A safety scheme already used in hundreds of venues across Northern Ireland is now being extended to shops in Ballymena, with retail staff set to receive training under the Ask for Angela initiative. Read more below.

“We must be proactive, not passive.” UUP leader Jon Burrows has urged Stormont to begin emergency planning now amid fears that global tensions could trigger fuel shortages affecting services across Northern Ireland. More below.

𝗠𝗘𝗔 | “This is yet another disgraceful criminal attack on a local business…” —Local MLA John Stewart More below.

"The Square" in Gracehill, Ballymena. 📸 Gail Spiers

Easter Tuesday on the North Coast. 📍 Portrush, County Antrim 📸 Caragh Little

“Planting these trees is not just an environmental milestone - it’s an investment in the wellbeing of our service users and staff.” Holywell Hospital is set for a major transformation as Northern Trust launches a seven-year plan to plant 7,000 native trees across the site. More below.

𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗪𝗘𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 isn’t always as simple as “eat less, move more” — and for many people, it can feel frustrating, emotional, and at times incredibly lonely. 🤍 With expert clinical oversight and a caring local team, 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧.

Easter Tuesday morning views on the Antrim coast at Glenarm. 📸 Linda Johnston

Sunrise beauty this morning from Desertmartin. 📸 Trevor Gilmour

𝗧𝗩 | “Balamory holds a very special place in the hearts of families across the UK…” The beloved children’s classic is back this month after 21 years, with familiar faces returning alongside brand-new characters on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer. More below!

“Physical punishment should never be part of any childhood.” The NSPCC is urging Stormont to back a Justice Bill amendment ending the legal defence of “reasonable punishment” in Northern Ireland. More below.

“No one should ever have to choose between their health and earning a living.” Millions of workers across the UK can now access sick pay from day one of illness and new parents gain immediate leave rights under landmark reforms now in force. More below.

𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧 | A viable device was discovered in Glenarm and destroyed in a controlled explosion, with three people arrested, including a woman aged in her 70s, following the alert. More below.

𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗢𝗥 𝗜𝗡𝗝𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦 | The Minor Injuries Unit at Mid-Ulster Hospital in Magherafelt is open today, Easter Tuesday, from 9am – 5pm. Here is what you can expect at the Minor Injuries Unit: ➡️ orlo.uk/Minor-Injuri... Call 028 7936 6720 to make an appointment. In an emergency always phone 999.

Easter Tuesday early morning scenes from Cushendall, County Antrim. 📸 O’Neill Sisters Irish Art

Sunrise beauty with awesome morning skies over Antrim. 📸 Firefly by Air

Stunning sunrise skies on Easter Tuesday on the Antrim coast at Ballycastle. 📸 Louise McVeigh

“Beautiful sunrise this morning from the top of Slemish!” 📸 Stephen Gordon

𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡 | £1,500 in vouchers, a 90-second free trolley dash and seven air fryers are all up for grabs as The Food Warehouse opens its new Ballymena store next week. The launch at Braidwater Retail Park will also create 23 new jobs for the local area. More below!

A former nurse from Cullybackey has been removed from the professional register after a court conviction over indecent online messages referring to sexual activity with children. The NMC said he posed “an unwarranted risk of harm to those in his care”. More below.

Beautiful early morning skies at 6:45am on Easter Tuesday from Broughshane Street, Ballymena… 10°C. 📸 Eugene Diamond • Diamonds News • @diamondsnews.bsky.social

Portstewart Strand on Easter Monday evening. 📸 Philip McCrea

Sunset on Easter Monday from Rathlin Island, County Antrim. 📸 Shauna Fannin • @shaunafannin.bsky.social

Sunset on Easter Monday over the Braid Valley with views from Buckna. 📸 Alan Murray

“Pregnant women should never assist with lambing ewes, calving cows or kidding goats…” HSENI has issued an urgent warning to farming families across Northern Ireland as spring lambing and calving season begins, highlighting severe risks to both mother and unborn child. More below.

Evening skies from Main Street, Broughshane. 📸 Bianca Maria Vitols

𝗖𝗢 𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗠 | A major £30 million expansion has been proposed for holiday park in Portrush — with plans for 154 new static caravans and around 50 construction jobs. More below.

Poor lighting, derelict buildings and unsafe paths are among the issues being targeted as the PSNI urges community groups across Ballymena, Larne and Carrickfergus to take part in new “walk and talk” safety events. More below.

Stress, fatigue and long-term illness are driving rising sickness absence among Mid and East Antrim Borough Council staff, with 17.8 days lost per employee last year. More below.

“It is physically impossible to manage two different pick-up times in two different locations simultaneously.” Parents in Cloughmills say they are being pushed into an impossible position after nine families were left without local nursery places, EA faces growing backlash. More below.

𝗖𝗢 𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗠 | Political placards in Ballycastle have been removed following complaints from residents, with the move now triggering sharp political reaction from both unionist and nationalist representatives. More below.

𝗪𝗘𝗟𝗟 𝗗𝗢𝗡𝗘 | CAFRE has celebrated the achievements of veterinary nursing and care learners at Greenmount Campus, with Ballymena’s Evelyn Harris among the standout high achievers. Photos and more below.

“Being shortlisted for EY Entrepreneur Of The Year is a real honour.” TST Group’s Maire Claire Reid has been named among Ireland’s top 31 entrepreneurs for 2026, after helping grow the logistics business from a single-truck operation into a major cross-border supply chain provider. More below.

Births in NI continued their long-term downward trend in 2025, while new provisional figures show rising three-year averages for suicide and drug-related deaths. Fresh data also reveals the leading causes of death across the final quarter of the year. Latest numbers below.

Police have stepped up patrols across the North Coast this Easter, with officers in Portrush, on trains and at stations as thousands are expected to travel to the coast. Drivers have also been warned that dangerous or anti-social behaviour will “not be tolerated”. More below.

𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗣 | One of Ballymena’s longest-established insurance brokers has been acquired by a major UK insurance group. Full story below.

North Antrim MP Jim Allister has formally written to planners opposing Ballymena’s proposed new Lidl store, raising serious questions over land use, traffic and flood risk. Find out more below.

𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗣 | Plans revealed for the former Ballee Playing Fields as questions grow over Ballymena’s future and the loss of a major leisure vision. More below.

A new day begins on Easter Monday in Carrickfergus. 📸 Neill Walker

aster Monday sunrise skies over Fairhead on the North Antrim coast. 📸 Anne Kelly Art and Photography • @annlizkelly.bsky.social

“Beautiful morning sky 05.55am on Easter Monday from the Craig's, Cullybackey.” 📸 Sabrina Gage

Toby and Milo enjoying an Easter morning walk at Waterfoot on the Antrim coast. 📸 Lyndsay Turtle

A few seasons in one Easter morning in Ballycastle, County Antrim. 📸 Joe Brogan

Carnlough skies during Storm Dave’s brief visit. 📸 Mal McCann • @malmccann.bsky.social

Thousands of plants, specialist growers and expert advice are set to fill Antrim Castle Gardens this month as the FREE Spring Plant Fair returns. 🌱🌸🌿 Find out more below.

𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦 | A family-run luxury retreat in rural County Antrim has secured a major tourism accolade, with its secluded shepherd’s huts praised for craftsmanship, sustainability and a peaceful nature-led escape. More below.

Beautiful Easter walk Waterfoot Beach on the Antrim Coast. 🎥 Roisin Kerr

Slemish sitting in April sunshine on Easter Sunday! 🌞 📸 William Logan