Mother shot dead by ICE agents visited NI on youth missions
OWEN SCOTT, Belfast Telegraph, January 9th, 2026
OUTPOURING OF GRIEF IN US AFTER DEVOTED CHRISTIAN KILLED BY IMMIGRATION OFFICER
A woman shot and killed by an ICE agent in the US on Wednesday was a devoted Christian who had previously travelled to Northern Ireland on youth missions.
There has been an outpouring of grief for “amazing” poet Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother-of-three from Colorado Springs who was killed after her vehicle blocked a street in Minneapolis during an active ICE operation.
Dozens of protesters gathered early yesterday outside of a federal building on the edge of Minneapolis that is serving as a major base for the immigration crackdown.
They shouted “no more Ice”, “go home Nazis”, “quit your job” and “justice now” as US Border Patrol officers pushed them back from the gate, doused them with pepper spray and fired tear gas.
Demonstrations also took place across other US cities including New York, Seattle, Detroit, Washington DC and Los Angeles. Protests are also scheduled in smaller cities later this week in Arizona, North Carolina, and New Hampshire.
Bystanders captured video of Ms Macklin Good's killing in a residential neighbourhood and hundreds of people turned up for a Wednesday night vigil to mourn her death and urge the public to resist the immigration crackdown.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed that officers were forced to open fire because Good had “engaged in domestic terrorism.”
Noem said that Good rammed her vehicle into officers while leaving the scene, although this version of events has been disputed.
‘Extremely compassionate’
Good's mother, Donna Granger, referred to her daughter as “one of the kindest people I've ever known” in an interview with The Minnesota Star-Tribune. She added that Good was “not part” of any organised protests against ICE.
“She was extremely compassionate. She's taken care of people all her life,” Granger said. “She was loving, forgiving and affectionate. She was an amazing human being.”
Her father, Tim Granger, echoed Donna's sentiment. Speaking to The Washington Post, he said that his daughter had a “good life, but a hard life.”
Donna later told The Daily Telegraph that her late daughter was living in Minneapolis with her wife, Becca Good.
Good previously went by Renee Macklin, thanks to her marriage to the father of her youngest child, Tim Ray Macklin Jr.
Macklin Jr, who had spent 14 years in the US Air Force before retiring and pursuing stand-up comedy, died in 2023, according to his obituary.
The couple even hosted a podcast together for a period. His father has called the couple's child an “orphan” in the wake of Wednesday's shooting.
Good remarried and took her wife's surname that same year, according to records seen by The Kansas City Star.
Timmy Ray Macklin Sr, her late husband's father, confirmed to The Telegraph that he plans to travel to Minnesota to collect his grandson.
Grandchild
“My main concern right now is getting my grandchild,” he said.
“It is horrible, it's murder. Everybody is terribly shocked right now,” he added, referencing Good's killing. “She was a good, outgoing person. I didn't agree with a lot of her ways, but it's really sad to see these things happen.”
In a separate interview with the Star-Tribune, he confirmed that Good also had two other children who lived with her extended family.
Her first husband, who spoke to US media on condition that his name was not used, said that Good was not an activist and that she was a devoted Christian who went to Northern Ireland on youth missions when she was younger.
Mary Radford, one of Good's neighbours, told the newspaper that the late 37-year-old had a “beautiful family.”
“They have a son. He's very sweet. He loves our dog. He always has to go run up and pet and play with her,” she said. “They're always outside playing.”
Radford told the newspaper that she was “gonna miss seeing them,” and that she was concerned for Good's son.
“It is so painful to think about how he's gonna fare in his life,” she said. “And I just can't even imagine what that family is going through.”
Good was known for her creative endeavours, describing herself as a “poet and a writer” on an Instagram account that appeared to belong to her.
Facebook page for Norfolk, Virginia-based Old Dominion University English Department, she won an undergraduate poetry prize in 2020 for a work titled “On Learning to Dissect Fetal Pigs.”
“When she is not writing, reading or talking about writing, she has movie marathons and makes messy art,” the English Department's post continued.
‘Fear and violence have sadly become commonplace’
Speaking to The Washington Post, ODU's president, Brian O Hemphill, said that Good had graduated with a degree in English in 2020.
“This is yet another clear example that fear and violence have sadly become commonplace in our nation,” he added. “May Renee's life be a reminder of what unites us: freedom, love, and peace.”
Her shooting has sparked fury from local officials, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey delivering a stark message to the ICE agents sent to the city by Trump.
“Get the f*** out,” he said. “This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying, getting killed,” he continued.
His fury has been echoed by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who tore into a DHS statement about Good's killing.
“I've seen the video. Don't believe this propaganda machine,” Walz wrote on X. “The state will ensure there is a full, fair, and expeditious investigation to ensure accountability and justice.”
‘All they’re achieving is a bill for the ratepayer’
MARK ROBINSON, Irish News, January 9th, 2026
AN MLA says the only thing those behind attacks on Irish language street signs are achieving is a “bill for ratepayers” as new figures reveal that councils in the north have spent over £55,000 on repair bills since 2020.
Across the north’s 11 councils, 499 reported incidents of damage to bilingual signs were reported in the five-year period, resulting in an average repair bill of £110 per incident.
Overall, around 70% of the incidents took place in just two council areas, with their repair bills accounting for 90% of the total expenditure.
In response to a Freedom of Information request from The Irish News, six councils confirmed that they had recorded incidents of damage to bilingual street signs within their districts.
More than half of all the total incidents (257) took place within the Mid Ulster area, setting the council back £25,580 over the last five years and representing 46.9% of the total spend across all council areas.
Incidents of damage to signs can range from vandalism caused by markers or spray paint to signs being cut out, with repairs ranging from cleaning to replacement and resulting in varying costs.
In November last year, a Mid Ulster council official said that damage included signs being “destroyed by blow torch” or being “damaged by pellet gun”.
