‘The hope we had is gone’: how 20 months of stasis has paralysed Northern Ireland

While the DUP conference may put a brave face on the crisis, public services and even the state’s legitimacy are hollowing

• Four key areas in crisis

It is a grim milestone for Northern Ireland that some of its problems are now visible from space.

A vast blue-green algae is choking Lough Neagh, which supplies 40% of Northern Ireland’s drinking water, owing to excessive farm slurry, human sewage discharges and other management blunders.