Northern Ireland Civil Service to fill 900 posts as job freeze ends

Northern Ireland Civil Service to fill 900 posts as job freeze ends

In response to facing substantial cuts amounting to approximately an £800m funding gap, the Northern Ireland Civil Service has lifted a recruitment freeze to fill around 900 vacancies. Permanent secretaries in the Stormont departments have allowed allocations to general service posts that were paused since February to resume while also planning to launch a new… Continue reading Northern Ireland Civil Service to fill 900 posts as job freeze ends

Flooding clean-up continues as Storm Babet passes

Flooding clean-up continues as Storm Babet passes

Following the extreme weather brought on by Storm Babet, flood-hit communities across the UK are continuing to recover while three severe flood warnings remain in place in Derbyshire, where there is a significant risk to life. The second red “danger to life” weather alert in a week expired in eastern parts of Scotland after a… Continue reading Flooding clean-up continues as Storm Babet passes

'My business had £1.6m stolen in 20 minutes'

'My business had £1.6m stolen in 20 minutes'

A small business owned by Steve Wright, Kent Brushes, was scammed by thieves who stole £1.6m in a matter of minutes through fraud. One of the company’s employees was tricked by the fraudsters into giving them access to Kent Brushes’ bank account. Wright criticised the response from both his bank and national fraud and cybercrime… Continue reading 'My business had £1.6m stolen in 20 minutes'

Newspaper headlines: 'Hero' Sir Bobby Charlton will 'never be forgotten'

Newspaper headlines: 'Hero' Sir Bobby Charlton will 'never be forgotten'

England and Manchester United footballing legend Sir Bobby Charlton has died at the age of 86. All of Sunday’s newspapers lead with his image and tributes from former teammates and fans of the sport. Charlton was one of only nine football players in history to have won the European Cup, Champions League and the Ballon… Continue reading Newspaper headlines: 'Hero' Sir Bobby Charlton will 'never be forgotten'

Could the UK's tides help wean us off fossil fuels?

Could the UK's tides help wean us off fossil fuels?

The UK government is offering subsidies to companies developing tidal technology, recognising the potential of tidal power as a renewable energy source. While great progress has been made in recent years in exploiting wind and solar technologies, energy from tidal power represents an untapped resource. Water is nearly 1,000 times more dense than air, which… Continue reading Could the UK's tides help wean us off fossil fuels?

Transport for Wales: Trains and jobs saved by funding, rail boss says

Transport for Wales: Trains and jobs saved by funding, rail boss says

Transport for Wales (TfW) has stated that train services and jobs would have suffered losses without additional funding from the Welsh government. TfW CEO James Price warned that if the company had not received extra £125m it would have found itself in a difficult position. The announcement came despite the finance minister announcing cuts for… Continue reading Transport for Wales: Trains and jobs saved by funding, rail boss says

Israel Gaza war: Pro-Palestinian protesters hold Belfast rally

Israel Gaza war: Pro-Palestinian protesters hold Belfast rally

Protests erupted outside of the BBC’s Belfast headquarters as demonstrators took to the streets to express their support for Palestine. The group, organised by Belfast Stands with Palestine, claimed that the BBC had shown bias against the country in its reporting of the conflict in the Middle East. The protest formed part of a series… Continue reading Israel Gaza war: Pro-Palestinian protesters hold Belfast rally

Sir Bobby Charlton, the legendary former Manchester United and England footballer, has passed away at the age of 85. The announcement was made on Saturday, with Sir Bobby having died peacefully in the early hours of the morning. Sir Bobby was diagnosed with dementia in 2020, and his passing has led to a wave of… Continue reading

Pro-Palestinian protests take place in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast and Salford

Pro-Palestinian protests take place in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast and Salford

For the second consecutive weekend, thousands of people took to the streets in London to join a pro-Palestinian protest. The Met Police estimated that up to 100,000 people joined the march and were set to end it in a rally near Downing Street as at 2 pm BST. In addition to London, smaller demonstrations took… Continue reading Pro-Palestinian protests take place in London, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast and Salford

In Pictures: Storm Babet flooding in Scotland

In Pictures: Storm Babet flooding in Scotland

Scotland has been hit by Storm Babet, causing heavy rain, high winds and flooding to parts of the country. A second Met Office red warning was put in place in Angus and Aberdeenshire on Saturday, while some coastal areas saw spectacular scenes and some faced flooding clear-up after rivers burst their banks. All the images… Continue reading In Pictures: Storm Babet flooding in Scotland