While the repair spend was highest in Mid Ulster, the average repair cost was £99.53.
Meanwhile, the area with the next highest spend, Fermanagh and Omagh, worked out at an average repair of £222.71 per incident across its 105 reports for a total of £23,385.
Attacks on Irish signs ‘deeply disappointing’
Incidents were recorded in the district from 2022 onwards, with £15,790 spent on repairs for 32 incidents in 2023/24 financial year – at an average of £493.44.
The area with the next highest repair expenditure was Belfast, which totalled £4,894.16 across 96 incidents between records commencing in late 2023 and December 2025.
As reported in December, incidents of damage rose in the city last year with damage occurring at a rate of one incident per week.
There were also 37 reported incidents of damage to signs in Newry, Mourne and Down – with the council unable to distinguish how much it spent on repairs from its annual budget of £5,000 for erecting and maintaining signage.
Elsewhere, three incidents occurred in Derry and Strabane, costing the council £590 in repairs, with one incident in Antrim and Newtownabbey cost £100 to repair.
The remaining councils either had no reported incidents of damage or did not have signs within their district.
SDLP MLA for Mid Ulster and party spokesperson for the Irish language, Patsy McGlone, said that the repeated attacks on signs across his constituency and the north were “deeply disappointing”.
“These signs have been installed because they have the support of people living in these areas,” he said.
“They are simply a recognition of culture and pose no threat to anyone.
“What these figures show is the futility of these attacks and the not insignificant cost to local councils. All those behind these attacks are achieving is a bill for ratepayers.
“These signs are not going away, any sign defaced or destroyed will have to be repaired or replaced and that leaves council with less money to spend on other important initiatives.”
Mr McGlone added that the language was growing not only across Ireland but further afield and that it was “something to be celebrated”.
“I would urge people, whatever their background, to show respect and tolerance for people’s culture and heritage.”
Varying levels of damage dictate the associated cost of repairs.
EX-PSNI MAN AIMS UUP LEADERSHIP WITH PARTY'S ONLY FEMALE MLA AS DEPUTY
BRETT CAMPBELL, Belfast Telegraph, January 9th, 2026
The only candidate to declare so far for the leadership of the Ulster Unionists has praised outgoing party chief Mike Nesbitt for inspiring him to enter politics — but offered no guarantee that he would allow the Strangford MLA to stay on as health minister if he wins.
Former policeman Jon Burrows declared his leadership bid at Stormont yesterday, and immediately ruled himself out of taking a seat at the Executive table if he succeeds. “I will not be a minister, because I want to lead the party and make it the biggest party in Northern Ireland,” he said.
The prospective new leader of the Ulster Unionist Party has praised Mike Nesbitt for inspiring him to enter politics — but stopped short of promising to allow him to stay on as health minister.
Jon Burrows announced his leadership bid at Stormont yesterday morning and set out his plan to create a party that is “clear, credible and on the front foot”.
The North Antrim MLA, who was co-opted into the Assembly last July, ruled himself out of taking a seat at the Executive table if his leadership bid succeeds. But when asked by the Belfast Telegraph if will keep the outgoing leader as the party's only departmental minister, Mr Burrows refused to make any commitment.
“First of all, there's a contest to compete in and hopefully win. I will have those conversations then. It would be premature to talk about it now,” he told this newspaper.
Asked if he can give an assurance now, Mr Burrows said: “I'm unsure who is going to be leader.”
Pushed further and asked if Mr Nesbitt will remain in charge of the Department of Health if he wins the leadership contest, Mr Burrows dodged the question and paid a glowing tribute to his colleague: “Mike Nesbitt has been an excellent leader of the health ministry.
“We were the party that took that ministry, which showed our public service credentials. It's not a department that's easy, it's not an obvious vote winner and it's not easy to do.
“Mike Nesbitt has been honest with the public about the challenges and started a reform programme to shift towards a prevention model of medicine that is actually a game changer for NI.
“It's a lot of hard work. Mike's an outstanding politician and he's one of the reasons I joined Ulster politics.”
The Strangford MLA and ex-broadcaster confirmed he intends to step down from the top position in the party to allow someone new to take it into the next Assembly election, expected to take place in May 2027.
Mr Nesbitt will remain in the role until his successor is chosen at an extraordinary general meeting of the party on January 31.
Mr Burrows insisted he has “no self-interest in being a minister” and stressed that his mission to return the UUP to being “the biggest party in Northern Ireland” will be a full-time job.
The party's only female MLA, Diana Armstrong, is running on the same ticket to be deputy leader.
They both dismissed criticism of the fact they are unelected, with Ms Armstrong also being co-opted to represent Fermanagh and South Tyrone in 2024.
‘Arrest stagnation’
As Mr Burrows set out his plan to “arrest stagnation” in the party, he said his legitimacy will come from the internal democratic contest which will include two members-only hustings.
He said: “I think there's a parochial view [behind the criticism]. We need to recognise talent and leadership in public service, [as well as] energy and drive. I've shown those skills in public service and I will show them again...
“It is absolutely legitimate that I stand. We have a Deputy First Minister who is unelected. We've had ministers before in our Executive who were unelected...”
Acknowledging it is crucial that he wins his constituency seat at the next Assembly election, the former senior PSNI officer said he is “standing on merit” and looks forward to a “healthy contest”.
But as things stand, the change of leadership could end up being a coronation, as no rival has entered the race since nominations opened on Wednesday.
Mr Burrows encouraged other MLAs to enter the fray to “give members a choice”, but he refused to be drawn on commenting on Robbie Butler directly while promising to never “run down my colleagues”.
Describing his own bid a demonstration of “decisive leadership”, he promised to bring “real change”.
If a rival does come forward, Mr Burrows vows to abide by the decision of party officers when it comes to whether or not there will be a public debate.
