Northern Ireland

Queen's University Belfast criticised for India expansion amid job cuts

Last week, the university confirmed plans to open a campus in Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), in 2025

Ireland's major centre-right parties in coalition talks to form govt

Ireland faces weeks of coalition talks before it gets a new government, as the country's two major centre-right parties work to form a stable administration. With all but a handful of seats filled in the 174-seat legislature on Monday after three days of counting election ballots, Fianna Fail had won 46 seats and Fine Gael 38. The two parties, who have governed in coalition since 2020, look set to fall just short of the 88 needed for a majority without third-party support. The people have spoken, let us now get on with the work, said Fianna Fail leader Michel Martin. Left-of-center party Sinn Fein won at least 37 seats in Friday's election but is unlikely to be part of the next government. Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have a longstanding refusal to work with Sinn Fein, partly because of its historic ties with the Irish Republican Army during three decades of violence in Northern Ireland. The outcome of the election is now clear. The numbers are there for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael

UK gives Northern Ireland new deadline to revive its collapsed govt

The UK government on Tuesday gave Northern Ireland politicians until February 8 to restore the collapsed regional government in Belfast, after a deadline this month passed without an end to the deadlock. The extension comes amid signs Northern Ireland's largest British unionist party is close to deciding whether to end a boycott that has kept the power-sharing administration on ice for almost two years. The British government is legally obliged to call new Northern Ireland elections now that a previous deadline of January 18 has passed. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said he would bring a bill to Parliament on Wednesday to set a new date of February 8. He said significant progress had been made towards reviving the Northern Ireland Executive, and the short extension would give sufficient time for it to bear fruit. The Democratic Unionist Party walked out in February 2022 in a dispute over post-Brexit trade rules. Ever since, it has refused to return to government w

UK, EU conclude new post-Brexit trade arrangement for Northern Ireland

The agreement - dubbed the 'Windsor Framework' - was struck over the Northern Ireland Protocol, aiming to ease the trading issues created by the Protocol

Britain delays calling Northern Ireland election amid Brexit impasse

Northern Ireland's political deadlock deepened Friday when the UK government delayed calling an early election for the Belfast-based Assembly after a deadline to restore the mothballed administration expired. The limbo means more uncertainty and delays to government decision-making at a time when many people in Northern Ireland are struggling with soaring food and energy prices. A deadline for the Northern Ireland Assembly to elect a governing executive passed at midnight Thursday amid a dispute over post-Brexit trade rules. Under the rules of Northern Ireland's power-sharing politics, a new election must be held within 12 weeks. Civil servants will keep essential services running in the meantime. U.K. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris had been expected to announce a mid-December poll date. Instead, he said he was holding talks with the main political parties. I hear when parties say they really do not want an election at all, he said. But he added that under the ...

UK to bring new law unilaterally changing post-Brexit trade rules

Britain's government is expected to introduce legislation Monday that would unilaterally change post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland amid opposition from lawmakers

UK confirms plan to change N Ireland Protocol amid tensions with EU

The UK announced its plan to introduce legislation to make changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol amid mounting tensions with the European Union (EU) over post-Brexit arrangements.

Boris Johnson says UK will act on Northern Ireland rules if EU won't

Voters in Northern Ireland elected a new Assembly this month, in a vote that saw Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein win the most seats

What's next for Northern Ireland after Sinn Fein records historic win?

Britain's decision in 2016 to leave the European Union and its borderless free-trade zone has complicated Northern Ireland's position.

Sinn Fein wins legislative election in Northern Ireland for first time

Sinn Fein has won 27 seats in the 90-seat Assembly, pushing the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) with 24 seats into the second place

Brexit: UK and EU at impasse over changes to Northern Ireland protocol

The two sides have been trying for months to overcome a deadlock over the Northern Ireland protocol, which sets the trading rules for the British region that London agreed before it left the EU

Great Brexit brawl: EU offers to improve Northern Ireland trade

The great Brexit brawl is heading into its next standoff on Wednesday when European Union concessions to improve trade in Northern Ireland look likely to be deemed insufficient by the United Kingdom

Explainer: What is behind the latest unrest in Northern Ireland?

Young people have hurled bricks, fireworks and gasoline bombs at police and set hijacked cars and a bus on fire

Head of UK govt's legal department quits over Brexit deal threat

Jonathan Jones was leaving his job due to a dispute with Johnson's office over its reported plans to undercut the Withdrawal Agreement treaty signed in January

Northern Irish police finds bomb attached to a truck timed for Brexit

Northern Irish police said Thursday they had found a bomb attached to a truck which was intended to go off as the UK left the European Union. The Continuity IRA (Irish Republican Army), a dissident paramilitary group, were blamed for planting what detectives said was a viable device. Dissident republicans like the Continuity IRA seek Northern Ireland's integration into the Republic of Ireland through violent means. Police said a sketchy warning call was made to a media outlet on January 31 -- the day the United Kingdom left the EU -- about a device on a truck in Belfast docks, due to take a ferry to mainland Britain. Searches were conducted and nothing was found. But on Monday, a more detailed warning call said the device had been attached to a truck trailer belonging to a particular haulage company. It was found inland at an industrial estate in Lurgan, southwest of Belfast, and was made safe by British army bomb disposal experts. Police believe the Continuity IRA thought the t

North Ireland legislature set to resume work as deal ends deadlock

The EU and UK struck a deal that effectively leaves Northern Ireland in the EU's custom union and much of the single market to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland

The magic bonding between Ireland and India

Is it about the anti-British sentiment? Or about the politicians, historians and travellers?

The dilemma of Northern Ireland

Today, Northern Ireland will have been without a government for 593 days because Protestants and Catholics can't agree on the terms of cooperation

Northern Ireland unity government crumbles, faces March vote

A govt led jointly by the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein had taken office in 2007