Belfast news

• Secretary of State signs regulations introducing same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland

  19-12-2019 23:47 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Secretary of State Julian Smith has signed the regulations that will introduce same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland.
  
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• Festive lights on H&W cranes raise spirits at end of turbulent year

  19-12-2019 23:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Just a few weeks ago, it looked like the lights at Harland and Wolff could be going out forever - but now Belfast's famous cranes have been lit up as a symbol of hope this Christmas.
  
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• Three men charged with attack and false imprisonment of Kevin Lunney denied bail

  19-12-2019 22:20 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Three men charged with false imprisonment and attacking Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) director Kevin Lunney have been denied bail in the Republic of Ireland's High Court.
  
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• Goalkeeping dreams for Kai are saved thanks to a glove firm's helping hand

  19-12-2019 20:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Christmas has certainly come early for one young Belfast football fanatic after a special delivery made his dreams of being a goalkeeper come true.
  
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• Dementia numbers in Western Trust rise by a third as charity makes call for greater support

  19-12-2019 20:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Dementia levels have sharply risen in the western part of Northern Ireland over the last four years, a new analysis of health data has revealed.
  
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• Court hears west Belfast man was kicked 'like a punchbag' by crowd during fatal beating

  19-12-2019 20:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  West Belfast man Christopher Meli was kicked "like a punchbag" around 50 times by a crowd and tried to cover himself with his arms during a fatal beating, a court heard yesterday.
  
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• Explosive device found inside parked car in Dunmurry

  19-12-2019 19:55 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Police discovered a viable explosive device inside a car parked at house in Dunmurry on Thursday.
  
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• Secretary of State: Stormont deal could be reached tonight but DUP not 'on board'

  19-12-2019 19:11 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Secretary of State Julian Smith has said that a deal to restore Stormont could have been reached on Thursday night, but the DUP were not on board.
  
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• DUP demand 'fair and balanced deal' after being blamed for holding up Stormont return

  19-12-2019 19:11 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Secretary of State Julian Smith has said that a deal to restore Stormont could have been reached on Thursday night, but the DUP were not on board.
  
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• Probation for Belfast man who used glasses with camera to film boy (3) at seaside

  19-12-2019 17:59 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A man who used a pair of sunglasses with a built-in secret camera to try and video a semi-naked three-year-old boy who was getting changed at the seaside last summer has been ordered to sign the Sex Offender's Register for five years.
  
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• Boris Johnson hints at Northern Ireland - Great Britain bridge

  19-12-2019 17:48 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The Prime Minister has said "watch this space" when questioned about whether he supports a bridge across the Irish Sea between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
  
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• DUP: Powersharing deal unlikely in coming days

  19-12-2019 17:40 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A deal to restore the Stormont institutions in the coming days is unlikely, the DUP has said.
  
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• Over 600 Dr Watt patients given 'insecure' diagnosis, says official report into recall

  19-12-2019 17:36 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A delayed report into the largest medical recall in the history of Northern Ireland has revealed over 600 patients were given an insecure diagnosis.
  
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• Dungannon teen robbed bookies of almost £5k, court hears

  19-12-2019 17:36 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A teenager allegedly involved in a robbing a betting shop of nearly £5,000 must remain in custody, a High Court judge has ruled.
  
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• PSNI seize £429k of drugs during 'Operation Season's Greetings'

  19-12-2019 17:06 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Police have seized more than £429,000 worth of drugs in two weeks as part of an operation targeting street-level dealing.
  
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• Belfast Chinese Consulate claims diplomatic immunity in neighbour's court case extraction fan battle

  19-12-2019 16:57 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A man living beside the Chinese Consulate in Belfast has won High Court permission to challenge an alleged failure to take enforcement action over its odour extraction system.
  
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• Revealed: Tele readers' Ulster Rugby team of the decade

  19-12-2019 16:47 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  More than 10,000 votes have been cast since we asked you to help us pick our Ulster Rugby team of the decade and the results are now in.
  
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• Who are the four players set for Ulster debuts at Leinster? All you need to know about Jack Regan, Azur Allison, Stewart Moore and Ethan McIlroy

  19-12-2019 16:43 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Ulster Rugby look set to hand out as many as four debuts when they travel south to play Leinster in the PRO14 on Friday evening.
  
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• Man arrested in Lurgan under Terrorism Act

  19-12-2019 16:29 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A 35-year-old man has been arrested in Lurgan under the Terrorism Act.
  
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• SDLP leader Colum Eastwood affirms allegiance to Queen 'under protest'

  19-12-2019 15:31 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has affirmed his allegiance to the Queen "under protest".
  
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• Finucane family 'treated with contempt' by British government over public inquiry call into loyalist killing, court told

  19-12-2019 15:20 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The family of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane are being treated with contempt over their calls for the British Government to hold a public inquiry into the killing, the High Court has heard.
  
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• Your job to fix Northern Ireland health crisis, Smith tells Stormont parties

  19-12-2019 14:49 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The Northern Ireland Secretary has told the region’s politicians it is up to them to fix the health crisis.
  
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• Homes evacuated after Belfast suspicious object discovery

  19-12-2019 14:35 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Police are attending a security alert in White Rise in Dunmurry after the discovery of a suspicious object.
  
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• Prime Minister Johnson pledge to end Troubles soldier prosecutions 'an affront to victims,' says Eastwood

  19-12-2019 14:10 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Plans by Boris Johnson's government to prevent "vexatious" prosecutions of soldiers who served in Northern Ireland are an "affront to victims and survivors" of state violence, according to SDLP leader Colum Eastwood.
  
