BBC News
By Julian O Neill
Published
image captionBefore the pandemic the PSNI had warned of possible street protests and attempts to disrupt ports
Police are monitoring stress and growing discontent within unionist communities over the Irish Sea border.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark McEwan told MPs the health pandemic may be moderating people s behaviour in terms of the desire to protest .
Mr McEwan was giving evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.
He added: Were we not in this current environment we would probably see a more visible outworking of that on the streets.
He said signs of discontent in the Protestant, unionist, loyalist community is being seen in graffiti and on social media platforms.
Covid-19: PPS to examine Tyrone funeral of SF councillor
By Julian O Neill
Published
image copyrightGetty Images
A PSNI file on its investigation into potential health regulation breaches at the funeral of a former Sinn Féin councillor in County Tyrone last year is now being considered by prosecutors.
Police had said mourners at Francie McNally s funeral in Ballinderry blatantly ignored rules around crowds.
The investigation into the April 2020 ceremony has taken 10 months to complete.
The file has been passed onto the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).
It contains evidence related to two individuals at the event which happened at the height of the pandemic.
BBC News
By Julian O Neill
Published
Loyalist killer Michael Stone has been released from prison on parole, BBC News NI understands.
One of the most notorious paramilitaries of the Troubles, he killed three people in an attack at Milltown cemetery in 1988.
They have been informed of the move.
It is understood Parole Commissioners took the decision on Monday and he was freed from Maghaberry Prison on Tuesday.
Before now, he had not been due for release until 2024, having failed in an earlier parole bid.
After being freed under the Good Friday Agreement, he was sent back to prison after entering Stormont armed with explosives and an axe in an attempt to murder Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.
BBC News
By Julian O Neill
Published is a downgrade when it comes to new arrangements covering policing and security.
They said the loss of real-time access to EU information systems and potentially slower extradition cases are the most glaring examples. However, I don t think that means the deal is a bad deal, said Gemma Davies from Northumbria Law School.
The academics were giving evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.
They said the agreement was never going to match the co-operation experienced while the UK was a member of the EU.
Ms Davies said security downgrade is a term that has been used and that she would agree with that .
BBC News
By Julian O Neill
Published
image captionMuammar Gaddafi supplied weapons, including Semtex explosives, to the IRA during the Troubles
The government is facing a new call to release a report on compensation for victims of IRA attacks in which weapons supplied by Libya were used.
It has, so far, not published the report it received in May 2020.
Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Louise Haigh has said an intolerable delay has left victims feeling abandoned .
The Labour MP said the report, authored by government-appointee William Shawcross, should be released urgently.
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has previously warned it could use powers to compel the government to make it public.