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Ulster University scientists have made a remarkable breakthrough which it is hoped could cure hereditary blindness. They have discovered a treatment that can target the gene that leads to corneal dystrophy—a condition that causes cloudy deposits on the cornea. […] Currently, those with corneal dystrophy face a lifetime of treatment and the only option for those who go blind is a corneal transplant from a donor eye, but this has risks and varying success rates. […] But the new treatment, developed by scientists at the University’s School of Biomedical Science, currently involves just one injection into the eye, which destroys...

A Belfast preacher will be prosecuted for referring to Islam as “satanic” and claiming that its doctrine was “spawned in hell.” During a sermon at his Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in May 2014, 78-year-old born-again Christian pastor James McConnell denounced Islam as a “heathen” religion, saying it was barbarian and Godless. Although the pastor initially defended his remarks, a huge public backlash and accusations of Islamophobia forced him to publicly apologize for any offense his sermon caused the Muslim community. Despite his apology, Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service informed McConnell last week that he was to receive an “informed warning” regarding...

A horrific spinal injury caused by a bronze arrowhead didn't immediately kill an Iron Age warrior, who survived long enough for his bone to heal around the metal point, a new study of his burial in central Kazakhstan finds. "This found individual was extremely lucky to survive," said study researcher Svetlana Svyatko, a research fellow in the school of geography, archaeology and paleoecology at Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland. "It's hard to get a vertebral wound without damaging the main blood vessels, which would have resulted in an immediate death."

James McConnell's prosecution is one of a growing number of examples in which British authorities — who routinely ignore incendiary speech by Muslim extremists — are using hate speech laws to silence Christians. "My church funds medical care for 1,200 Muslim children in Kenya and Ethiopia. I've no hatred in my heart for Muslims... I believe in freedom of speech. I'm going to keep on preaching the gospel. I have nothing against Muslims, I have never hated Muslims, I have never hated anyone. But I am against what Muslims believe. They have the right to say what they believe in...

The Ulster baker who has been taken to court for refusing to make a cake celebrating gay marriage said that his religion was too important to him to go against his beliefs, the Daily Express reports. Daniel McArthur, general manager of family run Ashers Bakery, told Belfast County Court, “Before God, this is something we couldn’t make.” The business refused to undertake an order by a gay activist who wanted it decorated with Sesame Street characters Bert and Ernie, arm-in-arm under the words “Support Gay Marriage”. Same Sex marriage is still illegal in Northern Ireland; a country where only 10...

Northern Ireland’s most prominent anti-abortion activist was convicted Wednesday of harassing the director of Belfast’s only abortion clinic in the latest chapter of a bitter two-year confrontation. Bernadette Smyth, leader of the Precious Life group, was convicted on two counts of threatening Dawn Purvis, who runs British family planning service Marie Stopes’ Belfast branch. It is the only such clinic on the island of Ireland, where abortion is legal only in extreme cases where a woman’s life is deemed at risk from her pregnancy. …

A plaque marking the 1918 birthplace of former Israeli President Chaim Herzog in Belfast was removed earlier this week, out of fears of further anti-Semitic violence in the Northern Ireland city. The blue plaque honoring Herzog, who was President of Israel from 1983 to 1993, was first erected on a property at Cliftonpark Avenue in 1998. The 16-year landmark was torn down, however, due to concern for Jews living in the area. Democratic Unionist Party Councillor Brian Kingston explained the decision to the Belfast Telegraph. "Attacks have included the scrawling of anti-Israeli graffiti on the building and items being thrown...

The longest sea bridge in the world at 20.2 miles long is the Donghai bridge that links Shanghai to Yangshan in China. A bridge from either Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland would have to be even longer than that. In 2007, a 21-mile rail bridge was proposed between Galloway, Scotland, to Belfast, Northern Ireland. The idea would have trains running from Dublin, through Belfast, over the sea to Scotland, and then down railways into London... "Four main routes have been proposed. Two run from Scotland to Northern Ireland - Campbeltown to County Antrim, or Stranraer to Belfast. Two...

A sister of murdered Belfast man Robert McCartney has said she was threatened at her home in the Short Strand area. Paula McCartney said a woman told her she would be put out of the area. The family also said they had to stop handing out leaflets about a vigil in her brother's memory when they were confronted by about a dozen people. Mr McCartney, 33, was stabbed after a row in a Belfast bar. The IRA has been blamed for the murder and interference with evidence and witnesses. The family said Mr McCartney's partner, Bridgeen Hagans, was also told...