Ms Armstrong, who thanked her colleague for choosing her as his running mate, refused to comment on any conversations she has had with Mr Butler, the party's current deputy leader, as she defended her own credentials.
“I think the conversations between the three of us should remain private. We have agreed that to protect the integrity of the process,” she said.
“Robbie is a very valued and trusted colleague who has displayed a lot of support to me in my time here.”
Ms Armstrong pointed out that she secured almost 20,000 votes in the last Westminster election and served as a councillor for almost a decade after topping the polls in Fermanagh and Omagh.
Speaking to this newspaper after the press conference at Parliament Buildings, Mr Burrows pointed to seven other UUP MLAs and an MP who are elected, in addition to scores of councillors.
“Members will decide if I should be their leader, and the electorate will decide if I should be returned,” he continued.
Vowing that the UUP “will never be timid and quiet” under his guidance, Mr Burrows promised to “offer a crystal-clear vision” to voters who want “credibility, common sense and straight-talking solutions” in a polarised political climate.
He talks a very good game, but can Burrows rebuild UUP's electoral hopes?
Alex Kane, Belfast Telegraph, January 9th, 2026
It says something about the UUP — although I'm not entirely sure what the something is — that the presently odds-on favourite to succeed Mike Nesbitt has been in the party for such a brief time and only been an MLA for four months.
It also says something that the possible next leader and deputy leader of the UUP, Jon Burrows and Diana Armstrong, are both co-opted.
Burrows hit the ground running after he signed in as an MLA last August. Within a matter of weeks he was, with the exception of Nesbitt — and maybe even Robin Swann — the highest profile UUP representative.
And when Nesbitt hung a huge question mark over his leadership a couple of months ago, Burrows clearly viewed it as the starting gun to be his successor.
He was helped by the numbers. Of the nine MLAs, three were former leaders and three had no interest and also very little chance of success.
That left Burrows himself, Robbie Butler (the present deputy leader and possible candidate) and Diana Armstrong who, I think, had no interest in leadership but who would be tempted by the deputy role. Which is why she became a key dynamic in the process and potentially crucial to whichever candidate got her on board.
The additional facts that she is the party's only female MLA, as well as a member of the Fermanagh/South Tyrone association — by a considerable margin, the largest in terms of membership — was also important. Burrows and Butler talked to her and Burrows won, raising enormously his chances of winning.
But what does a Burrows leadership mean for the UUP? To some extent that depends on how he wins — if he does win.
Coronation or Contest?
A coronation frees him up quite considerably because it means he won't have to go into clinical detail during hustings sessions.
A contest, which I actually favour, forces the candidates to put flesh on the bones: and that can sometimes trip-up the original favourite.
A contest which produces a landslide victory — which is what happened in 2012, in Nesbitt's favour — is probably the best kind of victory. But a contest which ends in a 60-40 win can create huge problems.
Burrows hasn't really been long enough in the party-political game for anyone to judge his record. He certainly talks an incredibly good game; but he hasn't really had to participate in the game at any important level.
The press statement which accompanied his formal candidacy yesterday morning was heavy on what needed to be done, yet it struck me as light on what he actually planned to do in terms of rebuilding the electoral fortunes of the party.
In quite a few ways the statement was similar to what Reg Empey, Tom Elliott and Mike Nesbitt said during their campaigns for leadership; yet none of the three managed to turn he tide and return the party to anything like its previous votes and seats.
There were moments of hope here and there, yet the blunt reality is that the UUP is behind SF, DUP and Alliance in the Assembly and also behind the TUV in recent LucidTalk polls.
Whatever else Burrows may do between now and May 2027, the only thing he will be judged on is how the party performs in that year's Assembly and local council elections.
The party on the ground — where the challenging work of elections is done — is desperate for the sort of success that will attract new members and more enthusiasm on the doorsteps. I don't think a blip will be enough this time. The party wants to see Alliance, TUV and SDLP in the rear-view mirror. It wants to be in the running for at least two ministerial positions in the Executive. And it wants to be looking forward to the 2029 general election.
As Margaret Thatcher noted, “there is nothing quite like victory to keep the backbenchers and potential rebels quiet”. Burrows will be expected to deliver that victory.
As I say, nothing else really matters to the party. Victory means votes, members, finance and the palpable perception of success. But how is that victory achieved.
In yesterday's statement he described himself as an 'unapologetic unionist,' but so would any member of a unionist party. Will he shift the party a little closer to the DUP and TUV? Will he discuss electoral pacts? Will he reach out to UUP voters who shifted to Alliance or just stay at home now? Is he a liberal, moderate, traditionalist or big tent unionist?
If there is a contest then the answer to some of these questions may be teased out; although he will certainly be pressed on them by journalists in the next few weeks even if there isn't a contest.
At this point I have no firm conclusions to draw from the available evidence. But as I said at the outset, the very fact he is presently the favourite tells you something quite significant about the UUP right now. Meanwhile, he is waiting to see what Butler does.
Council looks to remove all flags and banners from its properties
MICHAEL KENWOOD, Irish News, January 9th, 2026
BELFAST Council is to make an audit of flags and banners flown by third parties on council property, after loyalist paramilitary flags had to be taken down from a children’s playpark and sports pitches last month.
At the latest council committee meeting, elected representatives agreed that in relation to the display of flags in some council owned assets, an audit would be undertaken, including the council’s leisure facilities.
Officers will count and name all the council assets with flags and banners attached, with a view to removing them. The decision will have to be ratified by the full council.
At the December meeting of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee, Sinn Féin Councillor Ryan Murphy said: “In relation to the display of flags, in North Belfast, a children’s playpark and MUGA is currently bedecked with UDA and UFF flags.
“It was victims who came forward to myself and raised this one, and I am concerned that we are waiting for a report (to the committee) at a later point in relation to how we are going to take steps to remove this, and what it does in terms of our reputation as a council. We need to be taking steps now.”
