Northern Ireland News for August 2006

UK National News, Aug 31, 2006
Environmental campaigners arrested at power station
At least 28 environmental protesters have reportedly been arrested during a 'day of action' at Britain's largest coal-fired power station. The arrests are believed to be for a number of offences incl...
UK National News, Aug 31, 2006
Law change for organ donors
Radical changes to laws governing organ and tissue donation are being introduced, which may lead to more life-saving transplant operations. Under the Human Tissue Act 2004, which comes into effect on...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 31, 2006
Officers fear for lives over inquiry appearance
A defence lawyer representing 20 former police officers due to testify at the inquiry into the murder of County Armagh man Robert Hamill, has said that they fear that their lives could be in danger if...
UK National News, Aug 31, 2006
'Marked fall' in divorce rates
Divorce rates in England and Wales among men and women under 40 have fallen by 13% and 12% respectively since 2004, the Office of National Statistics has reported. However, the ONS also found that me...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 31, 2006
Hong Kong arrest over Belfast murder
A 41-year-old man has been arrested in Hong Kong in connection with the murder of a woman in east Belfast eight years ago. Officers from the PSNI Crime Operations Department travelled to Hong Kong to...
UK National News, Aug 31, 2006
Armed man in UK embassy in Tel Aviv
An armed man has reportedly breached security in the British embassy in Tel Aviv in Israel. According to reports, the man - who is believed to be of Arabic descent - broke into the car park in the co...
UK National News, Aug 31, 2006
Firefighters launch four-day strike
More than 1,000 firefighters across Merseyside have begun a four-day strike in protest over planned job cuts. Another four-day stoppage is scheduled to begin two hours after the first one ends. The ...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 31, 2006
Security alert at home of Dublin Mayor
Gardai have evacuated the official residence of the Lord Mayor of Dublin following a security warning earlier today. The alert began at 8am this morning when Irish police received a telephone warning...
UK National News, Aug 31, 2006
Police granted more time to question 'bomb plot' suspects
Police investigating an alleged plot to blow up transatlantic flights have been granted more time to question five suspects. Police have been granted a further seven days to continue questioning them...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 31, 2006
Man shot in County Armagh
Detectives in County Armagh have appealed for information after a man was shot in his home yesterday evening. At around 10.40pm, a 45-year-old man answered the door of his house in the Aghalee area o...
UK National News, Aug 31, 2006
Chelsea fined over private drugs test
Premiership football club Chelsea have been fined £40,000 by the Football Association for privately drug testing players. The FA penalised the Premiership champions for conducting a private test on s...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 31, 2006
Man charged after discovery of suspected 'cannabis factory'
A 26-year-old man, who was arrested yesterday in connection with the discovery of a suspected “cannabis factory” in County Tyrone, has been remanded in police custody. The man was charged with posse...
UK National News, Aug 31, 2006
Hard shoulder to be opened to motorists
Motorists in the West Midlands will become the first in Britain to use the hard shoulder as a running lane, from September 12, in a bid to cut congestion during busy periods. The pilot scheme is part...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 31, 2006
South American monkey seized in Craigavon
A South American tamarin monkey has been seized from a housing estate in County Armagh. Officers from the USPCA were assisted by police in recovering the cotton top tamarin from a private house in th...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 31, 2006
Armed robbery of Belfast building society
Police have appealed for information following the armed robbery of a building society in Belfast city centre yesterday afternoon. At around 4.30pm, a man armed with a handgun, entered the premises i...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 31, 2006
Council criticised over arts collection management
The Northern Ireland Audit Office has today released a report criticising what it claims are historic deficiencies and a series of shortcomings in the management of the Arts Council of Northern Irelan...
UK National News, Aug 30, 2006
Government announces crackdown on violent pornography
The government has announced plans to make possession of violent and extreme pornographic material a criminal offence, punishable by up to three years in prison. The proposed legislation will make it...
UK National News, Aug 30, 2006
Call for IVF ban for obese women
Fertility experts have recommended that obese women should be denied IVF treatment unless they lose weight. The British Fertility Society suggested that women who were classed as obese - defined as h...
UK National News, Aug 30, 2006
Man jailed for running over Pc
A man who rode his motorbike over a female police officer has been jailed for a minimum of four years. Wayne Hewitt, 36, was jailed for deliberately riding his motorbike over Pc Liz Parsonage as she ...
UK National News, Aug 30, 2006
Super-casino bidding process begins
An independent panel has begun the process to select the site of the UK's first super-casino. Seven possible locations are being considered for the location of the Las Vegas-style casino. US company...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 30, 2006
Man remanded over County Londonderry rape
A 31-year-old Slovakian man has appeared in Dungannon Magistrates court charged with the rape of a woman in County Londonderry at the weekend. Marian Struhar, 31, from Lindsayville in Ballyronan, spo...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 30, 2006
North Belfast couple robbed at knifepoint
Police in north Belfast have appealed for information following an armed robbery in the early hours of this morning. Shortly after midnight, a man arrived home to his flat in the Cliftonville Avenue ...
UK National News, Aug 30, 2006
Conman faces losing MBE
A man who nominated himself for an MBE now faces losing the honour. Former police worker Michael Eke, 38, from Cambridgeshire, received his MBE from the Queen in 2003 in recognition of his charity. ...
UK National News, Aug 30, 2006
Ferry examined in yacht-sinking inquiry
Police investigating the deaths of three sailors after the sinking of their yacht are examining a ferry as part of the investigation. Police began examining the P&O ferry Pride of Bilbao on Tuesday n...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 30, 2006
Over 5,000 attacks on NHS staff in NI
Over 5,000 NHS staff in Northern Ireland have been attacked while working, it has today been revealed. The British Medical Association (BMA) has said that it is to survey doctors as part of a new str...
UK National News, Aug 30, 2006
Three more remanded over 'bomb plot' charges
Three more men have appeared in court charged in connection with an alleged plot to blow up transatlantic flights. Mohammed Sahmin Uddin, 35, Mohammed Yasar Gulzar, 25, and Nabeel Hussain, 22, were c...
UK National News, Aug 30, 2006
Hotel plunge man appears in court
A man who fell from a hotel balcony with his two children has appeared in a Greek court charged with the murder of his son. John Hogan, 32, was also charged with the attempted murder of his daughter ...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 30, 2006
Shots fired at Strabane home
Police in County Tyrone are investigating an incident in which a number of shots were fired and the living room of a house was ransacked yesterday evening. Shortly after 11pm, a man and a woman were ...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 30, 2006
Counterfeit goods seized at Auld Lammas Fair
Around £100,000 of counterfeit goods have been seized at the Auld Lammas Fair in Ballycastle. Throughout the two day police operation, illegal goods including sunglasses, clothes, and football wristb...
Northern Ireland News, Aug 30, 2006
Newtownabbey security alert ends
A security alert in County Antrim has ended. Shortly after 7am this morning, Army Technical Officers and the Fire and Rescue Service were called to Merville House in Newtownabbey, following reports t...