nevertheless, the king's encounter with stormont�*s sinn fein speaker was striking.comhbhron a dheanadh leat ag an am crua seo. i would like to sympathise with you at this difficult time. we are thankful for queen elizabeth's commitment and encouragement to building peace and reconciliation across these islands and indeed for all of those who seek to keep us moving towards that goal. there certainly was, for me anyway, a moment of watching the king and alex maskey at hillsborough thinking this is really an extraordinary evolution of history. but i think if you'd ask most historians with the best of crystal balls to gaze into 20 years ago, that would have been unthinkable. it would have seemed like something out of a work of hopeful fiction. we passed our condolences on to a man who had lost his mother. we were respectful, and we were also recognising the significant contribution that his mother, queen elizabeth, played in advancing peace and reconciliation. and my own experience is that this is something that republicans were comfortable with. 50 years ago, in the wa

to keep sinn fein out of power, but it looks like in the next election sinn fein could actually moved away from the kneecapping. that's policy anymore. that's not a key policy anymore. and left wing and and the more left wing and health education stuff which . health education stuff which. let's move on to the express day and the night before christmas and the night before christmas and thanks to price hikes. not a creature was stirring . creature was stirring. everyone's on strikes . that's everyone's on strikes. that's lovely. so the title is royal mail just staff to bring family to work to quote save christmas and quote amid strife threat this to is bad like the royal mail encouraging that the people are coming to work to now bring their children and the mothers their children and the mothers the fathers just bring anybody can find we need to go through all this mail but i'm sorry i kind of agree with communication workers union who said royal mail are risking serious security risks by bringing completely untrained, random . my completely untrained, random. my favourite word

to keep sinn fein out of power, but it looks like in the next election sinn fein could actually moved away from the kneecapping. that's policy anymore. that's not a key policy anymore. and left wing and and the more left wing and health education stuff which . health education stuff which. let's move on to the express day and the night before christmas and the night before christmas and thanks to price hikes. not a creature was stirring . creature was stirring. everyone's on strikes . that's everyone's on strikes. that's lovely. so the title is royal mail just staff to bring family to work to quote save christmas and quote amid strife threat this to is bad like the royal mail encouraging that the people are coming to work to now bring their children and the mothers their children and the mothers the fathers just bring anybody can find we need to go through all this mail but i'm sorry i kind of agree with communication workers union who said royal mail are risking serious security risks by bringing completely untrained, random . my completely untrained, random. my favourite word

allow the sinn fein to enough.inn fein to become of right the first minister of northern ireland for the first time now all of this really hinds on whether the uk government can do some kind of a deal with the protocol or such that allows the eu to go back into into government and elect first sinn fein, first minister. they say they're up for it. they say they will do it, but really doesn't depend on anything that happens. northern ireland, it really depends eu that really depends on uk, eu that are currently ongoing . so you are currently ongoing. so you don't think that the dup are being intransigent about this? you think that they've been kind of forced into a position where they they simply can't the executive under the circumstances of the protocol . circumstances of the protocol. well look i'm and the truth is they are intransigent but they don't really have choice that the electorate are very clear about. the unionist section of the electorate are very clear about and they know that it's a duty or the duty o

for three years as you feel aware , sinn fein kept on aware, sinn fein kept on government in.from many of the other parties . the not only from many of the other parties. the uk not only from many of the other parties . the uk government not only from many of the other parties. the uk government was was very soft on them at this time . we're not in a position time. we're not in a position where we're not able enter government because of the government because of the government itself has done because the damage that they have done to the belfast agreement by bringing the protocol into place and it's to say that we entered an executive in 2020 on the basis of northern ireland's place in the uk internal market be protected. that was the pledge that we had from them then that hasn't been delivered on it doesn't seem right. and how is the uk internal market is being protected when there is a 25% tariff on all state that comes from great britain into ireland? the internal market of uk is not protected when . there's protected when. there's paperwork when there are checks for goods

currently the left—wing republican party, sinn fein, is well ahead in the polls.diate focus is taking on the taoiseach. fine gael and their friends in fianna fail have been in powerforfar too long. they are out of touch, out of ideas and out of time. the political tempo is increasing in ireland, and that matters in london and brussels, as well as in this city. chris page, bbc news, dublin. football fans are preparing themselves for the final of the world cup on sunday. it's argentina against france. each country has won the tournament twice in the past, but france are hoping to become the first country since brazil in 1962 to win in consecutive competitions. our paris correspondent lucy williamson has this report. for french footballers, team loyalty is a way to win matches. for french fans, it's a way of life. for gion, practising his game near paris this week, not even argentina can shake his faith in the national side. nothing, no fear, because i know that they are the best team in the world and that will never change. i'm only 19 years old, and i would see see