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams arrested

The dilapidated offices where plans for the Titanic were drawn up are to be re-opened as part of a £5 million regeneration project. The future of the historic building that used to house the headquarters and design studios of Harland and Wolff shipbuilders in Belfast has been secured by the Heritage Lottery Fund award. While the drawing offices will be opened for public use, the majority of the landmark structure is set to be transformed into a luxury Titanic-themed boutique hotel. The listed building is only yards from where the doomed liner was built and then launched more than a...

Police had to storm into a church to break up an angry protest staged by part of a congregation demonstrating against their minister. At one stage officers had to stop a man trying to pull the power plug to the church organ. Tensions between two groups within the Ballynahinch Congregational Church reached breaking point during angry scenes yesterday. The dramatic climax in the evening service came amid a furious row between some members of a congregation and Rev George Speers. Years of underlying issues came to a head at both the morning and evening service in the rural church in...

A new book has been published which collects all CS Lewis’ references to his Ulster childhood and the possible role of such places in inspiring many of his greatest works. CS Lewis – And The Island Of His Birth, by Sandy Smith, lifts the lid on CS Lewis’ early life in Belfast and allows the reader to walk in Lewis’ footsteps on a journey that covers Belfast and Ireland north and south, encapsulating the places that many believe were the inspiration for some of his greatest works. Lewis mentioned parts of Northern Ireland at various times in his writing. “That...

Northern Ireland’s Lord Mayor of Belfast offered an enthusiastic endorsement of a certain Irish-American mayoral candidate Thursday morning during a visit to Gracie Mansion. “We think that every city needs an Irish mayor. And New York has had a series of wonderful mayors and we think it would be wonderful in the days ahead, in the short time ahead, if New York had an Irish-American mayor again,” Lord Mayor Máirtin Ó Muilleoir told Politicker this morning, as he posed for photographs with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn by his side. While Mr. Ó Muilleoir didn’t mention...

Kristyn and Keith Getty specialize in writing modern hymns for churches Most songwriters in Nashville want to get their songs on the radio. Keith and Kristyn Getty hope their songs end up in dusty old hymn books. The Gettys, originally from Belfast, Ireland, hope to revive the art of hymn writing at a time when the most popular new church songs are written for rock bands rather than choirs. They’ve had surprising success.

Being born and raised in Belfast, I’m used to hearing about terrorists, bombs and shootings on the local news, but I can honestly say that despite all that, I considered my hometown a pretty safe place to grow up. I moved to London a year ago, and while Northern Ireland is by no means front-page news here, I couldn’t help but notice that for the past month rioting in Belfast has been featured in almost every news bulletin. The rioting began when Belfast City Council voted to end the continuous flying of the Union Flag from City Hall and hasn’t...

There have been further clashes between police and Loyalist protesters in east Belfast, with reports of shots being fired and a 38-year-old man being arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. The violence, which flared for the third night in a row, is linked to last month's decision by councillors to limit the number of days the union flag is flown over Belfast City Hall.

Orange Order in Belfast celebrates the July 12 marches in front of a Catholic Church. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJo9mk4aQwg

We are commemorating one of the most famous ships in the world in the lead up to the 100th anniversary of the demise of the Titanic said Orla Saul. To bring this special and unique story to life we are delighted to have Susie Miller over from Ireland. Miller runs Titanic Tours in Belfast and is here today to tell us the most intriguing, poignant and personal story about Titanic. The 100th anniversary coincides with the opening of the Titanic visitor centre on 31st March in Belfast. Some people don’t know that the Titanic was built in Belfast said Ms....

Six police officers were injured and seven people were arrested during overnight clashes in east Belfast, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said. Rioting broke out following the Protestant “mini Twelfth” parade on Friday, a force spokeswoman said. Police vehicles were damaged and missiles were thrown at officers trying to quell the “significant disorder” in the Castlereagh Street and Albertbridge Road areas of the city. Officers used rubber bullets and a water cannon to try to disperse the crowds, finally bringing calm to the area in the early hours of Saturday. Six officers were hurt when youths threw by blocks...