Dublin Airport suspends flights due to drone

Links to loyalist's murder and ATM crime gang investigated

SDLP councillor Tim Attwood quitting politics following party's link up with Fianna Fáil

SDLP councillor Tim Attwood quitting politics over party's link up with Fianna Fáil

Northern Ireland councils spend 'unnecessary' £600k on awards bashes

11 percent of senior PSNI officers are Catholic

Allison Morris: We need a chief constable to investigate current crimes, not those of the past

New system could be a hard sell to Down fans admits Paddy Tally

Artist Andy Warhol's works worth £1 million on show at Belfast gallery

Rufus Norris on bringing National Theatre's new Macbeth to Belfast

Latest

On This Day - Feb 21 2009: Stephen Griffin stars as Donegal topple Tyrone

Policing Board seeks legal advice following Mary Lou McDonald remarks on PSNI chief constable

Paul Durcan setting sights on return to Donegal colours

Former police officer claimed British behind plot to attack Catholic school

Former Lurgan textiles firm now based in India 'paying average £8,270 salaries'

Belfast Zoo celebrating the birth of the third set of capybara babies in the past year

Brexit

Three Conservative MPs quit party and join Independent Group, saying Tories in grip of DUP and ERG

Three MPs have quit the Conservative Party to join the new Independent Group (TIG) in a major blow to Theresa May's authority.

Topics

Stormont bonuses for no-deal Brexit staff worth £1.2m

STORMONT chiefs could hand out more than £1.2 million in bonuses to staff under plans to entice more civil servants to join coordination teams for a no-deal Brexit.
Sammy Wilson has accused Leo Varadkar of behaving in an 'abominable way' over Brexit

DUP MP Sammy Wilson has accused Taoiseach Leo Varadkar of behaving in an "abominable way" during Brexit negotiations.
EU warns UK it will not reopen backstop agreement

The European Commission has issued a fresh warning that it will not reopen the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement as Theresa May prepared for further talks in Brussels.
Stormont chiefs offer staff £1,500 bonus to join no-deal Brexit contingency plans

STORMONT chiefs are offering civil servants pay boosts and a bonus of up to £1,500 to join their no-deal Brexit contingency plans.

News

Planning permission granted for new public park in Colin Neighbourhood

PLANNING approval has been granted for a new public park and playground in the Colin Neighbourhood area of west Belfast.

Topics

Northern Ireland councils spend 'unnecessary' £600k on awards bashes

COUNCILS in Northern Ireland have spent three times more on award ceremonies in recent years on average than local authorities in Britain.
Belfast Zoo celebrating the birth of the third set of capybara babies in the past year

BELFAST Zoo is celebrating the birth of the third set of capybara babies in the past year.
Policing Board seeks legal advice following Mary Lou McDonald remarks on PSNI chief constable

THE Policing Board last night said it has "sought legal advice" about the recruitment of a new PSNI chief constable.
Artist Andy Warhol's works worth £1 million on show at Belfast gallery

WORKS by pop-art artist Andy Warhol, worth a total of £1 million, will be on display at an exhibition in Belfast next month.

Business

Global brand Dunlop partners Moira business

MOIRA-based AB Pneumatics has entered into a partnership with Dunlop Systems & Components as it aims to grow its sales by £1.

Topics

Former Lurgan textiles firm now based in India 'paying average £8,270 salaries'

IT'S one of the oldest and most traditional industries in Ireland.
New £4m Lisburn hotel receives planning green light

THE north's largest hospitality group has received planning approval for a new £4 million Lisburn hotel.
CIM and CIPR link up for unique Google event

LEADING marketers and public relations professionals from the north joined forces for the first time to host a Google Digital Garage event at River House in Belfast to explore the latest trends in digital marketing.
Co Down-based Copeland Spirits to open new £600k distillery and expand into lucrative whiskey market

A CO Down spirits company has received planning approval for a new £600,000 distillery in Donaghadee.

