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Joe Biden will hold a bilateral meeting with Rishi Sunak today after arriving in Northern Ireland last night to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Sunak greeted Mr Biden after Air Force One landed at Belfast International Airport for the US president’s four-day visit to the island of Ireland.

The two leaders met briefly before the president drove away in an armoured car amid a scattering of snow.

Mr Biden and Mr Sunak’s meeting will come before the US president meets the leaders of Northern Ireland’s five main political parties.

However, the White House said there will not be a formal group meeting with the leaders.

The Stormont powersharing assembly, which was established in the Good Friday Agreement peace deal in 1998, is not currently operating due to a protest over post-Brexit trading arrangements by the DUP, the largest unionist party in Northern Ireland.

Following his meeting with party leaders, Mr Biden will deliver an address at Ulster University’s new £350m Belfast campus where his remarks will commemorate the Good Friday Agreement.

More on Joe Biden

The peace deal largely ended 30 years of bloodshed between republicans and loyalists.

Read more:
Good Friday Agreement 25 years on – how it led to peace, hope and paralysis

President Joe Biden disembarks Air Force One
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President Joe Biden disembarks Air Force One

Mr Sunak will not attend Mr Biden’s keynote speech, with Downing Street on Tuesday denying that the engagement between the pair would be “low-key”.

Speaking to reporters before his departure, Mr Biden said that his top priority was to “make sure the Irish accords and the Windsor Agreement stay in place, keep the peace”.

His son Hunter Biden and sister Valerie Biden Owen are believed to be accompanying him for the trip.

A major security operation will be in place for Mr Biden’s Northern Ireland visit at an estimated cost of £7m.

Around 300 officers from other parts of the UK will travel to the area to help police a series of events to mark the anniversary.

Mr Biden will travel across the border to Ireland later today where he will tour Carlingford Castle in County Louth, an area to which he has traced his ancestral roots.

Then it’s off to Dublin, where he is expected to visit Irish President Michael D Higgins on Thursday.

Mr Biden will take part in a tree-planting ceremony and ringing of the Peace Bell at the president’s official residence, Aras an Uachtarain.

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Why is Biden’s visit to Northern Ireland significant?

Following that ceremony, he will meet the Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and address the Irish parliament.

A banquet dinner at Dublin Castle will follow on Thursday evening.

The president’s trip will end with a visit to County Mayo on Friday, where he has connected with distant cousins.

A descendant of Irish immigrants to the United States, Mr Biden will deliver remarks at St Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina, County Mayo, to which his great-great-great-grandfather Edward Blewitt sold 27,000 bricks in 1827.

The bricks were used to build the cathedral and their sale helped to fund Mr Blewitt’s passage to the US with his family in 1851.

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What is the Good Friday Agreement?

The president’s trip comes at an uncertain time for Northern Ireland, where power sharing in Stormont is still on hold and the terror threat has been raised to severe – meaning an attack is highly likely.

Mr Biden’s arrival came hours after four suspected pipe bombs were found by police in a cemetery in Northern Ireland.

Officers sealed off the City Cemetery in Creggan, Derry/Londonderry, on Tuesday following the discovery of a suspicious device.

There were some disturbances on Easter Monday when petrol bombs were thrown at an armoured police Land Rover in Creggan during what police described as an “unnotified” march by dissident republicans.

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UK

‘Nurse’ stabbed at hospital A&E department – man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder

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'Nurse' stabbed at hospital A&E department - man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder

A woman has suffered life-changing injuries after being stabbed by a member of the public at the accident and emergency department where she was working.

The victim – believed to be a nurse in her 50s – was attacked at Royal Oldham Hospital in Greater Manchester, where she is now being treated.

It is understood she was injured with a bladed article or a sharp instrument – and not by a knife.

Officers were called at 11.30pm on Saturday.

A 37-year-old man is in custody after being “swiftly arrested at the scene” on suspicion of attempted murder, Greater Manchester Police said.

Detectives are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident and say there is no threat to the wider public.

Jim McMahon, the Labour MP for the area, described it as a “senseless attack”.

He posted on Facebook: “We are all shocked at the senseless attack on a nurse in the A&E department of the Royal Oldham Hospital.

