Covid-19

A study found that working memory and cognitive function in older people rapidly declined during the pandemic

There are numerous things you can do to maintain brain function in older age.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak

Prime Minister's personal phone number is published online

The researchers analysed data from 365 hospitals (Image: Adobe/NationalWorld/Kim Mogg)

167,000 people caught Covid in hospital during England's second wave

The PHA says vaccination is the best defence against Covid variants

COVID-19: Vaccine is a 'vital defence' to new variants - Public Health Agency

Northern Ireland’s chief medical officer Sir Michael McBride has previously urged people to come forward for their vaccinations to reduce pressure on Northern Ireland’s hospitals this winter

New Covid-19 variant detected in Northern Ireland

New report by Ulster University Economic Policy Centre shows that the high demand for remote and hybrid working in Ireland is reflected in an increasing number of organisations offering these working patterns. On average in 2019, 1-3% of online job adverts offered remote/hybrid working across both Ireland and Northern Ireland. However, by January 2023, a significant divergence can be seen with Ireland having a much higher proportion of jobs offering hybrid/remote working,16% compared to only 6% in Northern Ireland.

Report: Ireland embracing remote working while Northern Ireland lags behind

Ann McIvor contracted the virus and passed away alone on May 20, 2020, a barrister has told the UK Covid-19 inquiry. 'On that same date, up to 200 people had been invited to a bring-your-own booze party in Downing Street, an event that was attended by the then-prime minister.'

NI Covid victim died in hospital on same day as Downing St party, inquiry hears

Study launched to monitor current levels of Covid-19 in the UK population

Study launched to monitor current levels of Covid-19 in the UK population

Craigavon Area Hospital. The impact of Covid-19 outbreaks at two Northern Ireland hospitals was “catastrophic”, a report has found

Report finds Covid-19 outbreaks in two NI hospitals were ‘catastrophic’

The business, owned by serial entrepreneur and former BBC Dragons’ Den investor, Duncan Bannatyne OBE, has seen its EBITDA profit more than double to £29.6m and a pre-tax loss of £12.9m turn into a pre-tax profit of £1m in the year ending December 31st 2022. Pictured is Duncan Bannatyne OBE, owner of Bannatyne Health Club & Spa in Belfast

Dragons’ Den investor impressed as his NI health club sees profits restored

Lisburn offsite manufacturer, McAvoy, have won Healthcare Project of the Year at the 2023 Offsite Awards for delivering urgent ward space at two of University Hospitals Birmingham’s Hospitals

NI's McAvoy wins award for delivering vital ward space at Birmingham Hospitals

Covid-19 vaccincation

Appeal for those eligible for COVID-19 booster to avail as new variant here

Mike Browne celebrates his runner-up finish in the opening Supertwin race at the Isle of Man TT with the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing team

Mike Browne and Ulster team Burrows Engineering/RK Racing part company

A woman wears a face mask while walking on Oxford Street.

Pirola: Why scientists are concerned about the new Covid variant

Kate Garraway and her husband Derek Draper before his illness

Kate Garraway shares heartbreaking update on husband’s health

Dead black headed gulls at RSPB Belfast's Window On Wildlife reserve in Belfast Harbour this summer. The RSPB NI said there had been an outbreak of Avian Influenza or bird flu at the reserve. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

QUB professor's concerns about human version of bird flu
A professor of virology at QUB has explained why bird flu has now become a summer threat to birds across NI and why he is part of European efforts to closely monitor any suggestion it might become transmissible between humans.

Teenagers across the country are waking up to their GCSE results in a year when the proportion of top grades awarded is expected to fall. Issue date: Thursday August 24, 2023. PA Photo. Hundreds of thousands of pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are receiving grades to help them progress to sixth form, college or training. Photo David Davies/PA Wire

GCSE top grades fall in NI but remain above pre-pandemic levels

New vaccine centre that aims to limit pandemic impacts unveiled

King Charles and the Queen Consort at Hillsborough Castle following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. Photo: Niall Carson/PA

Royal Collection Trust returns to profit following Covid pandemic lockdowns

There were 11,030 house sales in Northern Ireland in the first six months of 2023 compared to 13,810 last year.
Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire

Northern Ireland house sales take 20% drop

Brenda Doherty of Northern Ireland Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, giving evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry at Dorland House in London

Covid victim was ‘double-bagged like toxic waste’, daughter tells inquiry

Dame Arlene Foster, former first minister of Northern Ireland, arrives to give evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry at Dorland House in London

Covid Inquiry: Not enough consideration given to impact of lockdown says Foster

Professor Sir Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland since 2006, giving evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry at Dorland House in London, during its first investigation (Module 1) examining if the pandemic was properly planned for and "whether the UK was adequately ready for that eventuality"

NI Chief Medical Officer says Brexit preparations diverted pandemic planning

Empire Cinema group enters administration - full list of closures

Brenda Doherty with a picture of her mother Ruth, who was the first female victim of Covid-19 in Northern Ireland

Covid-19 Inquiry: NI campaigners call for accountability for pandemic decisions

Chief Medical Officer Dr Michael McBride

We should not let NHS ‘slip away’ says Chief medical officer

The DWP is set to close 36 ‘temporary’ Jobcentres over the next few months.

Jobcentre closures: DWP to shut 36 sites - see full list
The DWP said it would close more than 30 Jobcentre sites over the next few months - see full list.