Chief Executive of Belfast City Council, John Walsh, interjected by stating the flags had been removed from the MUGA in question. The name of the exact public park in north Belfast was not disclosed.
Councillor Murphy replied: “I appreciate the steps that have been taken to do that, but obviously there was a length of time between when this was initially highlighted and when they were removed.”
Sinn Féin Councillor Ciaran Beattie asked if all flags had been removed from all council assets. The chief executive replied: “Not at this time, but that one was prioritised.”
Councillor Beattie said: “That is the worry. And this needs a paper to come back, to any committee. Because there shouldn’t be any flags, I mean any flags, or banners, or posters, on any of our assets.
Belfast City Council wants to remove flags and banners of paramilitary organisations from its properties
“And when and where they arise, they should be removed. So I don’t understand why this has taken so long. We are talking years that some of these flags have been above community centres. Community centres are for everyone, not just for one section of the community. Why are they not being removed?”
The chief executive replied: “Because traditionally the approach to these issues has been to engage through communities, and this was long before me by the way, in order to get around to a better position in terms of resolution, without causing community tension. That has been the approach for many years.”
Councillor Beattie said: “Under previous directives on posts, they were taken down at night. It was reported.”
The chief executive replied: “On that MUGA, that is certainly what happened, but not in respect of other facilities.”
Alliance Councillor Michael Long said: “I welcome the fact there has been movement at this site, but there are nine other sites. A couple of them I understand have less issues, because there is a very long and wide site.
Not interested in talking to ‘gate keepers’
“But I am not interested in ‘community engagement’, because I know what that means. It does not mean talking to the actual community, it means talking to the ‘gatekeepers’ of Chief Executive of Belfast City Council, John Walsh those communities, and I totally object to those people having a say in terms of our grounds.
“I have made it clear, these things should not be on our civic buildings, where we provide a service to the public
“We have made it pretty clear what we are expecting on all of those issues, without having to come back to another S,P & R Committee after this one.”
He added: “The current way of doing things is unacceptable”, adding “the flags in North Belfast are terrible, they amount to terror related organisations that are allowed to stay on our grounds for a long time.”
He said: “The principle should be where these things go up, we remove them quickly, so there isn’t an opportunity for there to be problems.”
DUP Councillor Sarah Bunting said: “It is a trope to say community engagement means engaging with gatekeepers. (Regarding) the flag on Finaghy Community Centre, the engagement I had with communities was with a woman from the local community group, and I think she would take offence at being classed as a gatekeeper, or any insinuation she was anything other than a volunteer who works in her community.
“She has been there for her lifetime, (helping) many of the residents who live there, and they feel they would like to keep their identity flying there.”
The chief executive said: “I have made it clear, these things should not be on our civic buildings, where we provide a service to the public.”
He said if there was a “clear mandate” council officers would do an audit of all council facilities, and added: “If anything is there it will be removed.”
SDLP Councillor Séamas de Faoite said: “I am aware of a school who wanted to hold a Teddy Bear picnic as part of their Open Day, who were told they couldn’t have banners on the fences of our parks. My understanding is that there shouldn’t be banners, and that is the position anyway, and it is not a case of us setting a new position.”
Mural for David Ervine unveiled as part of a restoration project
MARK BAIN, Belfast Telegraph, January 9th, 2026
Former Progressive Unionist Party leader David Ervine has been remembered at a special ceremony in his native east Belfast with the unveiling of a restored mural celebrating his contribution to the peace process and the community he served.
Members of the late loyalist leader's family were in attendance on the 19th anniversary of his death as the mural was revealed, the first part of a restoration project which will see a garden of remembrance in his memory fully restored in Montrose Street.
The project to restore the garden has been the work of members of Ulster Tower Street Community Development Association after the mural and garden was left badly damaged by a storm several years ago.
The unveiling of the mural is the first phase of the project to restore the garden remembering the man who had served as MLA for East Belfast between 1998 and 2007, was leader of the PUP for five years, and was instrumental in securing a loyalist ceasefire in 1994 ahead of 1998's Good Friday Agreement.
Before that, he had been a member of the UVF, and in 1974 was sentenced to 11 years after being caught driving a car containing materials for a bomb.
John Williamson, chair of the community group, said the aim is to have everything finished by the 20th anniversary of David's passing next January.
“During Covid that place was in a bad state of repair,” he explained. “In truth, it was a bit of a disgrace, so as a community group we decided to try to revive it. It started with a few kids just tidying things up, but we wanted to do the job properly, formed the David Ervine Committee and approached East Belfast PUP to ask if they would let us regenerate it for the community.
“We decided as a community to raise the money to do it ourselves for someone who did so much for his community. We want to create a space that truly reflects David's life, welcoming, inclusive, and rooted in east Belfast.
“The mural is just the first phase and it looks impressive, brown and cream and non-political, a few hundred yards from where he was born and raised.”
The regeneration of the garden has had the backing of David's family, with brother Brian Ervine among those who spoke at the unveiling on Thursday night.
“We'd had a mural there before,” said Brian. “The words on it were 'those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it'. Words that serve as a reminder that there are alternatives to what we all came through as a community.
“Storm Ophelia damaged the wall back in 2017. We had to remove David's thinking chair which was part of the garden,” added Brian.
“The place was unsafe, the wall came down, but now we're delighted to see everything taking shape to be back how it was as a tribute and memory to the work David did in the community. And we have David's original chair back.
“David's story is well known in an older generation,” he added.
“What this mural and garden will do is remind people of what he brought to this community.
“Senator George Mitchell described him as a 'true statesman'. Not bad for a young lad from Chamberlain Street whose journey through took him into Long Kesh then on to The White House.”
