| Happy new year! Some people dislike that greeting if made much past January 1st but I say it until the end of the month if it is my first time seeing someone. And this is my first 2026 email to readers. There have already been at least four glorious sunny mornings this month - including today. A key feature of these bright days is the crisp cold weather, which is not a cert in January in this mild region. Lots of sport has been cancelled today but here are pictures and video of families enjoying snow in Stormont last Sunday. The Kingsmill memorial this week was in daylight, indeed in sunshine. It was 50 years later to the date, but the attack was at night. On Monday I could see why the killers chose darkness and such an isolated spot. It was also a sunny, wintry morning at a huge funeral I attended of a teacher who served for 43 years, longer than any other master in the history of his school. Here are pictures and video of that service. Two days earlier I was at the funeral of a longstanding News Letter reader. I was satisfied to enter the new year two stone lighter than I was at the start of the summer, but Stephen Nolan's weight loss is far more impressive than mine. Finally, Jon Burrows is so far the only contender to be Ulster Unionist leader. He has called for Net Zero targets to be replaced with 'realistic' goals. Enjoy your weekend, the gradually increasing daylight, and your reading,
Ben | 
