A rainbow is seen near border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in Northern Ireland, Britain, 02 March 2019. Neither the UK nor the EU wants a hard…

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‘Special Place in Hell’ for those who pushed for Brexit and had no plan – Donald Tusk

There is a "special place in hell" for pro-Brexit campaigners who demanded Britain leave the EU without a plan for making it happen, Donald Tusk has said. The European Council president launched the scathing attack…

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Sinn Féin leader has said that the unionist community needs to be a part of planning for a united Ireland

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald has said that the unionist community needs to be a part of planning for a united Ireland. Party activists gathered in Dublin today to…

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N. Ireland: Police in Derry dealing with two security alerts following reports of two hijacked vehicles

Update: Northern Ireland police said the three security alerts they were examining in Londonderry on Monday have ended after the department confirmed the incidents, including one where they carried out…

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Corporate Dispatch Monday Morning Briefing and Newspaper Review

Good morning Corporate Dispatch Morning Briefing provides you with a review of the main headlines and the stories appearing in Malta's newspapers and international news outlets. The Latest For…

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May outlines plan to change or remove the Northern Ireland backstop from the EU withdrawal agreement

As Prime Minister Theresa May prepared her next move in Britain's deadlocked Brexit battle, a senior opposition politician said Sunday that it's unlikely the U.K. will leave the European Union…

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Suspected car bomb explodes in Londonderry, Northern Ireland

A suspected car bomb exploded in the Northern Irish city of Londonderry on Saturday, police said, with leading politicians alleging the blast was terror-related. The Police Service of Northern Ireland…

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Fears of the ‘past’ and the Irish border issue – NYT

Ever since Britain stunned the world, in June 2016 with a referendum setting Brexit in motion, the future of the Irish border has hovered over the proceedings as the single…

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Ireland tells UK government to stand by commitments to avoid hard border between N.Ireland and Irish Republic

The UK government has been told by Ireland to "stand by its commitments" on avoiding a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. BBC reports that Irish Foreign Minister…

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Norther Irish DUP leader says it prefers a no-deal Brexit than a bad deal Brexit

The head of the Northern Irish party that props up British Prime Minister Theresa May’s government said on Saturday she would prefer no Brexit deal to a bad deal, describing…

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DUP threatens to vote down budget if Brexit deal would mean different treatment for Northern Ireland

Theresa May is fighting to keep the delicate Brexit negotiations on track after the DUP threatened to vote down the budget and bring down her premiership if a divorce deal meant that…

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N.Ireland – Two-week-old baby in intensive care after alleged rape

A two-week-old baby is in intensive care at a Belfast hospital after an alleged rape. It is understood the baby is in the paediatric unit of the Royal Belfast Hospital…

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Relations between Northern Ireland and Britain are the worst in 30 years because of Brexit – Fianna Fáil leader

Relations between Dublin and London are the worst they have been in 30 years because of Brexit, the leader of Fianna Fáil has said. The Guardian Micheál Martin, said the Irish…

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UEFA Nations League Roundup

Switzerland beat Iceland 6 - 0, while Spain beat England 2 - 1 in England. Northern Ireland lost to Bosnia Herzegovina 1 - 2. This is the round up of…

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Food labelling and Irish border on BREXIT talks agenda

Michel Barnier is refusing to back down on establishing a border in the Irish Sea to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland, and has publicly asked the British…

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May urges EU to evolve position on Irish border

FT: Theresa May on Friday urged the EU to “evolve” its position in the Brexit talks to resolve the vexed question of the Irish border, and warned Eurosceptics in the Conservative…

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Sunday Morning Briefing

Good morning, Our Morning Briefing follows. We start off highlighting comments given by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat that"Malta will stick to its position on migration" Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said…

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