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Morning top 5: Fly BMI collapse; May's Brexit plea; Trump claims "100% victory" over Islamic State in Syria

Derry Airport has said it is reviewing options to resume flights to London Stansted with a new ai...
Michael Staines
Michael Staines

09.00 17 Feb 2019


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Morning top 5: Fly BMI collaps...

Morning top 5: Fly BMI collapse; May's Brexit plea; Trump claims "100% victory" over Islamic State in Syria

Michael Staines
Michael Staines

09.00 17 Feb 2019


Share this article


Derry Airport has said it is reviewing options to resume flights to London Stansted with a new airline as soon as possible.

It's after regional airline Fly BMI collapsed and cancelled all its flights with immediate effect.

The UK based airline - which has 17 planes and employs 376 people - said Brexit and rising fuel costs are among the reasons for its demise.

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Thousands of passengers who have had their travel plans disrupted are being advised to contact card companies and travel agents for refunds.

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The Taoiseach's personal satisfaction rating remains below 40% for a second month in a row.

A new Sunday Times Behaviour and Attitudes poll Leo Varadkar up one point to 39%.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin is also up one point – remaining ahead at 43%.

Meanwhile, Labour Leader Brendan Howlin is also up 1 to 39% - while Sinn Fein's Mary Lou McDonald has dropped a point to 39%.

When it comes to the parties themselves, there is no change for Fine Gael and Fianna Fail - on 30% and 26% respectively.

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The British Prime Minister has written to her MPs asking them to "move beyond what divides us" and back her Brexit plan.

Theresa May has issued a plea for politicians to sacrifice their "personal preferences" for the national interest.

On Thursday, she suffered a symbolic defeat in parliament over her approach to negotiating changes to her withdrawal agreement.

She confirmed plans to meet with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker next week – and warned he Tory colleagues that "history will judge us all" if they don’t unite and deliver on Brexit.

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US President Donald Trump has called on European allies to take back more than 800 Islamic State fighters captured in Syria – and put them on trial.

President Trump said "the alternative is not a good one in that we will be forced to release them," with the terror group's caliphate in Iraq and Syria "ready to fall."

He tweeted: "The US does not want to watch as these ISIS fighters permeate Europe, which is where they are expected to go.

"We do so much, and spend so much - Time for others to step up and do the job that they are so capable of doing.

He claimed the US was pulling out of Syria, “after 100% caliphate victory."

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Meanwhile, President Trump’s nominee for the next US ambassador to the United Nations is withdrawing from consideration for the job.

Broadcast journalist and Government spokesperson Heather Nauert has cited family reasons.

She was in line to replace Nikki Haley, who resigned from the post at the end of last year.


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