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Student loan boost 'will help a lot'

The amount Northern Irish students can borrow towards their living costs is to rise by over £1,000.

In what could be his final act as economy minister, Conor Murphy has decided to increase the maintenance loan by 20%.

The change will come into effect from September 2025 and will cost his department around £50m.

Read more here.

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A woman with shoulder-length hair smiling at the camera. She is wearing a purple top. There is a white wall in the background with art on it.

'It's been a really joyful experience'

Northern Ireland

Edwin Poots is wearing a grey suit with a white shirt and a red tie with white and blue slanted stripes. He has short grey hair.

'The assembly is not just another meeting room'

Northern Ireland Politics

A woman and a man standing in front of a yellow bungalow. There is visible damage to the roof. They are wearing heavy rain jackets and hats.

'We could see parts of the roof going past the kitchen window'

Northern Ireland

A woman with blonde hair, wearing glasses, a black jacket and a pink shirt, standing beside a woman with brown hair, wearing a black jacket and red shirt

'We have urged NIE to consider a goodwill payment'

Northern Ireland

Rescuers on the Mourne mountains

Two teenagers rescued from Slieve Donard

A phone with an emergency alert message

In case you missed it: Emergency alert ahead of Storm Éowyn

A man sits behind a wooden podium. The top of a computer monitor can be seen over the wooden edge of the podium. The man is sitting on a wooden seat with blue leather. He is wearing a blue suit with a tartan tie. His balding grey hair is slicked back.

Speaker's warning over 'loose interpretation of smart' clothing

Northern Ireland Politics

Michell O'Neill and Emma Little Pengelly standing next to each other wearing coats. They are outside and there is some grass and hedges in the background.

Engagement with Trump is 'not about his personal views'

Northern Ireland Politics

A knitted medical facility depicting an injured soldier receiving treatment during the D-Day landings at Utah Beach. A knitted topless and bleeding soldier is receiving treatment from a medic wearing a green knitted uniform. Another soldier wearing a light brown uniform is standing over the pair holding an IV drip. Knitted injured and wounded soldiers are also lying on the green knitted base, while another injured soldier is being carried on a stretcher beside a dark green medical tent.

'It started off as a gate topper... I got a little bit carried away'

Northern Ireland

Two children standing in a playground wearing hi-vis jackets over their uniforms with some cones on the ground in the background.

Road safety GCSE prepares students to be safe drivers

Northern Ireland

Keir Starmer speaking in the House of Commons

Government will try to block Adams' compensation - Starmer

Northern Ireland

Michael McBride with shirt sleeve rolled up getting a vaccine

Chief medical officer urges people to get flu vaccine

Northern Ireland

Older man sitting in an armchair wearing glasses and a white T-shirt. The chair is cream in colour and his glasses are black-framed.

'I want to be cared for in my own home'

Inside of a cinema, where work is beginning to upgrade it. The screen has been removed and there is a white board in its place. There are floor boards where a stage used to be

Redevelopment of cinema to maintain 'art deco charm'

Northern Ireland

Simon and Barbara pictured in front of school awards cabinet. Simon has short white hair and is wearing thin framed dark glasses. He is wearing a dark blue suit with a white shirt and light blue tie. Barbara has short brown hair with a fringe and is wearing a patterned black and cream shirt with a black top underneath. She is also wearing a gold and silver necklace.

Scheme launched in memory of girl who died of asthma

Northern Ireland

Black and white photo of Paddy Mayne

'There's no doubt about it, he was a natural leader'

Northern Ireland

Ed Sheeran with young musicians in Belfast

Ed Sheeran joins young rappers for impromptu performance

Albert, sitting present day, wearing a green beret with Royal Ulster Rifles insignia. He is wearing a green uniform with a number of poppy and military pin badges

Bangor man recalls extreme conditions in Korean War

Northern Ireland

Claire Wilmont has short blonde hair and is wearing a blue nurse's tunic. She is standing in a hospital corridor

Emergency department environment is undignified - nurse

Northern Ireland

Darren George speaking from Spain. He is wearing a black tank top and a gold cross and chain necklace.

Brother's 'nightmare' after body found in Spain

The brother of John George speaks of family's heartbreak after a body was found in Spain.

Northern Ireland

Isobel looking at camera, a window with white shutters and a pink and cream flowery curtain behind her.

My son's heart 'had stopped' at the hospital doors

A mother describes her shock over long delays for an ambulance for her seriously ill son.

Northern Ireland

A woman with shoulder length brown hair is wearing a yellow zip-up hoodie over a white T-shirt

Some pupils 'cannot wash' due to hygiene poverty

The hygiene bank helping students from poorer backgrounds to feel comfortable in school.

