Slugger TV – 26th April 2024 from Northern Visions NVTV on Vimeo. Slugger TV speaks with Green Party Leader, Senator Mal O’Hara about the future of the Greens, remaining in government in the Republic and the party’s strategy going into GE 2020 ..read more

I see in the news that Phoenix Energy has been sold to a Hong Kong billionaire. From the BBC: Phoenix Energy is being sold to a consortium associated with one of Hong Kong’s wealthiest businessmen. Phoenix owns and operates the largest natural gas distribution network in Northern Ireland, covering Greater Belfast, Larne and East Down. It is currently owned by the NatWest pension fund and an Australian infrastructure investor. They have agreed to sell it to three firms in the CK Group, which is owned by billionaire Li Ka-Shing. ‘We are very happy to acquire another quality asset characterised ..read more

European Christians and Jews both share the idea that the sins of the community can be paid for by another being – for Christians it is Jesus who died for our sins.  In English we call it ‘scapegoating’ when a community blames someone else and they suffer in our place. This concept first appears in Leviticus 6 verses 5-10 which outline the Jewish ritual which takes place on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, where the slaughter of a bull and two male goats would take place. One goat is sacrificed for the Lord and the other goat, the ‘scapegoat’ which has the s ..read more

From Ryan McAleer in the Irish News: Delivering a balanced budget was one of the Treasury’s three conditions for wiping a £559 million debt built up by Stormont departments overspending in previous years. Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald delivered that aspect on Thursday after securing executive approval for her 2024/25 budget, albeit with Health Minister Robin Swann dissenting. We knew from the briefing given to the finance committee last week that there was a shortage of around £2bn from what ministers had requested. We now know how Caoimhe Archibald has split the £14.44 billion budget fo ..read more

From the BBC: The Alliance Party is to begin the process of finding a replacement for Patrick Brown after he unexpectedly quit Stormont. Announcing the news on Tuesday, a spokesperson said the resignation was due to “personal reasons”. The party now has seven days to co-opt a replacement for Mr Brown to the assembly. Under Stormont rules, Alliance can choose someone to fill the vacant seat without the need for a by-election. Those internal processes to find a replacement will begin on Tuesday, Alliance sources told BBC News NI. Sam McBride adds … Alliance's South Down MLA Patrick Brown has ..read more

It was a bit of a subdued start to the latest episode of ‘Blue Lights’. (SPOILERS ALERT!!) Nathan Braniff’s PC Tommy Foster was on a date with Dearbhaile McKinney’s fellow police officer Aisling after persuading her in last week’s opening episode of Series Two to go out with him. With her based in Derry/Londonderry and him in Belfast, they chose the rather unglamorous venue of a bus serving breakfast in a car park at the Glenshane Pass to meet up. Being a posh boy, Tommy asked for avocado on toast, only to be told by the waitress: “I can give you mushy peas and you can pretend it’s an avoca ..read more

Not a great weekend for the UUP. With Robin, due to Swann off and leaving the health service drifting aimlessly towards the rocks, their great hope to take the North Down seat, Colonel Tim Collins, gave a disastrous interview to the Newsletter. It really is worth a read. Here are some of the best bits: was also scathing about his potential rivals, saying “they are concerned with potholes, parking and dog excrement on the pavement”. Mr Collins argues there “isn’t any quality whatsoever” or anyone with the necessary sort of “gravitas” amongst the other candidates. On the current MP Stephen ..read more

Robin Swann is a popular politican. He won much public respect for his steady handling of the Covid pandemic, and people respect him for taking on the poisoned chalice of health when Sinn Féin and the DUP would not touch it. Unfortunately, it looks like much goodwill towards him will soon evaporate. Mr Swann told BBC’s Sunday Politics that once the election period begins, he would give up his seat in the Stormont Executive to canvas. While you can try to spin this as doing the responsible thing during the campaign, many see it as abandoning the health service in a crisis. From Allison Morris i ..read more

Ulster 19 Cardiff 17: Ulster win by a fingertip Ulster won this match when a 78th. Minute hat-trick try for Cardiff winger Theo Cabango was ruled out for a fingertip knock on by Cardiff prop Rhys Carré who was yellow carded for his troubles. Cooney nailed the penalty to give Ulster the lead for only the second time in the match. The match itself was an error strewn affair between two distinctly average sides enlivened only by two excellent tries by Cabango who left the cover for dead. Ulster were unfortunate to have a try ruled out for a marginal forward pass after Lowry had beaten his opposit ..read more

In addition to our normal open Sunday, we have a politics-free post to give you all a break. So discuss what you like here, but no politics ..read more