Stormont needs to get multi-year budget right, says Little-Pengelly
Rebecca Black, Belfast Telegraph, January 9th, 2026
The Deputy First Minister has insisted Stormont needs to get their first multi-year budget in more than a decade “right”.
Emma Little-Pengelly described a “real opportunity”, but said the current proposals put forward by Finance Minister John O'Dowd are “not sufficient”.
She said it “needs to be got right”, and highlighted issues including special education needs (Sen) provision, need for public housing and investment in water and sewage provision.
Mr O'Dowd published his draft budget earlier this week amid an ongoing disagreement within the powersharing administration on how funds will be allocated to individual departments.
The Sinn Fein minister urged Executive colleagues to engage with his proposals in a “constructive manner” and keep their “eyes on the prize” of setting a multi-year budget - something Stormont has been unable to do for more than 10 years.
However, in a signal of how far apart the two lead Executive parties remain on the issue, the DUP rejected the draft spending plan as “deeply flawed” and in need of “significant changes”.
Ms Little-Pengelly said there are “some good things” in the proposals, but said there are also concerns, particularly around funding for the Education and Communities departments.
“The way we deal with the budget needs to fit the purpose of what we're trying to achieve,” she told BBC Radio Ulster on Thursday morning.
“If there was more money, of course more money could be allocated to departments, but we also must look at the money that we're spending at the moment. It is not just about additional money, but how we are spending that money.
“I have urged the Finance Minister to take a look at a line-by-line budget scrutiny … take a look at what is it that we're doing, how are we spending money, can we be spending that money in a better way, does that meet the prioritisation, can we drive efficiency.”
She added: “The budget at the moment is set out as not sufficient for education, not sufficient to give the communities minster that funding to meet his targets set out for housing in the programme for government.”
Belfast Chamber welcomes multi-year Budget
However, the Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce has warmly welcomed the announcement of Stormont's first multi-year budget in more than a decade as coming “not a moment too soon”.
Clare Guinness, chief executive officer of the Belfast Chamber, said that “having been without a multi-year budget for over a decade, it is very welcome to finally see Northern Ireland's financial planning being aligned with the Programme for Government”.
“The announcement of this consultation is therefore not a moment too soon. While a multi-year budget would by no means be a panacea, it would represent an important first step towards creating an environment in which financial decisions can be made on a more strategic basis, with a medium to long-term view,” she said.
“This is something Belfast Chamber has lobbied for. Until now, Northern Ireland has been forced to muddle through with year-to-year budgeting. No business could operate successfully like that, and as a region we should not be expected to do so either.
“Greater certainty gives public services, investors and the wider economy a better platform for planning, reform and delivery. We realise there are significant constraints on the finances available, meaning the much-talked about transformation must become a reality.”
Belfast mum claims shootings days before Christmas were sectarian
AMY COCHRANE, Belfast Telegraph, January 9th, 2026
FAMILY FORCED FROM HOME AFTER TWO INCIDENTS DUE TO 'COMMUNITY THREAT'
A Belfast mum-of-three has said that shootings at both her and her mother's home, just days before Christmas, were due to a sectarian threat in the area rather than drugs.
Speaking to the BBC's Nolan Show yesterday, Kirsty explained that her three children — aged 10, seven and 9 months — were left “frightened” and the two older children will now have to move schools.
On Friday, December 19, four shots were fired at Kirsty's home on Woodvale Avenue in north Belfast.
At the time, loyalist paramilitaries were blamed for the attack.
The next evening, at around 7.45pm on Saturday, December 20, shots were also fired at Kirsty's mother's home on Ainsworth Street, where the three children were also present.
“On the Friday night, my baby's daddy was inside my house at the time and he thought he heard fireworks, but it was actually gunshots and then police ended up coming half an hour later, telling me my windows were shot at,” she told The Nolan Show.
“I was annoyed and hurt; it could have been worse if me or my kids were in my house.”
When her mother's home was targeted the next day, her nine-month-old baby was sleeping in her pram in the kitchen.
“We were sitting in her kitchen, my kids were upstairs along with my wee brother and there were gunshots through the house,” she explained.
“My wee baby was in her pram sleeping at the kitchen at the time.”
When asked how she feels now, the Belfast woman said it “feels like a dream”.
“It hasn't hit me yet,” she said.
“It's my kids I feel sorry for, it was so close to Christmas.”
After the attacks, Kirsty and her children had to leave her home and the family are currently in temporary accommodation waiting on a permanent residence.
“My kids can't go back to their own school, over something that's just not true,” she said.
“My wee girl wants to go back home, I told her we can't go back home, I've been told by someone I can't go back.”
Kirsty said her social worker told her she can't return home due to a “community threat” in the area.
When asked if she thinks she's a threat, she replied: “No, I haven't done anything wrong.”
She added that she feels there is a sectarian element to the reasons.
“It's just people that wanted me out of the area and my baby's daddy, because he's a Catholic,” she said.
“I was told it was a drug gang from the New Lodge and I don't know why they targeted me.
“I'm fed up of people saying we were put out of the area for selling heroin, which is not the case, they'll put it down to anything, it's to do with sectarianism.”
A PSNI spokesperson said at the time: “We are treating these incidents with the utmost seriousness and the public should expect to see an enhanced police presence in the area over the coming days as enquiries continue.
“We are asking anyone who may have information, or relevant dashcam, CCTV or doorbell footage that could assist with our enquiries, to contact us on 101, quoting reference 1318 19/12/25.”
Plans to make Lisburn Council land ‘bonfire free’ on 11th night
By Donal McMahon, Belfast News Letter, January 9th, 2026
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council is aiming to covert nine remaining bonfire sites on its land to beacon use instead of traditional 11th Night bonfires.
But the council has been encouraged to engage with bonfire builders to make this happen.
DUP Alderman Sharon Skillen said: “In times before on discussions such as this we had the bonfire builders around the table. Can we look at that in future discussion towards beacons?