Northern Ireland

Two women, one wearing red boxing shorts and one wearing yellow boxing shorts. They are boxing each other in a boxing ring.

The women finding strength and confidence in the ring

Women in Belfast have come together to push back against violence towards women and girls.

Northern Ireland

A screenshot of the virtual reality game, the image shows a pair or red goalkeeper's gloved hands from the perspective of the player. A second player in a yellow kit is kicking a white ball towards a goal. They are in a virtual. empty stadium.

Is VR gaming the answer to too much screen time?

Belfast-based Incisiv thinks it can encourage players to become more active when playing video games.

Northern Ireland

Three young men stand around a Christmas tree in the yard of a farm. A brown and white goat is leaning over a fence eating the tree.

Social farming creates opportunities for people with additional needs

Young adults have been learning the ins-and-outs of rural life through social farming schemes.

Northern Ireland

Kevin Murphy wearing a navy O'Neills branded coast and green zip jumper underneath. he is standing in front of rocks and grassy hills

Winter solstice shining new light on Slieve Gullion history

Dozens will summit Slieve Gullion on Saturday to watch dawn break on the shortest day of the year.

Northern Ireland

Craig Ballentine at Dublin Airport, he has short light hair and a beard. He is smiling at the camera and wearing an orange hoodie and a blue back pack

Return from Dubai 'a Christmas miracle'

Craig Ballentine was arrested in Abu Dhabi airport in October because he posted critical comments about his former employer in Dubai.

Northern Ireland

Elizabeth McKillion and Margaret McRory both recently turned 100 years old

Turning 100 with my neighbour: 'Awk they made a mistake!'

Elizabeth McKillion and Margaret McRory both recently turned 100 years old.

Northern Ireland

Manchester United footballer Kobbie Mainoo is on the left hand side speaking to John Nellis on the right. Mainoo is wearing a white hoodie with red lettering. Nellis is in a black t-shirt and has a beard and short, shaven hair

Belfast YouTuber rubbing shoulders with Mbappé

Northern Ireland

Boy playing esports, large computer game screen

Esports 'is the fastest growing industry in the world'

Young people at the special school in north Belfast are studying towards a qualification in esports.

Northern Ireland

Andrea Nelson speaking into press mics, she has short blonde hair and is wearing a pair of black glasses. She has a burgundy coat on with a neutral scarf. Behind her are three men dressed in long coats and scarves.

La Mon investigation 'really challenging for the families'

A Police Ombudsman report has been unable to explain why records from the original police investigation were lost.

Northern Ireland

Stella McLoughlin - a woman with blonde hair sits in a grey sofa looking at the camera.

'This has been an absolute scandal from start to finish'

Stella McLoughlin from the campaign group Ladies with Letters says what has happened was unforgivable.

Northern Ireland

A woman is speaking into a number of news microphones, branded with the logos of various broadcasters. She is reading a statement from a sheet of paper she is holding in both hands. She is wearing a brown jacket, pink shirt and has black glasses and long blonde hair.

'Heinous predator' sentenced for abuse offences

Police say David John Andrews was a "heinous predator" who groomed young girls across the UK.

Northern Ireland

Man draped in Syrian flag outside broadcasting house, red brick buildings in background, with crowd celebrating in background

'I'm going to go back and hopefully build Syria all over again'

Crowds have gathered in cities across the world as many Syrians celebrate the fall of the Syrian government.

Northern Ireland

Rapper Smack Jay stands in the middle of a classroom with a microphone in his hand. A number of schoolchildren wearing red school hoodies are watching him.

'The best way to make change is through music'

Rapper and activist Smack Jay from Zambia brought his flows to Rathcoole Primary as part of Human Rights Week.

Northern Ireland

Michael McKinney - a man with short white hair wearing frameless glasses is talking outside of a white stone building.

'Soldier F trial must proceed without delay'

William McKinney's brother Michael says "another step" had been taken for justice for Bloody Sunday families.

Northern Ireland

west belfast schoolboys in grey uniform sat around table looking at paperwrk

The schoolboys tackling violence against women and girls

Schoolboys in west Belfast have been learning about how to recognise and tackle violence against women and girls.

Northern Ireland

Olivia McVeigh - a young woman with long blonde hair looks at the camera while sat on a grey sofa in a white room

'I wanted to create a safe space for those with alopecia'

Olivia McVeigh, from County Tyrone, has been named on BBC's 100 Women 2024 list.

Northern Ireland

Kevin Sinfield - a man wears an orange headband with MND written on it in white and blue fonts while smiling. He is stood in front of a large blue MND banner.

Sinfield brings MND running challenge to Belfast

Kevin Sinfield is running 230 miles across the UK to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease.

Northern Ireland