Northern Ireland News for April 2008

UK National News, Apr 30, 2008
Man Held After Office Siege
A man - thought to be a delivery driver - has been arrested by police after an armed siege at an office in Hertfordshire. While all the hostages involved have now been released, the police have said ...
UK National News, Apr 30, 2008
McCann's Hate Mail Revealed
As the sad one-year anniversary of their daughter's disappearance approaches this weekend, Kate and Gerry McCann have revealed how they were targeted with hate mail after Madeleine disappeared. In th...
UK National News, Apr 30, 2008
Secret Afghanistan Flight For Prince William
The eldest Prince has made a secret trip to Afghanistan to view RAF operations. William, 25, met British service personnel at Kandahar airfield on Monday for three hours before returning to the UK vi...
UK National News, Apr 30, 2008
Police Release Car Image In Bath Murder Investigation
Detectives in Bath has released an image of a car which may be connected to the murder of a 22-year-old man. Ben Foster was found in Ringswell Gardens, Bath on Sunday evening with serious injuries. H...
UK National News, Apr 30, 2008
Jail Term For Ministry of Defence Scam
A company boss who committed fraud against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison. James McLaughlan, 58, from Ayrshire who appeared before Southwark Crow...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 30, 2008
Parking Protest Unites Communities
In a highly unusual and probably unique show of non-sectarian co-operation, residents in the strongly republican Markets area and the staunchly loyalist Donegall Pass areas of Belfast have united to p...
UK National News, Apr 30, 2008
Student In Court On Terror Charges
A student will appear in court today charged with terrorism offences. Andrew Ibrahim, 19, of Comb Paddock, Westbury-on-Trym was arrested on 17 April. Controlled explosions were carried out at his ho...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 30, 2008
Property Prices To Equalise
While the price of a house in Northern Ireland will have dropped by a total of £75,000 by the end of this year, taking the average price of a house here to £175,000, that is in line with the current U...
UK National News, Apr 30, 2008
Second Sex Abuse Man Charged In Jersey
A man has appeared in court on sex abuse charges in Jersey - but not in relation to the Haute de la Garenne home investigation. Claude Donnelly, 68, of St Brelade, appeared before St Helier magistrat...
UK National News, Apr 30, 2008
Annual Fall For UK House Prices
Last year's property boom is well and truly over as a leading mortgage lender reports that house prices in the UK have fallen by 1% during the past year. This marks the first year-on-year fall since ...
Recruitment News, Apr 30, 2008
Airport Reveals Plans For €4bn Business Park
Plans have been revealed for a €4 billion business park at Dublin City Airport - with literally thousands of jobs resulting. The project, revealed by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), is aimed at b...
UK National News, Apr 30, 2008
Sir Ian McKellan Reprises Wizard Role
English-born actor Sir Ian McKellen will reprise his role as Gandalf in the forthcoming adaptation of 'The Hobbit'. Sir McKellen, 69, born in Burnley, Lancashire has received two Oscar nominations an...
UK National News, Apr 30, 2008
Way Paved For Resolution To Grangemouth Despute
Grangemouth oil refinery bosses and Unite Union officials believe they have reached a proposal in the dispute over pensions that would be considered "in the coming days". The possibility of a breakth...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 30, 2008
Victims Highlighted As Trauma Centre Praised
With victims' issues very much on the agenda in general, a visit by Stormont Junior Minister Jeffrey Donaldson to an innovative facility aimed at dealing with trauma was well timed. He called at the...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 30, 2008
Smoke-Free Laws Successful?
It's a year on since the predicted 'death' of the licensed trade in Northern Ireland - as the much debated smoke-free legislation was introduced. However, figures show that things weren't as bad as e...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 30, 2008
Stormont Security Scrutiny Slammed
Airport-style screening has left visitors fuming as the tough new security arrangements are now putting off tourists visiting the Northern Ireland Assembly. Disaffected visitors are left facing a ...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 30, 2008
Policing Board Marks Progress
The Province's policing oversight body has hailed a 'best value' approach to policing as successful. The NI Policing Board's Resources and Improvement Committee has this week been briefed on two repo...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 30, 2008
QUB Student Discovers New Mammal
Two students have discovered a new type of mammal in Ireland - the first such discovery in almost 50 years. The creature is the greater white-toothed shrew, never before seen in Ireland. The discove...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 30, 2008
NI News In Brief
Move To 'Oust' Ruane Responsibility for the future of post-primary could be taken from the hands of NI Education Minister, Caitriona Ruane. Earlier this week a motion to that effect was tabled at Sto...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 30, 2008
Environmental Company Boosts Turnover
A local company specialising in contamination control has been given a boost by Invest Northern Ireland. It has helped North West-based Alpha Environmental Systems Ltd to significantly boost its expo...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 30, 2008
Eco World Highlights Benefits Of Living 'Sustainable Lifestyle'
A sustainable lifestyle was on the agenda for the NI Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness this week as he joined well known TV scientist, Professor David Bellamy to launch 'Eco-World', at the Odyss...
UK National News, Apr 29, 2008
British Troops Deploy To Kosovo
Against a background of a huge military commitment to Iraq and also to Afghanistan, the Defence Secretary has announced that hundreds more British troops will now be deployed to another location, Koso...
Recruitment News, Apr 29, 2008
Irish Jobs Market Falters
The struggling economy has led to more misery for workers with a rash of workers handed their notice. The US computer giant Dell shocked its workers when it announced plans to lay off 450 members of ...
UK National News, Apr 29, 2008
British Sisters Lose European Court Tax Battle
Two sisters have lost their battle with the European Court to be exempt from paying inheritance tax when one of them dies. Joyce Burden, 90 and Sybil, 82, from Marlborough, Wiltshire have been told b...
UK National News, Apr 29, 2008
Teenager Killed Over Gold Chain, Jury Hears
The jury at the trial of a teenager charged with the murder of a youth worker has been told that the killing was an act of retaliation. The 17-year-old accused - who cannot be named for legal reasons...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 29, 2008
NI News In Brief
Derry Crash A man has been taken to Altnagelvin hospital following a crash at Gransha roundabout in Londonderry. Two lorries collided on Clooney Road at approximately 9.20am Tuesday morning. The exte...
UK National News, Apr 29, 2008
Victim's Grandson Admits Hammer Killing
A man will be sentenced next week after admitting to killing his grandmother with a hammer. It is reported that Russell Deane, 26, from Torquay bludgeoned his grandmother to death at a holiday home i...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 29, 2008
Powder In Post Alert 'Hoax'
Alerts sparked by suspect packages sent in this morning's post to central Belfast locations have now ended. The packages - containing white powder - were sent the NI Police Ombudsman's office in Chur...
Northern Ireland News, Apr 29, 2008
Parades Decisions Controversy
A spokesman for residents' groups - which oppose parades by loyal orders passing close to their areas - has lashed the latest news on an independent review of the handling of contentious parades. Ger...
UK National News, Apr 29, 2008
Baby Death 'Accidental', Inquest Rules
An inquest investigating the death of a baby girl killed by family-owned rottweilers has said that it was "accidental". Cadey-Lee Deacon was mauled to death by the two rottweilers that were being use...