The locations include Lough Neagh and Castlewellan Lake

There have been 77 reports of Blue-Green algae in Northern Ireland this year at more than 35 locations.

Blue-Green algae continues to be a problem in waterways across NI with dozens reports of the toxic cyanobacteria since March 18, 2026. The majority of reports of have been in Lough Neagh, Castlewellan Lake and Brantry Lough.

In recent years, the algae blooms in Lough Neagh, which provides 40% of NI’s drinking water, have caused great concern with it being labeled an environmental crisis. This year, algae has been reported at 13 different locations around the lough with the most recent being at Kinnego Marina on June 25.

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The cause has been put down to an excess of nutrients from a number of sources, including waste water, septic tanks and agriculture, exacerbated by climate change and the invasive species zebra mussels.

In July 2024, DAERA launched the Lough Neagh Action Plan which aims to address the issues leading to the crisis in the UK and Ireland’s largest freshwater lake.

The locations where Blue-Green Algae has been confirmed in Northern Ireland

• Black Glen Lake – Castlerock
• Brantry Lough
• Castlewellan Lake
• Church Road Reservoir
• Clay Lake
• Copeland Reservoir
• Craigavon Lakes
• Hillsborough Park Lake
• Lough Aghery
• Lough Island Reavy
• Lough Neagh – Antrim Bay
• Lough Neagh – Antrim Boat Club
• Lough Neagh – Ardboe
• Lough Neagh – Ballyronan
• Lough Neagh – Battery Harbour
• Lough Neagh – Deep point
• Lough Neagh – Derryadd
• Lough Neagh – Derrycrow
• Lough Neagh – Kinnego Marina
• Lough Neagh – Oxford Island
• Lough Neagh – Rea’s Wood
• Lough Neagh – Washing Bay
• Lough Neagh – White Horse Flats
• Lower Bann – Bracknamuckley Forest
• Lower Bann – Newferry
• Lower Bann – Portglenone
• Lower Bann – Seatons Marina
• Lower Conlig Reservoir
• Lower Holywood Reservoir
• Portmore Lough
• Race Course Lough, County Fermanagh
• Six Mile Water
• Tunny Cut
• Unnamed pond, Loughmallon Road
• Upper Ballysallagh Reservoir
• Upper Conlig Reservoir
• Upper Lough Macnean

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Mainsgill Farm Shop, located off the A66 near Richmond, was named best farm shop or deli in Yorkshire at the Muddy Stilettos Awards 2026 in June.

The awards celebrate independent businesses across the UK, with finalists chosen before winners are decided by public vote.

For Mainsgill, the recognition adds to an already glowing reputation among shoppers, families and travellers who regularly stop off at the site between North Yorkshire, County Durham and Cumbria.

Outside Mainsgill (Image: SUBMIT)

The farm shop, four miles from Scotch Corner, has become a landmark on the A66 and is popular with both residents and people passing through the area.

On its website, Mainsgill describes itself as being “brimming with the finest local and unique foods”, with produce fresh from its home-reared stock and products made in-house.

The site sells a wide range of products, including fresh meat, cheeses, fruit and vegetables, pies, sausage rolls, cakes, deli items and gifts.

Visitors can also browse its gift hall and clothing department, with homeware, kitchenware, pottery, cushions and other items on offer.

But the farm shop is only part of the appeal.

The site is also home to the Mainsgill tearoom, where visitors can stop for breakfast, hot meals, cakes, scones and drinks.

Families are also drawn to the animals on site, where visitors can see animals including camels, alpacas and ostriches, making it a popular stop for children as well as food shoppers.

Online reviewers have repeatedly praised the farm shop, tearoom and wider visitor experience.

One Tripadvisor reviewer said they “cannot speak highly enough” of their visit, praising the tearoom, farm shop, staff and the overall experience.

They wrote that there was a “lovely selection of food and drinks” and said the service was “absolutely great”.

Another visitor described it as “such a great day”, while others have praised the choice of produce, the butchery and the chance to see the animals.

Mainsgill’s scale is another reason it stands out.

Inside Mainsgill (Image: SUBMIT)

The business began in the 1990s after Andrew and Maria Henshaw moved from Lancashire and started selling home-reared meat.

It has since grown into one of the largest farm-retail operations in the North of England, covering more than 20,000 square feet of retail space and farming more than 1,200 acres of land.

The shop first opened in a converted garage before expanding into a permanent site, with further developments added over the years.

