Northern Ireland’s Covid hospital patients dro p to 373 – but vaccine rate still lowest in UK

Good afternoon
This is your special interest news email from the team at the News Letter.
In Coronavirus news:
* Northern Ireland’s Covid hospital patients drop to 373 – but vaccine rate still lowest in UK.
As of midnight last night, there were 373 Covid-19 inpatients across all the trusts in Northern Ireland.
* NI council area has UK’s worst rate of Covid infections.
The latest Covid figures show that Fermanagh & Omagh has the highest infection rate of any local authority area in the UK.
In other news:
* Ryanair is reportedly ending its operations at both of Belfast’s airports.
This has not yet been confirmed by the firm, although rumours have been circulating since this morning.
At Belfast City Airport, it runs routes to Alicante, Barcelona, Faro, Ibiza, Mallorca, Malaga, Milan, and Valencia.
* DUP East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has demanded an explanation from the Chief Constable Simon Byrne concerning his officers’ non-interference in a display of INLA power.
A similar display happened to honour paramilitary Patsy O’Hara in the city in May.
* Ruth Dudley Edwards: President Joe Biden is ignorant, arrogant, stubborn — and too damn old.
We’re living through a disaster that should be causing all patriotic Americans to wonder if it isn’t time to revisit their methods of choosing their leaders.
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Have a good afternoon
Michael Cousins

Acting Managing Editor