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Mother of murder victim Brianna Ghey and mother of her killer meet and decide to campaign together on dangers of mobile phonesIn an anonymous office on a business park in Warrington, two mothers met last week for the first time. Esther Ghey and Emma Sutton sat down together for what one restorative justice expert called the most “extraordinarily unusual” meeting he had heard of...

Producers say the labelling could add £250m a year to their costs, further fuelling inflationFood industry trade bodies are discussing whether to take legal action against the government over post-Brexit plans that will require all meat and dairy products sold in the UK to be labelled as “not for EU”.Food producers say the labelling could add £250m a year to their costs, further fuelling...

Judges urged to keep proceedings as open as possible in case relating to Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffreyAllegations that UK police and intelligence spied on investigative journalists to identify their sources will be heard by a secret tribunal on Wednesday, with judges urged to ensure as much as possible takes place in open court.Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey asked the investigatory powers tribunal (IPT)...

Leaders pay respects to former taoiseach of 1990s ‘rainbow coalition’ as he is laid to rest in DunboyneThe former Irish taoiseach John Bruton has been described as a “humbling and unassuming” man at his state funeral, attended by senior political figures including the president, Michael D Higgins, and the taoiseach, Leo Varadkar.Ministers, TDs and parliamentary ushers were among those who attended the service at...

Countdown for republicans to potential Irish unification ticks louder as new first minister pledges to ‘serve everyone equally’ at StormontThe chamber’s ornate ceiling remained blue, red and gold, and Portland stone still held up the Stormont edifice, but the beaming Sinn Féin faces declared this was a historic moment for Irish nationalism.Michelle O’Neill became Northern Ireland’s first nationalist first minister in a day of...

Assembly members to gather at Stormont to restore power sharing under Sinn Féin first ministerNorthern Ireland’s devolved government is to reconvene on Saturday after a two-year boycott, with Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill making history as the first nationalist first minister.Assembly members (AMs) are to gather at Parliament Buildings at Stormont at 1pm to restore power-sharing institutions that collapsed exactly two years ago. Continue reading...

‘UK internal market’ to be created to ease unionist fears over de facto border in the Irish SeaNew rules to smooth post-Brexit trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland have been unveiled by the government as part of a deal with the Democratic Unionist party that will restore the Stormont executive and install a Sinn Féin first minister.A command paper titled Safeguarding the Union...

Reeves says she does not have ‘any intention’ of bringing back cap and wants to champion financial services in UKYesterday, as Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP leader, set out details of the deal he has got from the UK government to adjust the Windsor framework, there were no senior figures from his party speaking out to denounce the deal. Full details are only being...

The DUP has endorsed a deal with the UK government to restore power sharing in NI, paving an end to two years of political deadlockGood morning. Rail strikes are still going on in England, but in one part of the UK a long-running “strike” by key public sector workers seems about to come to an end. DUP MLAs (members of the legislative assembly) have...

In today’s newsletter: how the DUP finally brought two-year boycott of Stormont assembly to an end• Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. It took 726 days, and a fraught five hour meeting that ended at one o’clock this morning – but at last, it looks like power-sharing is back on in Northern Ireland.At a press conference after a meeting at...

Disruption expected on Monday as cancellations and delays issued for rail, sea and air with heavy rain and high winds forecastTrain services in Scotland are expected to be suspended until around noon after “a wild night”, Network Rail says.The railway has recovered quickly this morning following Storm Isha with trees and debris cleared across routes in England and Wales, and route proving trains reporting...

Thousands without electricity while roads closed, rail services suspended and flights cancelledStorm Isha – latest updatesThousands of people have been left without power as Storm Isha brings disruption to electricity and transport networks.The storm battered the UK with heavy rain and gusts of up to 99mph with the entire country subject to wind warnings issued by the Met Office. Continue reading...

Damage to buildings and flying debris expected as country set to be battered by wind and rainStorm Isha is set to batter “everybody” in the UK with wind and rain during a “rare” weather cycle, forecasters say.Winds of up to 80mph will swoop in later on Sunday, potentially causing power cuts and loss of mobile phone signal, while roads and bridges are likely to...

Dental union says region will be ‘disproportionately’ affected by EU amalgam phase-out as health service is weakest in UKConcerns have been raised about the future availability of silver dental fillings in Northern Ireland due to an imminent phasing out of the amalgam across the EU.The plan to phase out amalgam by 1 January next year will apply in Northern Ireland due to the Brexit...

Met Office data indicates lows of -11C hit overnight in England, with snow warnings in all four parts of UK on ThursdayThe UK has shivered through another cold night as weather warnings for snow and ice are in place throughout Thursday.Much of the UK endured temperatures below freezing overnight, with preliminary data from the Met Office indicating the mercury fell to as low as...

Sixteen unions take action as collapsed Stormont leaves pay for nurses, teachers and road workers stagnantPublic sector workers have launched what is being billed as one of the biggest strikes in Northern Ireland’s history amid a dispute over pay and political deadlock.Sixteen unions representing nurses, teachers, transport workers, civil servants and other sectors started a joint action on Thursday that was expected to cause...