Northern Ireland News for February 2004

UK National News, Feb 27, 2004
Cook rounds on Clare Short over UN bugging claims
Ex-foreign secretary Robin Cook has rounded on his former Cabinet colleague Clare Short over her claims that Kofi Annan's telephone was bugged in the build up to the crucial cote on the Iraq war last ...
Business News, Feb 27, 2004
Royal Mail puts in 'poor' performance
The Royal Mail has performed poorly and is "unlikely" to meet any of the 15 minimum performance targets set out in its licence, according to the mail watchdog Postwatch. Postwatch said that Royal Mai...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2004
Maximum sentence for death drivers rises to 14 years
The maximum sentence for causing death by dangerous driving will increase from 10 to 14 years, Home Secretary David Blunkett has announced today. The increase will target drivers who kill, be it thro...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2004
Cold spell set to continue over weekend
Motorists were warned on Friday to only travel if their journey was necessary, as heavy snow showers swept southwards across Britain. Weather forecasters are expecting heavy snow falls in parts of Sc...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2004
Body of Macedonian president recovered from crash site
The body of the Macedonian president, Boris Trajkovski, has been recovered by rescue teams searching the crash site in mountains on the border of Bosnia-Hercegovina and Montenegro. The bodies of all...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2004
UN's Afghan repatriation programme to restart
The UN's refugee agency will next week resume repatriating refugees to Afghanistan from Pakistan, three months after one of its staff members was murdered. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHC...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2004
Funerals of road crash victims take place
The funerals of three of the four men killed in Tuesday's Co Antrim road crash have taken place today. The funeral service for 18-year-old, Ian Currie took place in the Crescent Church on Belfast's U...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2004
Royal Mail puts in 'poor' performance
The Royal Mail has performed poorly and is "unlikely" to meet any of the 15 minimum performance targets set out in its licence, according to the mail watchdog Postwatch. Postwatch said that Royal Mai...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2004
Electricity prices set to rise in Northern Ireland
Electricity prices in Northern Ireland are set to rise by almost 3%, it was announced today. NIE said the increase was necessary due to a rise in power station fuel costs. The price rise will see 16...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2004
New commission to focus on international policy over Africa
Prime Minister Tony Blair announced yesterday that an international commission is set to examine policy relating to Africa. The Commission aims to generate increased support for the G8 Africa Action ...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2004
Cash boost sees police foster closer partnership with community
Fourteen police forces are set to build community partnerships to tackle crime following a £700,000 government cash boost. The funding will support the creation of 14 new Policing Priority Areas (PP...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2004
BCC commits itself to fostering EU partnerships
Belfast City Council has re-iterated its commitment to fostering and maintaining international alliances in the EU during a pan-European network conference on Friday. The opening of the 12th meeting ...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2004
Poorly fitted child car seats costs dozens of lives a year: report
Around two thirds of all child seats are fitted incorrectly and basic mistakes by adults when fitting child seats can kill and injure hundreds of children a year, even in low speed crashes, a report b...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2004
NI beef campaign to get EU funding
Agriculture Minister, Ian Pearson today welcomed an agreement by the European Commission to fund a campaign to continue the restoration of consumer confidence in beef consumption. The decision comes ...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2004
Beggs calls for government action on insurance premiums
Ulster Unionist Chief Whip, Roy Beggs, has called on the Government to tackle increasing insurance premiums for small businesses in Northern Ireland. It follows findings by the Department of Enterpri...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2004
Irish Ferries workers to return to ships
Seven hours of talks at Irish Labour Relations Commission have led to a deal where the 450 crew members laid off this week by Irish Ferries are to return to work. The ferry operator confirmed today t...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2004
Minister announces review of PACE legislation
Security Minister Jane Kennedy has announced to Parliament that a review of Police & Criminal Evidence (PACE) legislation in Northern Ireland and the accompanying Codes of Practice is underway. In a...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2004
Lack of exercise is turning NI into 'nation of fatties' claims report
The Northern Ireland population is turning into a 'nation of fatties', not because of overeating, but because of insufficient exercise. This is according to University of Ulster lecturer, Dr Marie Mu...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2004
Regional cancer services framework group established
The establishment of a new Regional Cancer Services Framework group has been announced by Northern Ireland's Chief Medical Officer, Dr Henrietta Campbell. Dr Campbell, who was speaking today at a wor...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2004
Companies urged to submit business award entry
Companies across Ireland are being urged to submit their entries for this year’s All Island Trade & Business Awards. Sponsored by InterTradeIreland, in conjunction with IBEC-CBI Joint Business Counc...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2004
Kofi Annan was bugged by UK secret services, claims Short
Former Cabinet minister Clare Short, who quit government last year over her opposition to the war in Iraq, has claimed that Britain's secret services spied on the UN Secretary General in the run up to...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2004
UK's first immigrant citizenship ceremony held in London borough
The UK's first-ever citizenship ceremony is being held in the London borough of Brent today, with Prince of Wales on hand to present certificates and a commemorative medal to the new Britons. Those ...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2004
Whip removed from Tory MP for 'unacceptable' joke
The Tory MP Ann Winterton has been expelled from the party's parliamentary party after refusing to apologise for a making a joke of the deaths of 20 Chinese cockle-pickers in Morecambe. The Tory lead...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2004
ITV axes up to 400 jobs as Central TV studio closes
Almost 200 staff at Central TV studios in Nottingham face the dole and 200 more jobs are under threat at the nearby Birmingham studio operation as Carlton move to trim back the merged operation with G...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2004
Straw 'saddened' at death of Macedonian president
The Foreign Secretary has spoken of his sorrow following the death of the president of Macedonia in a plane crash this morning. Jack Straw said that he was "deeply saddened" to hear of the tragic de...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2004
Rifkind wins Kensington and Chelsea nomination
The former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind is on course for a political comeback after being selected as Conservative candidate to contest Kensington and Chelsea at the next general election. T...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2004
Parents of truant pupils face fines from tomorrow
Parents of truants could be fined up to £100 from tomorrow for failing to get their child into school. The fine - to be imposed as an alternative to prosecution - is part of a package of powers to ta...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 26, 2004
Lord Alderdice retires as NI Assembly Speaker
Lord Alderdice has confirmed his retirement as Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly due to his commitments as a member of the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC). He confirmed his retirement ...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 26, 2004
Car hits five children as they wait for school bus
Five children have been treated for injuries when a car struck them this morning as they were waiting for a school bus. A police spokesperson said that the incident occurred on the Feumore Road in Up...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2004
Teen alcohol abuse and pregnancy targeted by pilot scheme
A new drive to help reduce drug and alcohol abuse and teenage pregnancy in some of the country's most deprived areas has been announced today by Public Health Minister Melanie Johnson. The Young Peop...