sinn fein are michelle o'neill.ople who hey , hey, the people who hey, hey, britain, they hate us english people and she actually complained that the that they should have sent the money sooner did you read that they should have sent the money sooner so but then did a sort of a little dig the dup saying how you know this is why we need a functioning in northern ireland then that would have helped towards it. but really this whether that be an executive not i still don't believe people have got payments because this government is fully is this rubbish right. government is fully is this rubbish right . well conclusive. rubbish right. well conclusive. therefore i don't saharawi yeah course you don't. okay so moving on to the daily mail and it turns out josh that may be a reason for liz truss talking so much not listening to others and gritting all the time. is that liz? yeah well she's condemning category categorically untrue claims . that trace of suspected claims. that trace of suspected cocaine were found after summ

sinn fein are michelle o'neill.ople who hey , hey, the people who hey, hey, britain, they hate us english people and she actually complained that the that they should have sent the money sooner did you read that they should have sent the money sooner so but then did a sort of a little dig the dup saying how you know this is why we need a functioning in northern ireland then that would have helped towards it. but really this whether that be an executive not i still don't believe people have got payments because this government is fully is this rubbish right. government is fully is this rubbish right . well conclusive. rubbish right. well conclusive. therefore i don't saharawi yeah course you don't. okay so moving on to the daily mail and it turns out josh that may be a reason for liz truss talking so much not listening to others and gritting all the time. is that liz? yeah well she's condemning category categorically untrue claims . that trace of suspected claims. that trace of suspected cocaine were found after summ

currently, the left—wing republican party, sinn fein, is well ahead in the polls. ideas and out of time. the political tempo is increasing in ireland, and that matters in london and brussels as well as in this city. chris page, bbc news, dublin. with all the day's sport now, here's sarah mulkerrins at the bbc sport centre. good evening. it's the game no team wants to be involved in, but croatia manager zlatko dalic said there was a "golden layer" to their world cup bronze medal. they beat the tournament's surprise package, morocco, 2—1 in the third—place play—off at the khalifa international stadium. 0ur correspondent nesta mcgregor reports from qatar. for morocco, this has been a tournament where the team has reached new heights — and every step of the way, their fans have followed. meanwhile, runners—up from last time croatia trying to have a party of their own. it was a toothless 0—0 draw when the teams met in the group stage, butjust seconds into this one, croatia were nearly on the scoresheet. keeper bono inches away from a huge error. soon after, though, moro

i mean, they've held the seat for 40 years a crisis in northern ireland to as republicans, sinn fein, sinn fein, the largest party powersharing, was once again up in the air just as once again up in the airjust as the foreign secretary announced plans to junk parts of the brexit deal on northern ireland . we will take the necessary decisions to preserve peace and stability . june rolled around stability. june rolled around and perhaps johnson's worst month . he survived a vote . no month. he survived a vote. no confidence by his own mps . month. he survived a vote. no confidence by his own mps. i can announce the parliamentary party does have , but presided over does have, but presided over some disastrous by elections, losing the key red wall seats of and even a blue wall tory stronghold tiverton and honiton to the lib dems. stronghold tiverton and honiton to the lib dems . and with to the lib dems. and with impeccable timing. yet sex scandal unfolded as the deputy chief whip was accused of groping men . chief whip was accused of groping men. boris chief whip was accused of groping

it's been without a government since may's elections, when sinn fein won the biggest number of seatsists refused to restore power—sharing unless post—brexit trading agreements were changed. i'm ready to fight an election. if the secretary of state wants to hold an election, he should tell us and we will prepare for that. we need an executive up and running to serve the people and get them through these tough times. in stranger news, a former health secretary had the whip suspended after he swapped westminster for a box of snakes in the australian jungle. insert your own joke there. something's going up my leg! late november brought a big development in the debate over scottish independence. the snp went to the supreme court to clarify if holyrood could call a legally binding referendum. the court ruled it couldn't. this judgment raises profound and deeply uncomfortable questions about the basis and the future of the united kingdom. in england, more and more small boats had continued to cross the channel. 0vercrowding at a processing centre in kent had sparked fury in the commons and

sinn fein at the official opposition here for the first time. they are ahead in the first time. to the unification of ireland. mr varadkar�*s domestic issueis ireland. mr varadkar�*s domestic issue is what is seen as a housing crisis and of course economic issues around the cost of living in common with other european governments. many would say he has quite a challenge on his hands to put his party in a position to fight the next general election in a position where it could conceivably go back into government again. another route, mrvaradkarsaid is to into government again. another route, mr varadkar said is to grow island was like presence around the world. united nations security council, mrvaradkarwill world. united nations security council, mr varadkar will be hoping to build on that in the next two years. south africa�*s president cyril ramaphosa could find out on saturday if his anc party wants to re—elect him as leader — or replace him. his position has been called into question after he avoided impeachment proceedings earlier this week. that followed an investigation i