“Previously this led to cooperation resulting in moves towards no tyres being on sites.
"There is one problematic bonfire in Castlereagh East at a play park and such discussions could only be positive.”
The committee has now agreed to ringfence £25k for the hire of beacons, which caused some concerns to Alliance councillor Sharon Lowry of being “quite a small” budget to convert the remaining nine council sites.
The chamber was told the funding could be reviewed.
A report before the committee showed that 11 council sites in the district held a beacon instead of a bonfire last year, with nine council sites having a traditional bonfire.
The bonfires are lit on 11 July to kick off the Twelfth celebrations to commemorate the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.
More eco-friendly beacons have been appearing around Northern Ireland in the last few years.
These are smaller, pyramid-shaped steel structures, which are pre-filled with a carbon neutral willow wood.
They stand on a bed of sand to avoid damage to roads and surfaces, and are designed to be reusable.
Deputy Mayor Hazel Legge said: “Beacons have proved to be successful in their operation and clean up afterwards.
"Could we organise for those who have used beacons to speak with anyone who has doubts or would say ‘oh no we always had bonfires’.
“It could encourage more across to beacon use.”
A council officer confirmed consideration of inter-agency groups would be made.
The communities committee this week also closed off into a confidential session for almost 20 minutes over Alliance councillor Gretta Thompson’s “staff” concerns at council bonfire sites.
The special blend of magic that has created ‘Hogwarts na Gaeilge’
Gaelcholáiste Dhoire in Dungiven is celebrating its 10th anniversary but looking firmly towards the future, as Robert McMillen found out
THE castle setting of Gaelcholáiste Dhoire in Dungiven has led to the Irish-medium College being dubbed “Hogwarts na Gaeilge” and, given its humble beginnings, there seems to be magic at play on the ever-expanding Co Derry campus.
However, over the past 10 years since it opened – and for years before – the Gaelcholáiste has been built on love, determination and hard work rather than potions and games of Quidditch, as principal Diarmuid Ua Bruadair explains.
“You could say that it was a case of ‘build it and they will come’ but the building was seven or eight years in the planning and the group of parents, education and Irish language activists in south Derry looked at the idea of starting an Irish language secondary school a number of years previously.
“However, when they looked at the numbers of pupils coming through Irish medium primary schools, they realised there wouldn’t be enough demand for a secondary school.
“So in 2007 they started recruiting for primary schools and nursery schools and, seven years later, they felt that there was enough of a schoolage population there to merit a secondary school, and they then put a proposal together which was approved by Education Minister John O’Dowd in December 2014, and the school then opened in September.
“So it was a case of people who were passionate about promoting the area’s rich local culture and at the same time wanting the best education for their children and the Irish language sector provided both.”
The success of Gaelcholáiste Dhoire can be measured in numbers.
The school opened with just 14 Year 8 pupils, three teachers and one admin staff.
Today, enrolment at the school currently stands at 364 pupils, with a growing staff team to cater to their needs.
It is envisaged that the school will grow to a longterm enrolment of 600 pupils over the next seven years with between 60 and 70 pupils coming into first year each year.
For a lot of people, the way to judge the success of a school is by its results and Gaelcholáiste Dhoire has a record to be proud of.
As many as 95% of Gaelcholáiste pupils in the last three years have attained their firstchoice course at university and over 80% of pupils attain five GCSEs including English, Maths and Gaeilge.
Others believe that the Irish Language will inhibit pupils in other subjects, especially English, something that couldn’t be further from the truth, as Diarmaid explains.
“Sometimes parents would ask me how pupils become proficient and competent in the use of the English language?
“What we and others have found is that bilinguals actually achieve better at English, and in fact, we would have a 100% pass rate in some years in GCSE English.
“Being bilingual in English and Irish is an added value to the educational offer, something extra. It’s not a choice of either being good at Irish or being good at English, they go together,” he explains.
“As well as the already existing buildings, the school has expanded to include a specialist classroom block for Science and HE; Áras Chianachta, a new 10 classroom block with full specification Technology, Art & Design and Music suites in January 2023 and the renovation of Dungiven Pavillion which was completed in September 2025, now provides the school with on-site sports facilities to cater for the massive interest in Gaelic Games and the development of other team sports such as basketball and soccer,” explains Mr Ua Bruadair.
So, excellence in examination results has been matched by winning ways on the sports field with Ulster Colleges’ titles won in camogie, hurling and football.
“In fact, hurling has had particular success with school teams competing in Division A in all age groups, including in the prestigious Mageean Cup at senior level. PE teacher, Conor Mac Alastair, alongside classroom assistants and past pupils Ruairí and Cathal Ó Mianáin hurl on the Sleacht Néill senior team while camogie is going from strength to strength.
“Sometimes parents would ask me how pupils become proficient and competent in the use of the English language? What we and others have found is that bilinguals actually achieve better at English, and in fact, we would have a 100% pass rate in some years in GCSE English. Being bilingual in English and Irish is an added value to the educational offer, something extra
“Music is also an important aspect of school life and the new music suite in Áras Chianachta has provided suitable accommodation for the various ensembles and choirs at the school while it has also allowed the school to expand the individual tuition programme and allow all students who wish to learn an instrument the opportunity to do so.”
Another feature of Irish-medium education is that it aims to create a homely atmosphere.
“Sometimes it’s the fact that there are smaller classes and there is a very relaxed and informal atmosphere in the school,” explains the Belfast-born Mr Ua Bruadair.
“Irish medium schools, in our school in particular, don’t use ‘Sir’ and ‘Miss’ and surnames.
“Everyone is referred to on a first-name basis. And this does create an informal and relaxed atmosphere where pupils maybe can learn a wee bit better. This creates, I would say, an atmosphere of respect and tolerance where good behaviour, acceptance of the other and collegiality are to the fore.