“Our thoughts are with the nurse, family and friends as we wish a full recovery.”

Detective Sergeant Craig Roters said it was a “serious incident which has left a woman in a critical condition”.

The victim’s family and colleagues will be supported, he added.

The local community can expect to see an “increase in police presence” while enquiries are carried out, Mr Roters said.

“We know that news of this nature will come as a shock, and if you have any concerns or anything you would like to share, please speak to [officers].”

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UK

Kemi Badenoch calls on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq over property allegations

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Kemi Badenoch calls on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq over property allegations

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir Starmer to sack Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq over allegations she lived in properties linked to allies of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh.

It comes after the current Bangladeshi leader, Muhammad Yunus, said London properties used by Ms Siddiq should be investigated.

He told the Sunday Times the properties should be handed back to his government if they were acquired through “plain robbery”.

Tory leader Ms Badenoch said: “It’s time for Keir Starmer to sack Tulip Siddiq.

“He appointed his personal friend as anti-corruption minister and she is accused herself of corruption.

“Now the government of Bangladesh is raising serious concerns about her links to the regime of Sheikh Hasina.”

Ms Siddiq insists she has “done nothing wrong”.

Her aunt was ousted from office in August following an uprising against her 20-year leadership and fled to India.

Ms Siddiq is also named with her aunt in Bangladesh court documents about meetings with the Russian government.

Kemi Badenoch
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Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on Sir Keir to sack the minister

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Liz Truss sends cease and desist letter to Starmer

As economic secretary to the Treasury, Ms Siddiq is responsible for policy on both the City and tackling corruption.

She referred herself to the prime minister’s ethics watchdog on Monday following the reports about the properties.

On the same day, the prime minister said: “Tulip Siddiq has acted entirely properly by referring herself to the independent adviser, as she’s now done, and that’s why we brought into being the new code.

“It’s to allow ministers to ask the adviser to establish the facts, and yes, I’ve got confidence in her, and that’s the process that will now be happening.”

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Search area widened for missing sisters in Aberdeen

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Search area widened for missing sisters in Aberdeen

Police in Aberdeen have widened the search area for two sisters who disappeared four days ago in the city.

Eliza and Henrietta Huszti, both 32, were last seen on CCTV on Market Street after leaving their home on Tuesday at around 2.12am.

The sisters – who are part of a set of triplets and originally from Hungary – crossed the Victoria Bridge to the Torry area and turned right on to a footpath next to the River Dee.

Eliza and Henrietta Huszti who were last seen on CCTV in Market Street.
Pic: Police Scotland/PA
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Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street. Pic: Police Scotland/PA

They headed in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club but officers said there is no evidence to suggest the missing women left the immediate area.

Specialist search teams, police dogs and a marine unit have been trying to trace the pair.

SN screengrab aberdeen city showing Victoria Bridge (looking north towards market street) re: missing sisters Eliza and Henrietta Huszti
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The sisters crossed Victoria Bridge before walking along a footpath next to the River Dee

SN screengrab aberdeen city showing boat club. A potential location of missing sisters Eliza and Henrietta Huszti
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The pair were heading in the direction of Aberdeen Boat Club on the south side of the River Dee

Further searches are being carried out towards the Port of Aberdeen’s South Harbour and Duthie Park.

Police Scotland said it is liaising with authorities in Hungary to support the relatives of the two sisters.

datawrapper map of aberdeen city showing location of police searches for missing sisters Eliza and Henrietta Huszti

Chief Inspector Darren Bruce said: “Eliza and Henrietta’s family are understandably extremely worried about them and we are working tirelessly to find them.

“We are seriously concerned about them and have significant resources dedicated to the inquiry.”

The sisters, from Aberdeen city centre, are described as slim with long brown hair.

Henrietta  Huszti who along with her sister, Eliza, were last seen on CCTV in Market Street.
Pic: Police Scotland/PA
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Henrietta Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland

Eliza Huszti.
Pic: Police Scotland/PA
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Eliza Huszti. Pic: Police Scotland

Officers have requested businesses in and around the South Esplanade and Menzies Road area to review their CCTV footage for the early morning of Tuesday 7 January.

Police added they are keen to hear from anyone with dashcam footage from that time.

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