South Belfast News

CONOR DEVINE: Some words of advice for businesses feeling the Covid crunch

Covid-19 has turned the world, and the priceless connections between people, upside down.

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HEALTH COMMITTEE REPORT: Virus roars ahead as MLAs learn Hong Kong lessons

The Assembly Health Committee last Thursday invited Prof Ben Cowling to tell them how the pandemic was being dealt with in Hong Kong. Their invite came amidst local reports of nurses parties, ambulance golf weekends and medical social worker pizza parties, which were thought to be contributing to coronavirus cases, with the upping of Donegal to match Dublin at Level 3.

WE SAY: Right balance hasn’t been found by media in coverage of Covid protocols

THe widening of Covid restrictions announced on Monday of this week in response to the sharp uptake in infections across Ireland and Britain has, predictably, led to criticism.

OPINION - ANDRÉE MURPHY: Commissions have become dinosaurs roaring in city centre offices

I WILL vociferously defend the Good Friday Agreement in all of its parts to the death, but I recognise there is one part of the compromise document we must question and review. Where there are issues of unresolved contest the GFA sets up Commissions. And as we saw in January’s bad joke book, New Decade New Approach, it seems to be a hard habit to break. Victims of institutional abuse? Give them a Commissioner. Veterans suffering PTSD? Give them a Commissioner. And so it goes on. Commissioners, Champions and Tsars. They come in such predictable guises of Good, Bad and Ugly that Ennio Moricone could have written a theme song for them. I know that some of the participants in 1998 had to sell the ideas of human rights and equality. And some of the participants were not keen. So these halfway houses were demonstrable commitments to rights. But have they worked? Or are they self-perpetuating and expensive monoliths getting in the way of authentic campaigners for rights?

We Are Team Belfast: Homecoming salutes our new neighbours

For seven years now, the Belfast International Homecoming has built bridges to our global family to create a better Belfast.

TUAIRIM - GRÁINNE NÍ GHILÍN: Cuimhnigh ar Noah

Tá cuid de ghnéithe an tsaoil ar ais mar a bhí. Bíonn tranglam tráchta ar na bóithre ar maidin agus bíonn na busanna plódaithe le daltaí ar a mbealach ar scoil. Chím scoláirí Choláiste Mhaolmhaodhóg ar mo bhealach chun na hoibre agus smaoiním ar Noah Donohoe agus a mháthair, Fiona. Cuimhním nach mbeidh an saol choíche ar ais mar a bhí aicise. D’imigh Noah, a bhí 14 bliana d’aois, ar a rothar ón bhaile i ndeisceart Bhéal Feirste ar an 21 Meitheamh chun bualadh le cairde leis i bPáirc Thuaithe Bheann Mhadagáin i dtuaisceart na cathrach. Thángthas ar a chorp sé lá ina dhiaidh sin istigh i ndraein stoirme a ritheann faoin talamh ó Northwood síos go Bóthar na Trá agus Seaview.

VIDEO: Caitlin’s acting classes cater for children of all abilities

THE driving force behind theatre company Acting Up Belfast, Caitlin O’Neill, is creating drama classes for all abilities, bringing a wealth of experience and talent to her business.Having graduated from Liverpool’s John Moore University, worked as a classroom assistant and being a familiar face at Fountain Centre’s Learning Space store, Caitlin has created Acting Up Belfast as a “safe space for children to come along and be children”.

SPECSAVERS VIDEO: What your eyes can reveal about your health

MILLIONS of people have missed out on vital eye tests during lockdown, potentially putting their eyesight and wider health at risk, warn high street opticians Specsavers during National Eye Health Week.