“Pupils are confident about asking for help and speaking to their teachers. And it’s not disrespectful because I suppose what you end up having is that everyone is on an equal basis and is respected for being a person rather than having a title,” he says.
The vibrant linguistic setting of Gaelcholáiste Dhoire helps the delivery of excellence in education with an emphasis on independent, analytic and creative thinking.
Diarmuid also emphasises that there is a strong emphasis on building pupils’ self-confidence, a strong sense of community, and fostering a culture that values high achievement.
“Some people look at the cognitive benefits of bilingualism and the fact that brain power is improved by speaking more than one language, no matter what language that is. But for a lot of people as well, there’s something more involved than just the cognitive benefits.
“There’s something special about speaking Irish and what Seamus Heaney would have said about how speaking Irish allows you to get an understanding of what being from this part of the country means and if you want a tolerant society, then an understanding of the Irish language is essential.”
Gaelcholáiste Dhoire is having its open day on Saturday, January 10 and Diarmuid Ua Bruadair says it will allow pupils from Derry city, Strabane, Limavady, Magherafelt and all of its feeder primary schools the opportunity to come up and see the development of the Gaelcholáiste campus over the last years, to see their new sports buildings and the facilities that we have which allow us to provide a modern 21st century education through the medium of Irish to all the pupils who attend “Hogwarts na Gaeilge.”
Contrary to Kenova, PIRA was guilty of war crimes, not Army, RUC or MI5
A traitor was a person suspected of giving information to the lawful authorities, for which the penalty was death, according to General Order No 1 of the Provisional Army Council (PAC), 1973.
Kenova linked Stakeknife to 14 killings in the 1980s - a fraction of ‘informer’ deaths
By William Matchett, Belfast News Letter, January 9th, 2026
The seven-man PAC, supported by a small staff, directed the Provisional IRA (PIRA) and its political wing, Provisional Sinn Fein (PSF).
This leadership oversaw a deeply anti-British insurgency.
General Order No 1 was designed to instil fear both within the PIRA/PSF structure and the wider community.
Ordinary people lived in terror that innocent actions or words might be misinterpreted, leading to fatal consequences.
Unlike the TV show, The Traitors, where contestants are simply voted off, here the penalty was death, with no return.
The victim’s family also suffered trauma and social ostracism.
To formalise the hunt for informers the Internal Security Unit (ISU) was established.
Of at least 83 victims, including women and children, most were civilians, and many were not informers at all.
Operation Kenova investigated allegations of serious crimes by the controversial source known as Stakeknife – believed to be Freddie Scappaticci, who died in 2023 – within the ISU.
The investigation also examined his military handlers, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) Special Branch, MI5, and the Prosecution Service.
Suspected informers were often tortured and deceived with false promises of safety if they read the prepared script, only to be shot in the head at close range afterwards.
Sometimes, their bodies were left on landmines.
Confessions were played at press conferences where Provisional Sinn Fein spokesmen blamed and smeared British intelligence, largely Special Branch, even though the Provisional IRA was responsible.
Provo propaganda newspapers echoed the lies and slander.
Kenova missed the chance to question those who had issued these deceits.
Operation Kenova – 50 detectives, 17 advisors, nine years, costing some £50 million – followed the pattern of historical investigations.
It resulted in a publication rather than prosecutions and ultimately concluded that Stakeknife did “more harm than good”, identifying flaws in his handling.
However, the portrayal could mislead people into thinking this was typical of all such cases, which is not accurate.
For example, in 1975 the Belfast PIRA believed they were infiltrated.
This led to a ceasefire and ‘disappearing’ alleged informer Eamon Molloy.
How many lives did that truce save?
A fraction of informer deaths.
Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald praised the lives saved by Sean O’Callaghan, a Provisional IRA chief who became an informer to stop the organisation’s murder campaign.
Kenova linked Stakeknife to 14 killings in the 1980s – a fraction of ‘informer’ deaths.
The highest number of such in a single year was seven (when Stakeknife was in prison in 1974); the lowest was zero (when he was in the ISU in 1983).
The Kingsmill inquest linked a rifle used in the 1976 massacre to ‘informer’ killings in the 1980s, indicating a second ISU within South Armagh/North Louth PIRA, possibly even deadlier.
These facts raise the prospect that Stakeknife’s presence was positive in saving lives and highlight important details omitted from the Kenova publication.
Kenova claimed that a Stakeknife-type scenario would not exist today.
While this might be true in a benign setting like the TV crime drama Hope Street, the reality in a near-civil war situation is very different.
In deadly chaos, even with the best efforts, knowing a murder is planned is not always enough to stop it.
‘Human rights’ groups, focused on criticising former security forces, failed to highlight the gross abuse of international humanitarian law involved in prisoner executions.
This view contributed to the narrative where the actions of the Provisional leadership were not scrutinised.
In legacy, the BBC rely heavily on such groups for commentary.
MI5 did not bend to popular pressure to break its usual secrecy to confirm that Scappaticci was Stakeknife, illustrating why national security matters in a democracy are handled by the central authorities, rather than local police or justice officials.
General Order No 1 is a vital document. Its absence in the Kenova publication is startling.
Contrary to the impression given by Kenova and the associated media coverage, it was the Provisional IRA who created and ruthlessly enforced a law that constituted a war crime – not the Army, RUC or MI5.