political centre but there has been substantial growth in support for the left—wing republican party, sinn feint opposition here in dublin and also the largest party in the devolved assembly in northern ireland, across the border. so whenever leo varadkar is elected formally as taoiseach in the irish parliament here as he will be in the next hour or so, one of the major challenges he will face will be around the issue of power—sharing in northern ireland. a place that was the scene of a very vicious conflicts fought so to years, and the last century, weathered the sense of it should be part of the uk or part of this state, the republic of ireland. currently, the power—sharing regional government that has collapsed because unionist, the parties that want to retain northern ireland's place in the uk are opposed to the brexit trading arrangements for northern ireland, there is basically a trade border between northern ireland and the rest of the uk. whatever leo varadkar was previously taoiseach as he was between 2017—20, unionist believed he was pretty aggressive in the brexit negotiations. they

to say in 2019 the nurses�* strike back then did provide a catalyst for the parties, the dup and sinn feinr for power sharing although there isn�*t really any optimistic sign of any movement on that front round yet this time around, because of the political deadlock over brexit. find political deadlock over brexit. and h el, is political deadlock over brexit. and hywel. is there — political deadlock over brexit. and hywel, is there likely to be any movement from the welsh government on this? h0 movement from the welsh government on this? ., , ., ., ~ , on this? no sign of a welsh settlement _ on this? no sign of a welsh settlement yet. _ on this? no sign of a welsh settlement yet. it's - on this? no sign of a welsh settlement yet. it's in - on this? no sign of a welsh settlement yet. it's in the l on this? no sign of a welsh - settlement yet. it's in the welsh labour_ settlement yet. it's in the welsh labour government's gift to give the nurses_ labour government's gift to give the nurses their own deal, it set separately here in wales but ministers say they are sympathetic, they understand

the recall brought about by sinn fein, now the largest party in the assembly, they put down a motion the business at noon, and that's no assembly, no devolved government and it's been that way for six months and there's been no fully functioning devolved government for about ten months. 50. functioning devolved government for about ten months.— about ten months. so, no fully functioning _ about ten months. so, no fully functioning devolved _ about ten months. so, no fully i functioning devolved government about ten months. so, no fully - functioning devolved government for ten months, so to what extent in life in northern ireland carrying on as normal though? fin life in northern ireland carrying on as normal though?— life in northern ireland carrying on as normal though? on one level the liuhts are as normal though? on one level the lights are still— as normal though? on one level the lights are still on _ as normal though? on one level the lights are still on and _ as normal though? on one level the lights are still on and children - as normal though? on one level the lights are sti

dublin, well, it�*s now the run—up to the next general election, the left—wing irish republican party sinn feintion of ireland, mrvaradkar�*s domestic issues include what is seen as a housing crisis difficulties in the health service, and of course, economic issues around the cost of living in common with other european governments. many would say he has quite a challenge on his hands to put his party, fine gael, in a position to fight the next general election in a position where it could conceivably go back into government again. another aim of mr varadkar, he says, is to grow ireland�*s to dramatic presence around the world. ——diplomatic ireland has just come to the end of a two year term on the united nations security council, mr varadkar will be hoping to build on that in the next two years. south africa�*s president cyril ramaphosa may find out on saturday if his anc party is going to oust him. the president avoided impeachment proceedings earlier this week over a scandal involving millions of dollars found hidden in a sofa at his farm. mr ramaphosa maintains he has done nothing wrong — b

long ago that david sterling was running stormont during a three—year absence of government after sinn feine last six where we have had no ministers, and that is very evident. we have the highest waiting lists in the uk. we have a need for reconfiguration and transformation in those services but those decisions cannot be taken in the absence of ministers. there is not yet a clear path to a political solution but as each day passes, the winter crisis increases the urgency for the stalemate to be resolved. emma vardy, bbc news, belfast. in new york, the duke and duchess of sussex have accepted an award for their work in addressing racism and mental health issues. the event took place last night, just as netflix is preparing to release the first instalment of a documentary entitled harry and meghan, in which the couple are expected to reveal more about the tensions with the royal family. our royal correspondent sarah campbell reports. arriving at this glitzy awards ceremony in new york... "do you have a message for your family?", harry was asked. not last night. on stage, the chat was light—he