Sport

On This Day - February 21, 2009: Griffin stars as Donegal topple Tyrone

Sporting greats, dates and a quick quiz blitz to get you up and running today...

New system could be a hard sell to Down fans admits Paddy Tally

PADDY Tally knows that selling a new style of play to the Down faithful will be a tough ask but says his “primary concern is to get a system that suits these players.”
Tyrone-Monaghan game takes on 'new significance' admits Harte

They're not reaching for the panic button just yet, but the Red Hands are painfully aware that they're only one defeat away from a crisis.
Paul Durcan setting sights on return to Donegal colours
Clubcall

2 michael daviitt pics SATURDAY was a proud day for the Michael Davitt's club in west Belfast as they officially opened their new £1.

Opinion

Chief constable appointment must be free from political interference

The reform of policing in Northern Ireland has been one of the central pillars of the peace process and great care has been taken to put in place structures to ensure accountability, transparency and fairness, all designed to increase public confidence in the PSNI.

Topics

Newton Emerson: Time for a new conversation on role of victims groups

If we want a shared conversation on the past, we should stop paying for the divided conversation we have at present.
Allison Morris: We need a chief constable to investigate current crimes, not those of the past

WE CAN never escape the past in Northern Ireland. Even if you’ve never experienced personal loss, you’ll never be too far from someone who has.
Westminster shake-up gathers pace

Previous attempts to realign Westminster politics through the creation of new groupings have experienced considerable difficulty surviving even a single general election, as the demise of the Social Democratic Party – launched by high profile figures in a blaze of publicity during the 1980s – demonstrated.
No justification for brutal murder

The dreadful murder of well known loyalist David Murphy in north Antrim is yet another act of brutal violence that has resulted in someone losing their life.

Magazine

Brit Awards audience falls to just over four million

In 2016, when an emotional Adele dominated the event, 5.8 million viewers tuned in.

Topics

Wu-Tang Clan to headline Boardmasters

They join Florence + The Machine and Foals on the line-up.
Stephen Graham and Rochenda Sandall appear in new Line of Duty preview

The BBC publicity shot shows the pair looking stern as characters John Corbett and Lisa McQueen.
Samsung announces Galaxy Fold alongside trio of new flagship devices

The technology giant will launch its first foldable smartphone in the spring.
Gwendoline Christie to star in A Midsummer Night's Dream in London

The Game of Thrones actress will appear opposite the Green Wing's Oliver Chris.

Life

Brian Lennon SJ: Abuse, action and hope - what the Church needs to do now

Pope Francis found it hard to get across his messages on greater lay involvement in Catholic leadership and on family issues when he visited Ireland because most of the public events were dominated by abuse. As senior bishops gather in Rome today to discuss the abuse crisis, Fr Brian Lennon SJ reflects on why the Catholic Church's response has been slow and ineffective, and why accountability and transparency are essential if the problem is to be remedied and trust rebuilt. He also offers encouragement to faithful Catholics who wonder whether they can stay in the Church

Topics

Victoria Stilwell on new book The Secret Language Of Dogs

SHE'S known as the 'dog decoder', unlocking the minds of dogs worldwide and helping owners to understand and strengthen their bond with their four-legged friends.
Property: A little imagination will go a long way here in Saintfield
Property: Golf, greenery, sea and sky on the north coast

Style and substance comes to the fore with this beautiful family home
Channel 4 confirms start date for Derry Girls series two

Cracker news.

Arts

Dance teacher Sharon Matchett on getting the north swinging again

WHEN Ian Matchett decided to give his wife Sharon a voucher for dance lessons, he'd no idea his life was about to change.