William Matchett is author of Secret Victory: The Intelligence War That Beat The IRA
Appeasing Trump Makes Him More Dangerous by the Day
Frank Hoffer, Social Europe, January 9th, 2026
2025 was a good year for Donald Trump—success on all fronts. His tariff hikes did not destroy the global trading system; instead, they filled US state coffers. Inflation did not go through the roof. America’s trading partners absorbed, as he predicted, a substantial part of the costs. The war in Ukraine is now fully paid for by Europeans. NATO partners have committed to increasing their defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP and will buy plenty of American weapons. Big business, media magnates, Congress, and the Senate are all eager to fulfil the president’s will. He can send the army into cities governed by Democrats. The rich and powerful are queuing up to make donations for his golden ballroom at the White House. The Supreme Court largely supports his agenda. He is not very popular, but he relentlessly pursues and succeeds with his goals. A democratic socialist as mayor of New York might be a glimmer of hope, but it does not count for much.
Hamas has been destroyed. Hezbollah is decimated. The Assad regime is history. His friend Benjamin Netanyahu had—and still has—a largely free hand in Gaza and the West Bank to pursue his policy of a “Greater Israel,” eradicating the two-state solution even as a distant dream. Iran’s “axis of resistance” lies in tatters. Regime change in Tehran seems more likely than ever. Nigeria, Yemen, and Syria have learned the hard way that Trump is not chickening out but willing to hit hard. Javier Milei wins the Argentinian election thanks to a US bailout. Nicolás Maduro is captured and presented to the world in chains. The US has reasserted full control over its backyard and pushes back against Chinese footholds in the Americas. Cuba and Greenland seem next on the president’s list. In pursuing his agenda, he shows little respect for American law and none for international law.
Canada and Mexico simultaneously offer concessions and try to maintain national independence. While Claudia Sheinbaum and Mark Carney at least try to maintain some dignity, European leaders are spineless. In fear of Putin, they are, in front of Trump, the Chamberlains of our day. They desperately beg Trump to stick with Ukraine. They make concession after concession, only to learn again and again that he prefers Putin over Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump must feel vindicated that he can do and demand whatever he wants—and the Europeans will swallow it. His impressive record of victories will convince him and his supporters that the “stable genius” in the White House can shape the world according to his will.
It sounds like a joke when the German chancellor says that the legal situation surrounding the Maduro kidnapping is complicated. It is very simple: bombing a foreign country and kidnapping its president is a breach of the UN Charter and international law. Maduro is a terrible dictator, but so are many others.
The fragile bulwark against catastrophe
International law and rules should not be morally oversold as a “values-based order,” but they are crucially important as mechanisms to limit the risk of great wars. They help ensure that competing interests and rivalries between states do not spiral out of control. World War I and World War II were consequences of a multipolar world of competing great powers. A multipolar world does not result in a peaceful system of separate spheres of influence; at best, it becomes a world of heavily armed deterrence with the permanent risk of uncontrolled military escalation. Ignoring and dismissing international law and norms makes the world a far more dangerous place.
Trump’s appeasers, like all appeasers, have valid arguments why it is unwise to provoke the mighty President of the United States. The US is right to demand higher defence spending from NATO allies. Europe should pay for the Ukrainian war, as it is largely a European problem. Europe should accept higher tariffs to keep the US in NATO. Bombing Iran is illegal, but it targets a hideous regime. Why spoil relations with Trump over Maduro? And it is not worth provoking the US in defence of what is left of Denmark’s colonial past. Praising Trump as a superman and pandering to his ego seems a small price to pay to avoid him turning against Europe.
Concession follows concession, always with the hope that the latest one will finally satisfy Mr Trump. However, the appeaser loses more respect each time in the eyes of the appeased, and the demands become more outrageous. These cautious leaders are an embarrassment to their own people, who see that they are not governed by statesmen but by wretched lackeys.
Trump means and does what he says. Destroying the European Union is part and parcel of his understanding of a new world order. Europe, with its rules-based multilateralism and still largely intact democracies, is the most important countermodel to great-power multipolarism. The scramble for Europe is an interest the US now seems to share with China and Russia.
A continent committing suicide out of fear of death
Is there, for Europe—given its apparent weaknesses—an alternative to appeasing Trump? Currently, Europe is committing suicide out of fear of death. Instead of being afraid of everything, Europe should start with two admittedly debatable assumptions: Russia is too weak to conquer Europe. The US is too weak to dominate the world.
Given political will, Europe is strong enough to help Ukraine defend its independence. Yes, it will be a bitter and fragile peace for Ukraine, but it can win the peace as long as it remains an independent state integrating into Europe. Globally, Europe must become the anchor for a new concept of non-alignment. It remains the beacon of hope that democracy—this inherently fragile form of governance, which delivers best for its citizens—can survive the global onslaught it faces.
Inviting big democratic countries like Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Japan, South Africa, and perhaps still India into an alliance that upholds the idea of multilateralism versus multipolarism would be a better strategy than hoping Trump does not mean what he says. These countries together are big enough to form a counterweight.
However, this requires courage and leadership. The fact that the Mercosur agreement, after 25 years of negotiations, is again delayed because Donald Tusk and Emmanuel Macron are giving in to their farmers’ lobbies shows that they are not living up to the moment. Europe will not be able to build alliances with countries in the Global South if it is unwilling to offer something in return. Also, the German chancellor’s suggestion to Trump—”if you do not wish to engage with Europe, then at least make Germany your partner”—is not helpful for fostering European unity.
In order to meet global challenges, Europe needs strong institutions and majority decision-making in key policy areas. More importantly, governments must convince their people that it is possible and desirable to defend our societies. Economic and regulatory policies that have undermined welfare states, allowed unprecedented tax evasion by the wealthy, alienated people from political and economic elites, and destroyed democracy from within must be replaced by inclusive policies of shared prosperity.
Expanding defence capacities and increasing resilience are incompatible with winner-takes-all economies. It is most worrying that business leaders are demanding further cuts to taxes, workers’ rights, and welfare-state provisions—at a moment when national unity, basic fairness, and genuine patriotism—meaning to stand up for peace, freedom, democracy, and social justice—have become questions of Europe’s survival.
Frank Hoffer is non-executive director of the Global Labour University Online Academy.