Recent improvements have included a major extension, upgraded food-processing facilities and additional seating, helping the business cope with its popularity.

Its position close to Scotch Corner also makes it a convenient stop for people travelling between Teesside, North Yorkshire, County Durham and Cumbria.

Its focus on home-reared meat, regional suppliers and in-house products has helped it stand out at a time when shoppers are increasingly interested in where their food comes from.

The Muddy Stilettos win places Mainsgill among Yorkshire’s standout independent food destinations.

MR Ryder, (Letters July 6, 2026), tells us that Burnham’s plan is a ‘folly’.

Not true Mr Ryder. The greatest political folly since the second world war was Brexit.

If we had stayed in the EU, the Treasury would have had an extra £90 billion per year to spend on welfare, defence, education etc. without creating new taxes or raising tax rates. No nation in living memory has acted so foolishly in peacetime. Our international friends and allies still cannot believe we actually did it.

A Conservative government was elected on May 11, 2010 with David Cameron as PM. On July 5, 2024, Labour, with Keir Starmer as PM, thankfully ended the most disastrous 14 years and 61 days of UK politics that I have ever witnessed in my 86 years. They left the UK economy as a busted flush.

Labour has three more years to prove themselves before the next General Election is due in July 2029.

I say that we should all (including Mr Ryder) cut Labour some slack as, so far, they have done well with a very difficult economy.

If Labour MPs feel that a new leader is needed for the next three years, then so be it.

Quentin Macdonald,

Manor Farm, Church Lane,

Nether Poppleton,

York

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Tributes have been paid to a 21-year-old man who has died in an incident at a lake in Eryri National Park. Rowan Booth, from Prestatyn, got into difficulty while paddleboarding at Llyn Geirionydd near Trefriw on Tuesday night.

A large-scale operation involving police, mountain rescue, and underwater dive teams was launched but they were unable to save him and his body was subsequently recovered.

His employer, DW Property Maintenance of Prestatyn, has now posted a heartfelt tribute to the young man, reports North Wales Live.

They said: “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share the heartbreaking news that our dear friend and colleague, Rowan, has sadly passed away.

“Rowan wasn’t just a valued member of our team-he was family. He brought kindness, laughter, loyalty, and genuine friendship into our workplace every single day. He touched the lives of so many people and his absence leaves a space that can never truly be filled.” You can read more here.

Mitch McConnell has broken his month-long silence over the mysterious medical episode that forced him from the Senate and posted a photo of himself alongside his wife 73-year-old Elaine Chao.

McConnell revealed how he briefly lost consciousness, was hospitalized after a fall and later developed pneumonia as he released his first public photograph since disappearing from Capitol Hill.

The 84-year-old acknowledged that his prolonged absence had prompted concern and questions from constituents, saying he and his wife had been grateful for the support they had received. 

Speculation surrounding McConnell’s health had intensified in recent days because Donald Trump‘s MAGA loyalists, such as Laura Loomer, have said McConnell is ‘brain dead.’ 

But in a photo released on Sunday evening, a smiling McConnell appeared to quash such rumors as he appeared to be holding a copy of Sunday’s Washington Post Sports section. 

In a lengthy written statement addressed directly to the people of Kentucky, the veteran Republican senator disclosed new details about the health scare that has kept him away from Washington for the past four weeks.

‘To my fellow Kentuckians,’ McConnell began, ‘when you elected me to a seventh term and made me our Commonwealth’s longest serving Senator, you did so trusting that I’d keep showing up to fight for you every day.’

‘Over the past several weeks, Elaine and I have appreciated both your well wishes and your honest questions about what was keeping me away from the Senate.’

McConnell admitted he initially struggled with sharing personal health information, saying members of his generation often prefer to keep such matters private.

‘You all know how folks of my generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older,’ he wrote.

‘Even in the public eye, I feel that same instinct – I can’t help it.’

At around 8.30am on Monday, June 14, emergency responders wheeled the 84-year-old Kentucky senator into an ambulance after an apparent cardiac arrest

In order to counter claims of AI, the senator appeared to be holding Sunday’s copy of the Washington Post Sports section

The Republican leader then revealed exactly what happened.

‘But at the same time, I’ve had more than my share of experience with physical vulnerabilities,’ McConnell said.

‘Surviving childhood polio meant spending my entire life with mobility challenges. They haven’t exactly gotten easier to manage with age. And last month, I took a fall which landed me in the hospital.’

He sought to reassure supporters by ruling out several of the most serious medical possibilities.

