Northern Ireland News for October 2003

Northern Ireland News, Oct 31, 2003
Teenager given four years for manslaughter
A teenager has been sentenced to four years in a young offenders home today after being found guilty of manslaughter. Martin Griffin, 16, of Breezemount Close, Bangor, had just turned 15 when he stab...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 31, 2003
300 jobs under threat at two leading retailers
The future of two of Northern Ireland's leading electrical stores is in doubt after Shop Electric and Electricworld went into administration today. The move will see the closure of 35 stores, and le...
Recruitment News, Oct 31, 2003
Lloyds TSB call centre closure slammed as 'profit without conscience'
Finance union Unifi has reacted angrily to an announcement that Lloyds TSB is to transfer 900 call centre jobs in Newcastle to India by the end of next year. Branding the move as "profit without cons...
UK National News, Oct 31, 2003
Clarke rules himself out of Tory leadership race
After a series of meetings between Ken Clarke and Michael Howard yesterday, the former Tory Chancellor has ruled himself out of the race for the Conservative leadership - apparently leaving the way cl...
Business News, Oct 31, 2003
Small firms suffer as postal strikes continue
The Federation of Small Businesses has expressed concern at the news that wildcat strikes by postal workers are continuing to spread across the UK. FSB UK Policy Chairman, John Walker said: “Small fi...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 31, 2003
Woman pensioner tied up during robbery
A pensioner has been treated for shock after being tied up during a robbery at her home in east Belfast last night. The 78-year-old woman was confronted by three masked youths as she slept in the liv...
UK National News, Oct 31, 2003
Queen recognises armed forces for courage in Iraq
Over 350 servicemen and women have been honoured by the Queen today for their "courage and professionalism" during recent hostilities in Iraq. All ranks and services are represented in the list. Chie...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 31, 2003
Concern as Lisburn factory poised to axe 55 jobs
Leading Alliance councillor, Seamus Close has expressed his "alarm" following news of jobs cuts at a Lisburn based thread-making factory. Around 55 jobs are to go at Coats Barbour in Hilden, near Lis...
UK National News, Oct 31, 2003
Postal strike gathers impetus
Postal workers in Staffordshire and Wiltshire are among the latest to walk out as unofficial strike action continues to spread across the UK. The main postal workers union the Communications Worker U...
UK National News, Oct 31, 2003
Kosovo has uncertain future: UN envoy
The top UN envoy for Kosovo has warned the Security Council today that the province has an "uncertain future" while it continues to be plagued by problems rooted in the 1999 war. During a briefing t...
UK National News, Oct 31, 2003
Rice condemns terror attacks in Iraq
The US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice has condemned the recent spate of attacks in Iraq, saying it demonstrates the "depravity" of the terrorists while reinforcing more than ever the need ...
UK National News, Oct 31, 2003
Health department to downsize by 1,400 jobs
At the Health Select Committee today, Health Secretary John Reid has said that he was committed to decentralising power to local hospitals and announced that he is to cut 1,400 jobs from his departmen...
UK National News, Oct 31, 2003
Lloyds TSB call centre closure slammed as 'profit without conscience'
Finance union Unifi has reacted angrily to an announcement that Lloyds TSB is to transfer 900 call centre jobs from Newcastle to India by the end of next year. Branding the move as "profit without co...
UK National News, Oct 31, 2003
First Concorde flys to last resting place
A proposal to maintain one airworthy Concorde for flypasts and airshows has been scrapped by BA following a feasibility study. The technical feasibility study, headed by Captain Mike Bannister, Conco...
UK National News, Oct 31, 2003
ICI glosses over profits dip
Results posted today by the chemicals giant ICI have revealed that third-quarter profits have dipped by 13%. However, ICI, which declared profits of £105 million, down 13% on the same period in 2002,...
UK National News, Oct 31, 2003
DTI calls time on poor pub price listing
New moves forcing pubs and restaurants to show the prices of soft drinks more clearly were unveiled by Consumer Minister Gerry Sutcliffe today. The initiative follows complaints from customers who ha...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 31, 2003
UUP trio hit out at Robinson comments
The UUP have hit out at comments made by Strangford MP, Iris Robinson who claimed the withdrawal of a UUP member from a seat in Strangford for the forthcoming Assembly elections proved their party was...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 31, 2003
MMR vaccine safe says Chief Medical Officer
Northern Ireland's Chief Medical Officer has called on local parents to have their child immunised against Measles despite a supposed link between the MMR vaccine and autism. In a letter, which is se...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 31, 2003
Former UUP man arrested in Electoral probe
It has been confirmed that the man arrested in connection to 30 counts of theft and false accounting at an Electoral Officer in Co Tyrone is a former chief executive of the Ulster Unionist Party. Ala...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 31, 2003
Pan-disability gymnastics puts sport in international spotlight
The development of worldwide disability sport takes a major stride forward this weekend, when Belfast hosts the second international pan-disability gymnastics. The competition, sponsored by Belfast C...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 31, 2003
Consilium confirm £300,000 district council contract
Leading IT firm, Consilium Technologies has won a contract worth over £300,000 with an English district council for the delivery of a number of its application systems. Eden District Council in Cumbr...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 31, 2003
Electricity cut leaves 1,300 homes without power
Over 1,300 homes in Co Down were left without electricity supplies on Wednesday following severe damage to an underground high voltage electricity cable in the area. The damage was caused by a contra...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 30, 2003
Man jailed for sexually abusing daughter
A man has been jailed for nine years today after being found guilty of sexually abusing his daughter. The 55-year-old former prison officer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty by...
UK National News, Oct 30, 2003
Howard unveils Tory leadership candidacy
While the Tory leadership has disintegrated in a manner with which voters have become familiar, the ensuing clamour from a host of hopeful candidates has not yet materialised – as almost all but Micha...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 30, 2003
McGimpsey hits out at IRA criticism
Leading Ulster Unionist representative Michael McGimpsey has reiterated that Republicans were aware of the need for transparency in the weapons decommissioning process. His comments follow a statemen...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 30, 2003
Policing Board need to engage public more says report
Calls have been made for the Northern Ireland Policing Board to engage itself with the public more fully by improving its public meetings. The call was made in the lead up to the second anniversary o...
UK National News, Oct 30, 2003
IDS loses Tory no confidence vote
The Quiet Man of British politics, Ian Duncan Smith, departed Conservative Central Office last night for the comparative calm of the backbenches after he failed to win a crucial confidence vote. Sir...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 30, 2003
Man arrested over Electoral Office fraud
A 58-year-old man from Co Tyrone has been arrested and charged following a police investigation into irregularities at an Electoral Office in the west of the province. The man was charged with 30 off...
UK National News, Oct 30, 2003
15m adults lack basic GCSE numeracy skills: survey
More than 15 million adults in the UK have such poor numeracy skills that they would not be able to gain even the lowest grades at GCSE, according to a government report published today. The study al...
Northern Ireland News, Oct 30, 2003
Family escape injury in petrol bomb attack
A family have escaped injury after their home was attacked with petrol bombs in Londonderry last night. Two devices were thrown at the family's home in the loyalist Fountain Estate at around 7.35pm. ...