Topics

Rufus Norris on bringing National Theatre's new Macbeth to Belfast

SOON the National Theatre opens in Belfast with 'that Scottish play', otherwise known as Macbeth.
Victoria Stilwell on new book The Secret Language Of Dogs

SHE'S known as the 'dog decoder', unlocking the minds of dogs worldwide and helping owners to understand and strengthen their bond with their four-legged friends.
Arts Q&A: Comedian Paul Currie on Metallica, Vivaldi and Irn-Bru milkshake

1. When did you think about a career as a comedian and what were your first steps into it? As a career, not until I was 30.
Culture-clash comedy I Shall Wear Purple reminds us life is for living

YOUTH and experience collide in a hilarious clash of culture in a new production at Belfast's Grand Opera House from the pen of Rosemary Jenkinson.

Omagh bombing

Council to consider action over new plaque on Omagh bomb memorial

A LOCAL council is set to consider whether it will take action over the addition of an unapproved plaque to a memorial to those killed and injured in the Omagh bombing.

Topics

Husband of Omagh bomb victim adds plaque to memorial blaming `dissident republican terrorists'

THE husband of a woman killed in the Omagh bombing has glued a plaque to a memorial at the site of the atrocity stating that it was a "dissident republican terrorist" car bomb.
Mother of Omagh bombing victim Aiden Gallagher breaks silence in emotional letter backing Nuala O'Loan

THE mother of Omagh bombing victim Aiden Gallagher has spoken publicly for the first time since his death 20 years ago to praise a former Police Ombudsman’s comment that the atrocity could have been prevented.
Omagh bombing victim's husband 'flabbergasted' by former police ombudsman's claim

FORMER police ombudsman Nuala O'Loan has been criticised by the husband of an Omagh bomb victim for claiming that the atrocity was preventable.
Nationalist commentator criticised for Omagh bomb comments

A nationalist commentator has been criticised for making "absolutely despicable "comments in relation to the Omagh bomb after he said those killed were not murdered.

Pope's visit

Pope Francis blamed for fall in Dublin Zoo visitors

Dublin Zoo has blamed the Pope for causing a drop of almost 100,000 in visitor numbers this year.

Lasting souvenir of Papal visit Ireland with release of a commemorative book

PILGRIMS can now have a lasting souvenir of the historic Papal visit to Dublin, Knock and the World Meeting of Families (WMOF) with the release of a commemorative book.
Film reveals effect of Pope John Paul II's visit to Republic

A new documentary highlights the effect Pope John Paul ll's visit to the Republic in 1979 had on the peace process.
Pope Francis 'tasted pain and bitterness' of abuse during Irish visit

POPE Francis has lamented how Irish church authorities failed to respond to the crimes of sexual abuse, speaking during his first public appearance at the Vatican after accusations that he himself covered up for a former US cardinal.
ANALYSIS: DUP has yet to give an adequate explanation for Papal snub

It's important that people respect Arlene Foster's decision not to attend Saturday's civic reception for Pope Francis in Dublin Castle.

Civil Rights

Tributes paid to civil rights pioneer Patsy Gildernew

The funeral has taken place of a Co Tyrone man who took part in a protest believed to have given birth to the civil rights movement more than 50 years ago. Patsy Gildernew wrote himself into Irish history when he...

Topics

Stormont discrimination of Catholics 'hugely exaggerated' says David Trimble's ex-aide

A FORMER adviser to ex-First Minister David Trimble has claimed discrimination against Catholics by Stormont before the civil rights movement has been "hugely exaggerated".
Fionnuala O Connor: Press reports from 1968 show unionist leaders unable to grasp what was happening

RUC men on that Saturday fifty years ago blattered their way into history on camera, leaving newsprint catching-up as the Troubles, and the next week, began.
Leona O'Neill: Those who commemorate the IRA are no champions of civil rights in my eyes

WE’VE just come out of a weekend that marked probably one of the most important moments in Northern Ireland’s history, the birth of the civil rights movement.
Deaglán de Bréadún: Where is the Bernadette Devlin of today to give voice to nationalists at Westminster?

IF YOU are an Irish nationalist or republican or simply a person who believes in resisting oppression, you probably need cheering-up under current circumstances.

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