‘My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion. I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages.’

‘But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital.’

While undergoing treatment, McConnell said doctors also diagnosed him with a mild case of pneumonia.

The senator said he had complied fully with his doctors’ recommendations as they worked to determine what caused him to lose consciousness.

One woman who lives on McConnell’s block told the Daily Mail: ‘When he came out, I actually wondered if he was dead. He did not look good. He was not conscious. His eyes were closed, he had oxygen [tubes] strapped to his nose’

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Neighbors say they almost never see McConnell’s wife of 33 years, Elaine Chao

‘I can assure you that I’ve been a good patient,’ he wrote. ‘At my age, I tend to do what my doctors tell me to do.’

He added that he had undergone extensive medical testing.

‘I’ve submitted to every test they can think of to help figure out what caused this incident. And I’m continuing to do everything they ask to speed my recovery.’

McConnell also disclosed that his condition has improved enough for him to leave the hospital.

‘With signs of continued progress, I’ve been able to move from hospital care to a rehabilitation center where I’ll keep regaining my strength.’

Despite the progress, the longtime Kentucky senator said his doctors have not yet cleared him to resume voting on the Senate floor.

‘As much as it frustrates me, this process takes time. On the advice of my doctors, I won’t be able to return to the Senate floor to vote quite yet.’

Even so, McConnell insisted he has not stepped away from his responsibilities.

‘Rest assured that, in the meantime, I’m not taking a break from the Senate business that matters to you.’

He said he has continued working closely with both his Washington legislative staff and his Kentucky team while also remaining in contact with fellow Republican senators.

Prior to the June incident McConnell had been seen at the Capitol being escorted by aides and using a wheelchair in recent months

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‘I’ve been working closely with my legislative staff on current issues, and with my Kentucky team who help me provide timely constituent services across our Commonwealth.’

‘I’ve also been keeping in touch with my Senate colleagues on the appropriations process, midterm politics, and everything in between.’

McConnell reiterated that his decision to retire at the conclusion of his current term was made with the physical demands of the Senate in mind but emphasized he still intends to finish the job voters elected him to do.

‘You’re right to expect your representatives to work hard for you.’

‘Part of my decision to retire at the end of my term this coming January was being honest about the demands of Senate work. 

‘But I still have unfinished business to complete on your behalf, and I have every intention of finishing the job you elected me to do.’

He closed by promising to continue updating Kentuckians on his recovery.

‘I’ll keep working hard to get back on the Senate floor as soon as possible. And I’ll keep you posted on the progress of my recovery.’

‘Until then, I’m so grateful for your prayers and well wishes.’

Last week, never-before-seen footage was released that depicted McConnell being wheeled on a stretcher into an ambulance outside his Washington, DC, home following an apparent cardiac arrest.

McConnell’s neighbor filmed the incident on the morning of June 14 as emergency responders arrived to provide medical assistance to the Kentucky lawmaker, according to CNN. 

The video is shot from a distance and McConnell’s face is not visible. The person on the stretcher can be seen with their lower legs covered by an orange blanket as their feet remain exposed.

CNN reported that a separate neighbor said McConnell was not wearing an oxygen mask when he was loaded onto the stretcher.

The episode was the latest in a string of health scares for McConnell, who was hospitalized for more than a week earlier this year with ‘flu-like symptoms.’  

Questions about his condition first drew national attention in 2023, when he froze on camera multiple times, appearing briefly unable to respond to reporters’ questions. 

He has also weathered several falls, including a March 2023 trip at a Washington dinner event that left him with a concussion.

McConnell has been seen at the Capitol being escorted by aides and using a wheelchair.  

First elected in 1984, McConnell served as the Senate Republican leader from 2007 to 2025, making him the longest-serving party leader in the Senate’s history.

Conor McGregor suffered a disastrous return to the octagon after a five-year absence on Saturday night, when he lost to Max Holloway at UFC 329 in Las Vegas.

The Dubliner has pledged to return to the octagon despite sustaining yet another significant injury.

The former two-division UFC champion lasted just 69 seconds before apparently injuring his knee. Supporters quickly speculated that McGregor was carrying an injury entering the bout, but the Irishman maintained he was fit – and vowed he would be back.

“I was so sharp and so ready for this fight I cannot believe what has happened,” he posted on social media. “The talk of me being off while walking into the fight is nonsense.

