Chief vet call after bird flu confirmed in County Monaghan
Louise Cullen BBC NI Agriculture & Environment Correspondent Getty Images The strain of bird flu (H5N1) is described as “highly pathogenic” Bird keepers have been urged to improve their biosecurity after avian influenza was confirmed in a commercial turkey flock in County Monaghan. The chief vet for Northern Ireland, Robert Huey, and Agriculture Minister Edwin […]
Wales’ pubs, restaurants fear ‘crippling’ rules
BBC Ashley Stephens and Porscha Hilton are concerned about customers staying away from the Unicorn in Pontypool Pubs and restaurants in Wales say they fear they could be “crippled” by new Covid rules brought in for the hospitality industry. Two metre social distancing is also back, along with mask wearing, table service rules and contact […]
Israel troops withdraw from corridor that split Gaza in two
Reuters Reports suggest Gazans are finding scenes of total destruction as they head home Israeli troops have withdrawn from the Netzarim Corridor – a military zone cutting off the north of the Gaza Strip from the south. Hundreds of Palestinians in cars and on carts laden with mattresses and other goods began returning to northern […]
Temperature rises over climate change
PA Ms Sturgeon insisted Scotland continues to be a world leader on climate change A few sums first. Nicola Sturgeon leads a minority government at Holyrood. To get her budget passed, she needs support from at least one more party. SNP plus Green adds up to that required level of support. So, of course, when […]
MPs call for consultation to ban real fur
Getty Images This model is wearing a fake fur jacket – now sales of real fur could be banned A ban on sales of real fur should be considered, a committee of MPs has recommended. The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) Committee investigation into the issue came after some real fur was found wrongly […]
NI hotels and bars reopen their doors
BBC News NI explains what customers can expect as pubs and restaurants reopen Northern Ireland’s hotels, bars, restaurants and cafes have reopened, after months of closure during the coronavirus lockdown. Pubs and bars must serve food and operate on a table service basis; those pubs that do not serve food will be allowed to sell […]
Nasa’s Orion capsule on target for splashdown
“Earthrise”: Orion saw our planet climbing above the Moon’s horizon The US space agency Nasa is all set to bring home its Orion capsule. The spaceship, which has been on a three-week journey around the Moon, is targeting a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off California. Uncrewed for this test flight, the capsule is expected […]
Freed men arrive home to tears of joy in Bangkok
Thomas Mackintosh BBC News Watch: Moment Thai hostages reunite with families after 15 months Five Thai farm workers released by Hamas in Gaza last month have arrived home in Bangkok, after spending nearly 500 days in captivity. Pongsak Thaenna, Sathian Suwannakham, Watchara Sriaoun, Bannawat Saethao and Surasak Lamnao had all been working in southern Israel […]
Some supermarket food prices ‘should fall’ soon
Michael Race Business reporter, BBC News Getty Images The cost of a food shop “should start” to come down in the next few months, the body which represents UK supermarkets has claimed. Supermarkets will start passing on cost savings for milk and other dairy goods due to cuts in wholesale prices, the British Retail Consortium […]
New heights but no high
David Silverberg Business reporter Margaret MacKenzie Margaret MacKenzie (left) is looking to grow a lot more hemp When Margaret MacKenzie heard that President Trump had legalised the cultivation of hemp across the US just before Christmas, she immediately thought: “Oh boy, here we go! Things are going to move very fast.” The Colorado farmer tends […]