Auditor general, Dorinnia Carville, has published the third in a series of overview reports summarising the Northern Ireland Executive’s expenditure in response to the public health emergency.

Audit Office: Cost of Covid in NI almost £8bn

James and Sam enjoy just some of the exciting facilities available for the whole family to enjoy at High Rise. High Rise in Lisburn is turning one on Saturday, 1 July and is celebrating with a fun-filled birthday event for the whole family. Image credit: Contributed / High Rise

Lisburn adventure centre marks first birthday with fun-filled family day out

Michael Sheen, Anna Lundberg, David Tennant and Georgia Tennant

Wednesday: Staged (BBC One, 10.40pm & 11pm)

A woman wears a face mask while walking on Oxford Street durng the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

World must prepare for disease even deadlier than Covid - WHO chief

As Covid travel restrictions have now eased significantly, summer holidays in 2023 are set to see international travel and flights spike in demand. However, data analysed by CompareNI.com shows that 1,258 flights in total were cancelled from Northern Ireland in 2022, averaging around 24 cancelled flights per week

Over 1,250 flights cancelled in Northern Ireland last year

The report estimated that bringing funding levels into line with elsewhere in the United Kingdom would require additional funding, which could be as much as £190 million annually

NI mental health strategy at risk without sustained investment

The latest Northern Ireland Quarterly House Price displays a quarterly house price decline of -0.7% relative to Q4 2022, with the average house price of residential property in Northern Ireland now standing at £203,326. However the apartment sector exhibited the highest quarterly price change with an increase of 0.2% compared to Q4 2022, the average price of an apartment is now £158,621

Northern Ireland housing market sees negative growth - down by 31%

Laura and Raymond pictured with their children Robyn, Luke and Joel officially cutting the ribbon to open The Butchers & Deli Monkstown which underwent a major expansion having moved into new premises. The family moved over from Lisburn to Monkstown two years ago so they could have more of a work life balance

Monkstown butchers expands after 25 years in business

Mike Browne on the Burrows Engineering/RK Racing BMW

Mike Browne finally set for NW200 debut after Covid cancellations and injuries

The Covid-19 pandemic broke out in March 2020, and since then there have been six million related deaths worldwide. But is it finally over?

Covid ‘no longer global health emergency’ - is the pandemic over?

Una Burns, manager of Charlie’s Bar in Enniskillen, talks to staff of the bar removing a lot of negative perceptions about tourism and hospitality not offering the status, conditions, job security, training and career progression opportunities that workers value

Employers recognize people are most important asset in tourism and hospitality

Symptoms of Arcturus as new Covid strain claims five lives

New highly-infectious covid strain Arcturus kills five Brits

Hay-fever or COVID-19: Key differences you need to know as pollen season begins

Is it hay-fever or COVID-19? Key differences you need to know

Retailers along with banks, bars and restaurants have been really struggling over the last decade, with a rise in internet shopping said to be the key contributor in the high street’s decline.

10 major stores to close for good in further blow for UK high street

New Covid variant Arcturus has been found in the UK

Arcturus: New Covid variant found in UK

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. (Photo: MARCELLO PATERNOSTRO/AFP via Getty Images)

Silvio Berlusconi has leukaemia and in intensive care

A new report on the work of the Northern Ireland-based global diagnostics company Randox shows its Covid-19 PCR testing averted more than 3,000 UK deaths and 14,100 additional hospitalisations during the pandemic emergency. Pictured is the Coronavirus which killed millions of people throughout the world

Covid-19 report: NI firm's PCRs averted thousands of hospitalisations and deaths

WrestleMania will go Hollywood for one final time with Night 2 which airs on Sunday, April 2 - Credit: WWE

How to watch WWE WrestleMania 39 - full match card and UK start time

Norovirus levels remain high (Photo: Adobe)

UKHSA briefing: norovirus cases remain high across country

Pope Francis has been admitted to hospital with a pulmonary infection.

Pope requires 'several days of therapy' for pulmonary infection

The NHS Covid-19 app will close after a three-year run

NHS Covid-19 app to close after three years - here’s when

Lockdown was prescribed by doctors to save lives

Letters: Side effects of lockdown are now emerging

COVID-19 vaccine for healthy under-50s to end on June 30

Covid-19 vaccine for healthy people to end in few weeks

Former prime minister Boris Johnson leaves his home in London. Mr Johnson will give evidence as to whether he knowingly misled Parliament over partygate at a hearing of the Commons Privileges Committee in Portcullis House in central London. Picture date: Wednesday March 22, 2023. Credit: PA

Boris Johnson’s Partygate hearing - Who is on the Privileges Committee

An event dedicated to helping the Agri-Food Sector grow was held at the Innovation Factory in partnership with Belfast Met. An audience of new and growing business owners heard how new opportunities should be opening up this year as buyers begin to look to increase local products on the shelves. Pictured here are the speakers and organisers at the event.

New opportunities predicted for Northern Ireland’s food manufacturing industry

The Memory Stones Of Love have been on tour around Northern Ireland since the summer

Candlelit vigil organised to remember Covid dead at Belfast City Hall

Pay a special tribute to your mum, or mother figure, in this weekend's News Letter

Mother's Day: We would love to hear about your amazing mums

Covid-19 booster injections will be offered to some this spring

Everything you need to know about spring 2023 Covid-19 booster jabs