“I was calm, ready, and confident. I am in shock what has taken place. The devil is literally staring at me right in front of my face here. I am not engaging. I will be at church tomorrow. I will overcome this. I will not be deterred. I will return.”

Any suggestion that the Dubliner’s pulling power had waned in America over recent years was swiftly put to rest at the pre-fight press conference, where McGregor was met with a thunderous reception from a packed crowd at the T-Mobile Arena.

Yet back home in Ireland, his standing has taken a considerable knock following a string of incidents over the past decade.

Here is a list of controversies McGregor has been embroiled in since his 2017 boxing bout with Floyd Mayweather:.

November 10, 2017: Attends a Bellator MMA event at the 3Arena in support of his SBG Ireland teammate Charlie Ward. Following Ward’s win, he jumps into the cage in celebration before shoving referee Marc Goddard when told to leave, as he was not an official cornerman

April 5, 2018: Launches a dolly at a bus window carrying UFC athletes to a press event at New York’s Barclays Center. The shattered glass leaves several fighters injured, including Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg, forcing them to withdraw from UFC 223, scheduled just days later.

McGregor is subsequently charged with three counts of assault and criminal mischief. Following a plea deal, McGregor pled guilty to a single charge of disorderly conduct.

The agreement required him to complete five days of community service, undertake an anger management programme and pay full restitution to the bus company for damages.

September 20, 2018: Ridicules Khabib Nurmagomedov, a devout Muslim, after the Russian declined to drink a shot of his Proper 12 Whiskey at a press conference. He then labelled Nurmagomedov’s Egyptian manager Ali Abdelaziz, also a Muslim, a ‘terrorist rat’.

October 6, 2018: His loss to Nurmagomedov is marred by a mass brawl, leading to McGregor being handed a $50,000 fine and six-month suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for his role in the incident.

March 11, 2019: Arrested and charged with strong-armed robbery and criminal mischief after an altercation with a fan in Miami who was trying to photograph him. Both charges and a subsequent civil action are later dropped.

March 26, 2019: Reports emerge that he faces investigation over an alleged sexual assault at a Dublin hotel in December 2018. This subsequently results in civil proceedings being brought to court by Nikita Hand.

Shortly after the story emerged, McGregor declared his retirement from MMA for the second time.

April 3, 2019: Once again targeted Nurmagomedov’s faith by posting an image of the Russian fighter with his wife in a niqab from their wedding, captioning it: “Your wife is a towel mate”. The post was subsequently removed, with McGregor stating: “I want to move forward, with my fans of all faiths and all backgrounds.”

August 15, 2019: Footage emerges showing him punching 50-year-old Desmond Keogh at The Marble Arch Pub in Dublin after Keogh refused a shot of his whiskey.

November 1, 2019: Admits guilt to assault in relation to the pub incident and is handed a €1,000 fine.

September 10, 2020: Detained on the French island of Corsica following allegations of sexual assault and indecent exposure connected to a reported bar incident. The charges were later dropped in April 2021 owing to insufficient evidence.

July 10, 2021: After his second loss to Dustin Poirier in six months, McGregor, while sitting on the canvas with a broken leg, yelled that the American’s wife had been messaging him.

September 12, 2021: Got into an altercation with American rapper Machine Gun Kelly on the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center. McGregor tried to hit Kelly but didn’t make contact.

October 16, 2021: Italian musician and television personality Francesco Facchinetti claimed McGregor attacked him at a Rome nightclub. Facchinetti alleged that McGregor broke his nose and later filed charges.

McGregor’s representatives never publicly provided a comprehensive response to the allegations, and the matter has remained a private legal issue since.

March 22, 2022: Held on driving-related charges in Dublin, with Gardaí seizing his Bentley.

November 22, 2022: Faces legal action from former friend and training partner Artem Lobov over unpaid earnings from the sale of his Proper Twelve Whiskey business. The high-profile High Court case reaches a settlement in April 2026, though the terms of the agreement were not made public.

January 24, 2023: An Irish woman alleges McGregor attacked her aboard his yacht in Ibiza during July 2022, claiming he hit her and threatened to drown her. McGregor denies the allegations.

Her vehicle is subsequently set alight weeks later before she withdraws her civil proceedings.

June 9, 2023: Punches Miami Heat mascot Burnie during a comedy skit at Game 4 of the NBA Finals, landing a further blow after the mascot falls to the ground. The individual inside the costume is taken to hospital.

June 11, 2023: Faces allegations of sexually assaulting a woman at the basketball game in Miami. She claims he “aggressively kissed her” while attempting to pressure her into sexual activity.

