Hospitality and retail outlets reopen as NI takes major step out of lockdown
Northern Ireland has taken a major stride out of lockdown as many hospitality and retail outlets reopened their doors after four months of closure.Publicans, cafe owner and restaurateurs are now able to trade outdoors, while all non-essential retailers can pull their shutters up once again.There were long queues outside popular retail outlets such as Primark in Belfast from early on Friday morning as hundreds of shoppers returned to the city centre.Economy Minister Diane Dodds welcomed the relaxations on an early morning visit to Belfast’s Victoria Square shopping centre.Mrs Dodds also highlighted that the Stormont Executive’s delayed high street voucher scheme is set to start operating at the end of the summer, with every adult in Northern Ireland eligible for a £100 prepaid card to spend in the local retail sector.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer poses for a family photograph alongside the Taoiseach Simon Harris, Northern Ireland's First Minister Michelle O'Neill, Scotland's First Minister John Swinney and Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan during the British-Irish Council (BIC) summit in Edinburgh. Formed in the wake of the Good Friday Agreement, this will be the 42nd meeting of the intergovernmental forum. Report by Gluszczykm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
People in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland remember the fallen and stand in silence for two minutes as they mark Armistice Day. Report by Blairm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has announced a deal has been struck with Spanish state-owned business Navantia to takeover Belfast shipbuilder Harland and Wolff.
Report by Etemadil. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
Ulster have a long list of injury doubts for Friday night's United Rugby Championship encounter against Irish rivals Munster at Kingspan Stadium. BBC Sport
Retail giants including Asda, Marks & Spencer, Primark and Tesco will mount a new year campaign to warn Rachel Reeves that plans to hike business rates on larger.. Sky News
![British-Irish Council family photograph [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20241206/1395372364-British-Irish-Council-family-photograph.jpg)
![UK nations mark Armistice Day [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20241111/1393070656-UK-nations-mark-Armistice-Day.jpg)
![Business secretary announces deal to save Harland and Wolff [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20241219/1396552122-Business-secretary-announces-deal-to-save-Harland-and.jpg)
