Northern Ireland

Members of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) announced Sunday to take part in legal action challenging part of Britain’s deal with the European Union.

The Protocol agreed during Brexit is designed to protect the European Union's single market without creating a land border on the island of Ireland but so far caused disruption to trade since it came into force at the start of the year. Some British companies have halted deliveries to Northern Ireland, and some supermarkets have been left with empty shelves.

"Alongside the political action we have been taking, we have considered a number of legal routes, and will be joining other unionists from across the United Kingdom in judicial review proceedings to challenge the Protocol, unless arrangements are put in place which are consistent with the Act of Union 1800, the Northern Ireland Act of 1998 and the Belfast Agreement. ", said DUP leader Arlene Foster.

As part of the Brexit agreement, Northern Ireland ports connected to Great Britain had started checks, which have now been halted due to signs of tension in the area.

Officials pulled a dozen staff members from duty at Larne Port after an "upsurge in sinister and menacing behavior," Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said.

According to the government, Prime Minister Boris Johnson commissioned a corresponding study on Saturday. Among other things, the study is to focus on the feasibility of a bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Johnson had recently repeatedly expressed sympathy for such a project. Such a bridge would have a length of at least 32 kilometers. In addition, the project is to focus on the possible expansion of air, road and rail links in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The results of the study should be available in the middle of next year.

Irish politician and former SDLP leader John Hume has died at a nursing home in Derry on August 3 at the age of 83. He had suffered from dementia since the late 90s.

From 1979 to 2001, he was the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party and was described as "the man who kept hope alive". Hume was a leading player in the peace process in Northern Ireland and won Nobel Peace Prize alongside David Trimble in 1998.

In a change of policy Northern Ireland is planning on changing the rules for blood donations by gay and bisexual men. The health minister, Robin Swann, said that the decision to change the time period from one year down to three months was based on "evidence regarding the safety of donated blood". Every blood is getting tested after the donation and he said that it's "important for every donor to comply with any deferral rules that apply to them". The chances are planned to take effect from June on.