Northern Irelandnation

Calum Bell from Ballymena was sentenced to 60 months at Antrim Crown Court after being convicted of riot, intentionally encouraging or assisting riot, and burglary with intent to cause unlawful damage. Half the sentence will be spent in custody and half on licence. The disorder occurred on 9 June 2025.

Jon Boutcher, the PSNI chief, has said his officers are working tirelessly to combat rising right-wing extremism in Northern Ireland. He was commenting after 17 improvised explosive devices and two detonators were recovered last week in an operation linked to extreme right-wing terrorism; a man was arrested and later charged. Mr Boutcher told the Northern Ireland Policing Board that the increase in extreme right-wing activity is linked to geopolitics, and the police are working with An Garda Síochána and UK police forces to address the threat.

Michael Murphy has retired from Donegal inter-county football for a second time at the age of 37, following the county club championship. The four-time All-Star first retired in 2022 after 14 years but returned when Jim McGuinness persuaded him to give it another go. In his second spell, Murphy helped Donegal win an Ulster title and a National League crown, though a third All-Ireland title proved elusive.

Dunnes Stores has urgently recalled a batch of its 8 Southern Fried Chicken Sliders after some packs were mispacked with Cheddar and Pulled Ham Scones containing egg and milk not declared on the label. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland announced the recall on Wednesday, advising customers who purchased the affected batch to stop eating it immediately and return it to any store for a full refund without requiring a receipt. The affected batch has a use by date of 08/11/2026 and a pack size of 272g; customers are being encouraged to check their homes for the product.

Alyssa Shaw, 34, from Belfast, has lived with psoriasis since she was eight years old. The chronic immune condition affects 2–3% of the UK population, with no current cure, though it can be managed with treatment. Shaw told Belfast Live that after initially having plaque psoriasis on her scalp and elbows, she developed guttate psoriasis at 15 following glandular fever. She has been treated with steroid creams and UVB sunbed therapy, and was put on methotrexate in November, though she reports symptoms returning recently.

A British healthcare worker in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tested positive for Ebola and is being evacuated to the UK for medical treatment. The UK government confirmed the case and said established procedures for handling such cases have been activated. The risk to the UK public remains low, according to officials.

Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant and Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald clashed over budget talks on Thursday, with negotiations ending without agreement. McDonald said Bryant was 'not amenable to rationality or reality', whilst DUP leader Gavin Robinson urged Bryant to 'accept the reality' of the funding gap. The region has operated without an agreed budget for eight months into the financial year.

Police are attending a security alert in Randalstown, Co Antrim, after suspected historic munitions were found at a residential property on Portglenone Road this evening. Road closures are in place and the public has been asked to avoid the area.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland seized six mobile phones and other items from two properties in west Belfast on Thursday as part of a wider investigation into right-wing extremism. The seized items will undergo forensic examination. This follows the discovery of explosive devices in Belfast at the weekend, which the PSNI linked to extreme right-wing terrorism.

Once Upon A Winter is due to open at Custom House Square in Belfast on 19 November, hosting up to 2,000 people. The market will feature 36 chalets selling local food, refreshments and crafts, along with performances by musical acts in a covered Spiegeltent. Belfast Live reports that construction began on Wednesday despite the organisers still awaiting planning permission from Belfast City Council, though the Department for Communities has issued an Entertainments Licence for the event.