Northern Ireland

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In a First, Irish Nationalist Takes Top Job in Belfast

Northern Ireland's government goes back to work after two-year unionist boycott

(Newser) - When Northern Ireland's lawmakers returned to their jobs Saturday for the first time in two years, only one politician received applause: Michelle O'Neill. The Cork-born official, whose father was imprisoned for being an IRA member and whose party wants Ireland and Northern Ireland to be one nation, became...

Someone Just Stole a Lot of Bull Semen

Cops in Northern Ireland probe theft of cryogenic storage tanks used for artificial insemination

(Newser) - Police in Northern Ireland are on the hunt for a "large quantity" of stolen bull semen. Two cryogenic storage tanks holding cattle sperm were stolen from a farm in the village of Clogher, part of County Tyrone, sometime between 3pm on Oct. 21 and 1pm on Oct. 23, Newsweek...

Sinn Fein Dominates Elections, Calls for End to Stalemate

Party, opponents say results show support for getting power-sharing government back to work

(Newser) - Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein has made sweeping gains in Northern Ireland's local elections, extending its success from last year's assembly elections and becoming the largest party for the first time. When the counting was completed late Saturday, Sinn Fein, which seeks unification of Northern Ireland with the...

Infamous Double Agent 'Stakeknife' Is Dead. Maybe

Freddie Scappaticci was reportedly a British mole while with the IRA

(Newser) - Freddie Scappaticci is dead. Whether that means a British double agent known as "Stakeknife" also is dead remains a bit more uncertain. It's a complicated, fascinating tale. Scappaticci, the son of an Italian immigrant, grew up in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and joined the Irish Republican Army to fight...

Biden: 'I Don't Know Why My Ancestors Left Here'

Crowds welcome president to Ireland

(Newser) - President Biden returned Wednesday to his ancestral home of Ireland, where he was greeted by thousands of cheering people who lined up four and five deep and endured an hourslong wait in the cold rain in hopes of getting a glimpse, a photo, or even the slightest touch from him....

Biden Arrives in Belfast
Biden Arrives in Belfast

Biden Arrives in Belfast

President is on 4-day trip to island of Ireland

(Newser) - President Biden arrived in Belfast Tuesday night amid heavy security at the start of a four-day visit to the island of Ireland. The president was greeted by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at Belfast International Airport, the BBC reports. Biden plans to spend a day in Northern Ireland to mark the...

Northern Ireland Terror Threat Level Raised to 'Severe'

Biden says it won't affect his plans to visit for anniversary of Good Friday Agreement

(Newser) - The UK’s MI5 intelligence service on Tuesday raised the terrorism threat level in Northern Ireland’ to "severe" amid an increase in activity by dissident Irish republican militants. Severe is the second-highest rung on a five-point scale and means an attack is considered highly likely. The threat had stood...

It's Another Brexit Story. This One's a Big Deal
It's Another
Brexit Story.
This One's
a Big Deal
the rundown

It's Another Brexit Story. This One's a Big Deal

UK's Rishi Sunak strikes deal to wrap up a 'toxic' detail involving Northern Ireland

(Newser) - Yes, it is in one sense a not-so-sexy trade deal. And yes, it involves Brexit and "the numbingly dense language of trade rules," per the New York Times . But a breakthrough on Monday engineered by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is nonetheless being hailed as a major accomplishment....

In Northern Ireland, a Big Religious Shift

There are now more Catholics in Northern Ireland than Protestants, which could affect future politics

(Newser) - Ten years ago, the national census revealed that Protestants still had the numbers over Catholics in Northern Ireland, though the gap was a slim one: 48% to 45%, respectively. Now, that ranking has flipped, per the 2021 demographics poll released Thursday. While the percentage of those who are Catholic (or...

