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'Our lives have been turned upside down,' say farmers

"Baby moos" are keeping three-year-old Maisie and her grandmother Jennifer busy on their family's 200-acre farm in County Antrim.

But thoughts of the future are on Jennifer Dunlop's mind. From April 2026, a 20% inheritance tax rate will apply to agricultural assets over a £1m threshold.

"I fear for the farming community," said Jennifer, who runs the farm alongside husband Thomas and son Andrew, Maisie's dad.

A charity that offers support services to farmers is recruiting more mental health counsellors to meet the increasing demand.

In just six years, the number of counsellors at Rural Support has increased from just two to more than 20, as calls have surged.

Read more here.

3 days ago

Northern Ireland

Mark Easton standing on a street wearing a suit and tie

Will happier people return your lost wallet?

The BBC's Mark Easton tests the theory that happier people do good things like returning lost property.

Northern Ireland

Keeva Nelly in a blue and white leotard and skullcup standing on a pink stage with pink and purple background

'I'll give it my best shot'

Keeva Neely, from Swatragh in County Londonderry will take on the gladiators after making it through the second episode.

Northern Ireland

Dawn Jones, provided evidence about her son Timmy wears a grey jacket. She has purple glasses and a blonde bob.

'Speaking up for my non-verbal son felt amazing'

BBC News NI hears from Glynn Brown, whose son Aaron was a patient at the County Antrim hospital and Dawn Jones who provided evidence about her son Timmy's abuse.

Northern Ireland

Ollie smiles holding a red and white rugby ball at Lurgan rugby pitches. His dad Colin has his hand on Ollie's shoulder and is wearing a black coat. Colin also has his arm around his son Niall who has red hair and is smiling. Niall is wearing a red and black hoody.

'I tried to give Stockdale £10 because he's my favourite player'

Ollie Smyth has been diagnosed with the lifelong condition cystinuria.

Northern Ireland

A purple sign that reads Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann Belfast

'The streets are going to be buzzing during the Fleadh'

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to visit Belfast in 2026 as the city hosts Fleadh Cheoil.

Northern Ireland

Young Spencer - a bald man is shot from below as he smiles at the camera. He is standing in the dark but an orange light is illuminating him. He is wearing a white puffer coat and a ribbed white t-shirt.

Belfast is more unified than ever, says Shankill rapper

Young Spencer, from the Shankill, performed alongside Irish-language trio Kneecap in the SSE Arena.

Northern Ireland

A orange rooster in a cage

How worried should we be about bird flu?

More than 112,000 birds have been culled in Northern Ireland due to avian flu in just over two weeks.

Northern Ireland

A young girl with long brown hair is smiling at someone off to the side of the camera. She is wearing blue framed glasses and a yellow hard hat. Her coat is green patterned with a pink zip. She is standing in a grassy area with trees in the background.

'They'll have bugs for protein and lab-grown meat in 200 years'

Pupils in Londonderry have buried a time capsule under part of a new urban farm.

Northern Ireland

A police man and two forensic officers in white suits, in a sealed off area with shutters and bin in background

Poleglass shooting: 'Very worrying, reckless behaviour'

A man has been taken to hospital after a shooting incident in the Bell Steel Manor area of Dunmurry in west Belfast.

Northern Ireland

Woman on a horse

'Oldest horse' Roana: 'They don't make them like her anymore'

The horse believed to be the oldest in the UK is celebrating her 46th birthday.

Northern Ireland

Men in forensics suits checking human remains

'Perhaps it is part of a pattern of ritual killings'

Iron Age remains found in bog may have been sacrificial.

Northern Ireland

Woman in pink jumper with long blonde hair and glasses, pictured against a wall of archive letters

'Dating apps didn't exist' for these long-lost 'lonely hearts'

Two "lonely heart" letters from the 1930s have been uncovered which give an insight into the search for long-distance romance.

Northern Ireland

A brown bird with its mouth open amongst short grass

How nettles are helping one of NI's rarest birds

Rathlin Island is one of the few places left in Northern Ireland where you will hear the sound of a corncrake.

Northern Ireland

Scene of house fire in Dungannon - blackened windows and white and blue police tape

'It's hard to comprehend the mindless cruelty of this act'

Two people are in a critical condition following a fire at a house in Dungannon in County Tyrone.

Northern Ireland

A young man in a grey hoody. He has longish brown hair swept over to the side.

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.

Northern Ireland

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'

A Belfast based choir is one of four shortlisted for a prestigious UK award.

Northern Ireland

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'

The clean-up effort is far from over for thousands of homeowners throughout Northern Ireland.

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'

Michelle O'Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly held a press conference on Monday morning following Storm Éowyn on Friday.

Northern Ireland

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'

An exhibition that tells the story of the D-Day landings has visited in Enniskillen.

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

Cuts to funding for a GCSE course which teaches students road safety have been reversed.

Northern Ireland