, because she fein and they will she is sinn fein and they will not have a member of sinn fein actuallying the assembly. that's absolutely visceral with the dup. they just simply couldn't take that. so that is the big issue. the other thing is if you actually forget about this sort of cross border , they this sort of cross border, they the idea that they're some sort of preventative border in northern on the land border , northern on the land border, then what on earth is that going to happen for european trade? because there's no that the eu is going to say that they can allow unchecked goods to flow in and out of a non eu country, i.e. great britain. yeah. now people sweden and norway people about sweden and norway and because the and many, because that's the only example in europe of only other example in europe of a land border with a non eu country. i there's country. but i mean there's about five crossing points on that nothing. that border. there's nothing. when up to, you know, when you get up to, you know, towards up towards towards kiruna and up towards the that closes the nor

from the point of view of sinn fein, now the point of view of sinn fein, now the assembly�*s largestte impasse they are, as you describe it. meanwhile, i are, as you describe it. meanwhile, voters in northern ireland will prepare for another election at some stage. prepare for another election at some sta . e. . prepare for another election at some state. . ., �* . stage. yes, that's right. legislation _ stage. yes, that's right. legislation at _ stage. yes, that's right. i legislation at westminster stage. yes, that's right. - legislation at westminster which stage. yes, that's right. _ legislation at westminster which has just become law in the last 24 hours actually has pushed back the deadline for the extension of a power—sharing devolved government. into the spring. as things stand, the latest that an election could be called if there is no executive by the start of march, we could be looking at an election in the middle of april, so it is down to whether there is some kind of unexpected breakthrough here, the dup is adamant it is not going to change its position, there are two

it's a bit of a blow for sinn fein who was thought it was quite like this. was going to be quite likeanted unity referendums by 2030 and because now a catholic now there's also a catholic majority the first time. majority for the first time. and so thought great for us, so they thought is great for us, but they're this proves but they're saying this proves we're the boycott we're right to keep the boycott going the northern ireland going over the northern ireland protocol to protocol and they still want to be. that someone wants be. it's nice that someone wants to stay with us. scotland does anyone else does this one though? is despite though? and that is despite a catholic vigil that's 1% of catholic vigil that's 2020 1% of voters catholic background voters a catholic background would just is would choose just that is surprising isn't for two reasons. the traditional reasons. one, the traditional loyalty also the south loyalty but also the south whatever you want to call it, ireland where as i mean are some suspicion that they cook the books a bit but their gdp per capha books a bit

it's a bit of a blow for sinn fein who was thought it was quite like this. was going to be quite likeanted unity referendums by 2030 and because now a catholic now there's also a catholic majority the first time. majority for the first time. and so thought great for us, so they thought is great for us, but they're this proves but they're saying this proves we're the boycott we're right to keep the boycott going the northern ireland going over the northern ireland protocol to protocol and they still want to be. that someone wants be. it's nice that someone wants to stay with us. scotland does anyone else does this one though? is despite though? and that is despite a catholic vigil that's 1% of catholic vigil that's 2020 1% of voters catholic background voters a catholic background would just is would choose just that is surprising isn't for two reasons. the traditional reasons. one, the traditional loyalty also the south loyalty but also the south whatever you want to call it, ireland where as i mean are some suspicion that they cook the books a bit but their gdp per capha books a bit

and northern ireland, sinn fein stand out for three years. then we had covid. is management problems there is management problems there on a local level rather than a national level. there on a local level rather than a national level . and i than a national level. and i spoke to andrew hummel at craigavon area hospital of the rcn to find out what his thoughts were on the agency staff. i have to say, working closely with managers within the health service, they're all doing their best to run an efficient service and that's what all we care for is the service and the care of the patients. you have to get the staff from somewhere. this is the first year in northern ireland. been able to ireland. we haven't been able to fill undergraduate fill all the undergraduate nursing queen's nursing positions for queen's and also, and open university. also, university ulster , you know, university of ulster, you know, we're nurses leave. you we're seeing nurses leave. you have to still look after the patients. so you do your best to get the nurses and sometimes it can be exp

it's been without a government since may's elections, when sinn fein won the biggest number of seatse for that. we need an executive up and running to serve the people and get them through these tough times. in stranger news, a former health secretary had the whip suspended after he swapped westminster for a box of snakes in the australian jungle. insert your own joke there. something's going up my leg! late november brought a big development in the debate over scottish independence. the snp went to the supreme court to clarify if holyrood could call the court ruled it couldn't. this judgment raises profound and deeply uncomfortable questions about the basis and the future of the united kingdom. in england, more and more small boats had continued to cross the channel. overcrowding at a processing centre in kent had sparked fury in the commons and put pressure on the reinstated home secretary. in december, rishi sunak announced a plan to clear the backlog of applications and target arrivals from albania. we cannot persist with a system that was designed for a different era. we have to