KId Finds Live WWI Grenade on Beach
Kid Finds Live
WWI Grenade on Beach

Kid Finds Live WWI Grenade on Beach

It was destroyed in controlled explosion in Northern Ireland

(Newser) - A grenade believed to be more than a century old—but still deadly—was found by a young boy on a beach in Northern Ireland, police say. In a Facebook post , police thanked the "young lad" who spotted the grenade and contacted officers, remaining at the scene to tell...

Sinn Fein Records Historic Election Victory

Party seeking Irish unification proclaims a new era

(Newser) - The Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein, which seeks unification with Ireland, hailed a "new era" Saturday for Northern Ireland as it captured the largest number of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly for the first time in a historic win. With almost all votes counted from Thursday's local...

On Bloody Sunday Anniversary, Families Again Call for Justice

British paratroopers opened fire on demonstrators in Derry, giving rise to decades of violence

(Newser) - Hundreds of people on Sunday walked the route of marchers who were killed by British paratroopers a half-century ago in Northern Ireland during a civil rights demonstration. Family members of those shot to death in Derry on what's now known as Bloody Sunday were among those at the remembrance,...

Van Morrison Is Getting Sued Over COVID Remarks

Northern Ireland's health minister accuses him of slander

(Newser) - Van Morrison hates lockdown rules so much he's written songs about it . Now, it looks like he'll have to go to court to defend some of his statements. Northern Ireland's health minister is suing the singer for defamation, reports Belfast's Sunday Life . Robin Swann took legal...

Unrest in Northern Ireland Is Escalating

55 police officers hurt over the last week

(Newser) - Crowds from Protestant and Catholic communities hurled bricks, fireworks, and gas bombs at police and each other overnight in Belfast, as a week of street violence escalated. Police and politicians tried Thursday to calm the volatile situation in Northern Ireland, where Britain's exit from the European Union has unsettled...

Police Attacked in Northern Ireland
Unrest
Flares in
Northern
Ireland

Unrest Flares in Northern Ireland

Police say petrol bombs were thrown at officers

(Newser) - Police in Northern Ireland have appealed for calm after officers were attacked with petrol bombs and cars were set on fire during a second night of unrest. Three cars were hijacked and set on fire Saturday night in Newtownabbey, an area on the outskirts of Belfast, police said. North Area...

Boris Johnson Revives 'Bonkers' Bridge Idea

British government considering $25B bridge between Scotland, N. Ireland

(Newser) - With Scotland talking about independence post-Brexit and Sinn Fein calling for a vote on reunifying Ireland after its election success , Boris Johnson is talking about building bridges. The British prime minister has revived what critics call a "bonkers" idea to build a bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland, the...

Belfast University's Next Chancellor: Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton will be the first woman with the title

(Newser) - Hillary Clinton has accepted a five-year posting as chancellor of Queen's University in Belfast. The job involves advising management and presiding over graduation, the BBC reports. Mostly, though, the former secretary of state will act as an ambassador for the Northern Ireland school. Clinton will be the first woman...

From Boris: a Final Brexit Offer, a Line on Kangaroo Testicles

PM gives conference speech to Conservative Party members

(Newser) - The UK will offer the EU a proposed Brexit deal on Wednesday that represents a compromise for both sides, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a speech to Conservative Party members at their annual conference that had been billed by his office as a take-it-or-leave-it "final offer" to...

Arrest Made in Slaying of Journalist

Lyra McKee was shot during rioting in Northern Ireland

(Newser) - Police in Northern Ireland have arrested a 46-year-old man in the shooting death of freelance journalist Lyra McKee in April. The suspect was arrested under the Terrorism Act, CNN reports. Police first conducted two searches in Derry—also called Londonderry. McKee, 29, was near a police vehicle watching rioting in...

57-Year-Old Woman Charged in Shooting Death of Journalist

New IRA takes blame for murder of Lyra McKee in Northern Ireland

(Newser) - A 57-year-old woman has been arrested in the shooting death last week in Northern Ireland of journalist Lyra McKee . Although initially two teens were detained in connection with the killing of the 29-year-old, who died Thursday night during rioting in Londonderry (aka Derry), they were later released without being charged,...

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