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• PSNI 'ultimate ambition' is to have force reflective of NI, says Deputy Chief Constable

  19-12-2019 14:03 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Deputy Chief Constable Steven Martin has said the "ultimate ambition" of the PSNI is to have a force reflective of the Northern Ireland community and made up of even numbers of Catholic and Protestants within its ranks.
  
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• Secretary of State Smith rejects using health as leverage to restore Northern Ireland power sharing

  19-12-2019 13:30 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Julian Smith has rejected a claim he is using Northern Ireland's health crisis as political leverage to force Stormont's parties back into government.
  
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• Secretary of State Smith 'not using health as leverage' to restore Northern Ireland power sharing

  19-12-2019 13:30 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Julian Smith has rejected a claim he is using Northern Ireland's health crisis as political leverage to force Stormont's parties back into government.
  
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• Ulster v Leinster team news: Four Ulster players set for debut in shuffled side while Leinster name strong squad featuring eight internationals

  19-12-2019 13:25 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Ulster could field as many as four debutants against a strong Leinster outfit during Friday evening's PRO14 clash as Dan McFarland rings the changes ahead of the first festive interprovincial fixture.
  
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• Animal welfare prosecutions in Northern Ireland doubled in 2018, figures reveal

  19-12-2019 13:14 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The number of prosecutions for animal welfare-related offences in Northern Ireland doubled last year, new figures have revealed.
  
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• Animal welfare prosecutions in Northern Ireland double in 2018, figures reveal

  19-12-2019 13:14 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The number of prosecutions for animal welfare-related offences in Northern Ireland doubled last year, new figures have revealed.
  
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• Arson attack leaves Belfast petrol station seriously damaged

  19-12-2019 12:29 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A Belfast petrol station was seriously damaged in an arson attack.
  
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• NI museum lands six Rembrandts as part of a tax bill deal

  19-12-2019 12:25 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A deal struck over an outstanding tax bill has landed a Northern Ireland museum six works by Rembrandt.
  
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• Man who died in crash involving fallen tree in Moy named as Noel Sweeney

  19-12-2019 09:44 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A man who died in a crash on Trewmount Road in Moy on Wednesday has been named as Noel Sweeney.
  
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• Julian Smith to ask NI political parties for series of commitments during 'health summit' at Stormont

  19-12-2019 09:30 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith will today ask the five main political parties here to make a series of commitments to the region's struggling health service.
  
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• Thug who knifed man for 'belittling' him on day of drinking jailed

  19-12-2019 08:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A Co Down man who stabbed another man at a house in Donaghadee after he felt he had been belittled was handed a four-and-a-half-year sentence by a judge yesterday.
  
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• Quinn directors speak to Garda chief over staff intimidation

  19-12-2019 08:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Directors of Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) have met with the Irish Republic's top police officer for an update on the investigation into intimidation of their staff.
  
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• Nurse backs strike despite daughter's cancelled appointment

  19-12-2019 08:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  An auxiliary nurse was standing by her co-workers during yesterday's strike action - despite the cancellation of her daughter's appointment as a result.
  
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• NI band who scored hit with Ed Sheeran promise fans night to remember at biggest Belfast concert yet

  19-12-2019 08:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Northern Irish band Beoga have big ambitions to build on their collaborative success with megastar Ed Sheeran on his hit songs Galway Girl and Nancy Mulligan - with Bruce Springsteen next in their sights.
  
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• Man (84) to appear in court over runaway car that hit singer Malachi Cush

  19-12-2019 08:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  An elderly Co Tyrone man is facing court after singer Malachi Cush and a local businessman were struck by a runaway vehicle earlier this year.
  
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• Man (84) to appear in court over runaway car that hit singer Cush

  19-12-2019 08:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  An elderly Co Tyrone man is facing court after singer Malachi Cush and a local businessman were struck by a runaway vehicle earlier this year.
  
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• Major capital projects across Northern Ireland are years late and millions over budget, report reveals

  19-12-2019 08:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A series of major government projects across Northern Ireland are running years late and millions over budget, a report warns today.
  
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• Letterbox arsonist said she'd burn down clinic over medication dispute

  19-12-2019 08:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A 40-year-old woman who threatened to burn down Carrick Health Centre in front of police was yesterday made the subject of an 18-month probation order.
  
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• Fermanagh sexual abuse probe 'gathering pace'

  19-12-2019 08:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The investigation into alleged historic sexual abuse in Fermanagh is "gathering pace" and remains a high priority for the PSNI's Public Protection Unit, the area commander has told a Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP).
  
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• Dissidents making hay from Stormont stalemate: Simon Byrne

  19-12-2019 08:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Northern Ireland's police chief has warned political leaders that the powersharing impasse is creating a vacuum that extremists are exploiting.
  
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• Blackmailer jailed over threat to place girl's photos online

  19-12-2019 08:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A 30-year-old man who demanded a woman give him £300 or he would "plaster" pictures of her daughter over Facebook was jailed yesterday.
  
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• Boris Johnson is eccentric but not a Little Englander – Varadkar

  19-12-2019 01:39 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  Leo Varadkar has described Boris Johnson as a bit eccentric but insisted he was not a “little Englander”.
  
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• Northern Ireland's health service 'can't survive another winter without change'

  19-12-2019 00:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  A failure to meet the demands of unions will result in irreparable damage to the health service, it has been warned.
  
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• Downey could face bill running into millions after judge rules he was actively involved in Hyde Park bomb

  19-12-2019 00:00 via belfasttelegraph.co.uk
  
  The man found by the High Court to have been actively involved in the 1982 Hyde Park bomb attack in which four British soldiers were killed could now be forced to hand over millions in damages and legal costs.
  
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