Irish News
If the British repartitioned Ireland this is what it would look like
Brexit, the Irish border and the 'battle for the union'
By Jayne McCormackBBC News NI Political Reporter
On Monday, the DUP's deputy leader Nigel Dodds told the BBC that Brexit negotiations were "turning into a battle for the union".
His party is at the heart of the disquiet over the so-called backstop (that's the insurance policy the EU wants, to ensure there's no hard Irish border if the UK and EU can't find another solution).
The DUP's "blood red" line: No to anything that sees only Northern Ireland remaining aligned in some way to EU rules, and no to extra regulatory checks only in Northern Ireland.
It fears anything that splits Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK could pose a range of problems, including precipitating the eventual break-up of the union.
Full Story: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-45864218
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Ballymurphy Massacre ‘illegitimate and unjustified’, court hears at Inquests
From The Belfast Telegraph
Inquests investigating the 1971 incidents, referred to as the Ballymurphy Massacre by bereaved relatives, began in Belfast on Monday.
In 2011, Northern Ireland’s Attorney General John Larkin directed that new inquests be heard after a long campaign by family members who claimed the original coronial probes were inadequate.
The shootings took place as the Army moved in to republican strongholds to arrest IRA suspects after the introduction by the Stormont administration of the controversial policy of internment without trial.
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Irish E3 visa bill is introduced in Congress - would mean 5,000 US work visas a year
From Irish Central
A bipartisan bill has been drafted in the House of Representatives to allow Ireland access to the E3 visa program which currently allows 10,500 Australians a year to come and work legally in America.
Australia takes up about half of their allotment and the new bill would allow the Irish to take the remainder.
The White House is said to be strongly behind the bill which was negotiated by Irish special envoy John Deasy, a member of parliament for Waterford and the Department of Foreign Affairs. Deasy was appointed by Irish leader Leo Varadkar to seek a solution to the lack of access to America and the undocumented Irish issue. The issue was raised in the St.Patrick’s Day talks in the White House between Varadkar and President Trump.
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