McGregor denies the accusation, with charges later dropped several months on due to insufficient evidence.

November 23, 2023: Declares Ireland is at “war” following a stabbing attack in Dublin. The incident sparks the Dublin riots, with McGregor tweeting: “Do not let any Irish property be took over unannounced. Evaporate said property.”

In the aftermath of the riots he writes: “You reap what you sow”.

July 31, 2024: Admits guilt at Blanchardstown District Court to dangerous and careless driving offences relating to an incident in March 2022. He is handed a five-month suspended prison sentence, a €5,000 fine, and a two-year driving ban.

November 22, 2024: A High Court jury finds McGregor civilly liable for the assault of Nikita Hand, who alleges he raped her in a hotel room in 2018. She is awarded close to €250,000 in damages.

March 17, 2025: Launches an anti-immigration tirade before meeting Donald Trump at the White House on St Patrick’s Day and criticises the Irish government. He claims “Ireland is on the cusp of losing its Irishness” and that an “illegal immigration racket” is “running ravage on the country”.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin condemns the comments.

July 31, 2025: His appeal against the Nikita Hand jury verdict is rejected.

September 15, 2025: Withdraws from the Irish presidential election, though insists it won’t be the last election he contests.

October 7, 2025: Receives an 18-month ban from the UFC anti-doping programme Combat Sports Anti-Doping (CSAD) following three missed drug tests between September 2024 and June 2025. The suspension is backdated and expires on March 20, 2026.

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By MELISSA KOENIG, US REPORTER and ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: 22:41 BST, 12 July 2026 | Updated: 23:12 BST, 12 July 2026

The United States has launched additional strikes on Iran in an effort to secure the vital Strait of Hormuz waterway.

US Central Command announced on Sunday that at 5pm EDT, forces began launching strikes on the country ‘to continue degrading their ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz.’

It noted that President Donald Trump directed the strikes to ‘hold Iranian forces accountable’ after he declared on national television that the strait was open. 

The governor of Qeshm Island near the strait also told Iran‘s state-run IRNA news agency that projectiles were fired at military targets, with no casualties. Explosions were also heard in the coastal city of Bandar Abbas and Hajiabad city to the north.

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A US official speaking with the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity said a few strikes were conducted on missile and air defense systems and paramilitary Revolutionary Guard boats at a couple of locations to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping.

A spokesperson for US Central Command also claimed on CNN that Iranian forces had launched more attacks on commercial ships passing through the Strait, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes. 

President Donald Trump directed additional strikes on Iran on Sunday to secure the Strait of Hormuz waterway

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Shipping vessels are pictured in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday

The strait, which has long considered an international waterway, has become a sticking point in ceasefire negotiations.

As tensions remained, Iranian forces attacked a container ship in the strait, setting it ablaze and leaving one crew member missing on Saturday.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth vowed revenge, saying: ‘Iran made a poor choice. Now they pay.’ 

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The US military then retaliated by hitting some 140 targets, including missile and drone launch sites, ammunition dumps, communication equipment and other sites, the military said earlier on Sunday.

‘We bombed the hell out of them last night,’ Trump added to NBC’s Meet the Press.

Iran then responded with attacks on Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and Oman – the nation on the other side of the strait that Tehran has pressed to collaborate in managing shipping traffic.

But Iranian officials insist they alone must control the strait – and have the authority to potentially charge vessels for traveling through it. 

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‘The era of one-sided deals is OVER,’ Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament and a main negotiator, wrote on social media. 

‘We told you: keep your word or pay the price. Reality is knocking.’ 

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also declared the strait closed until further notice after the attack, vowing to attack ‘additional enemy bases in the region’ if it faced more attacks.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament and a main negotiator for the country, declared that Iran must maintain control of the Strait of Hormuz

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US Central Command posted dramatic video earlier on Sunday of the retaliatory strikes against Tehran after the Middle Eastern country fired on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz

The US said that the munitions hitting the Iranian targets on Saturday had been launched by aircraft, drones and vessels

Yet the US military said more than 140 ships had transited the strait over the past week. 

A multinational body overseen by the US Navy also said traffic continued ‘at reduced levels’ off both Oman and Iran, and that nearly 140 vessels transited daily before the war.

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But Iranian forces claimed the Cyprus–flagged container ship that was targeted on Saturday, which American authorities named as the M/V GFS Galaxy, was attempting to use an unauthorized route to cross the strait.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.