Northern Ireland News for November 2013

Northern Ireland News, Nov 29, 2013
Redevelopment For Odyssey Site
A proposed redevelopment of land adjacent to Belfast's Odyssey complex has been given outline planning permission. The £100m development includes some 800 homes, two hotels, a retail area, leisure ar...
Northern Ireland News, Nov 29, 2013
Council Workers 'At Risk' Over Flags At Depots
Workers at a Belfast cleansing depot have been intimidated and threatened over an Irish tricolour that has been mounted on their building. According to the BBC, the council workers have said that Bel...
Northern Ireland News, Nov 29, 2013
Trio Jailed Over Dungannon Sham Wedding
Two Polish woman has been sentenced to a total of 22 months in connection with a sham wedding. 43-year-old Agnieszka Kobus, from Chestnut Grove in Aughnacloy, County Tyrone, was arrested on 17 Octobe...
Northern Ireland News, Nov 29, 2013
Security Alert Ends In West Belfast
A security alert in west Belfast has ended after nothing untoward was found. Army bomb experts were called to St Mary's Gardens in the Beechmount area around 9.30pm on Thursday night to examine a ca...
UK National News, Nov 29, 2013
Lee Rigby Murder Accused Trial Underway
The trial of Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale for the murder of soldier Lee Rigby has gotten underway at the Old Bailey in London. Lee Rigby was murdered on 22 May as he made his way back to h...
UK National News, Nov 29, 2013
More Savile Connections To Be Investigated
Nineteen more hospitals are to be investigated over possible links to serial sex attacker Jimmy Savile. The government have announced that reports will be produced on a further 19 hospitals known to ...
UK National News, Nov 29, 2013
Court Rejects Mairead Philpott Appeal
Mairead Philpott has lost her appeal over her sentence for the killing of six children in a house fire in Derby. Mrs Philpott was sentenced to 17 years in jail for manslaughter. Her husband Mick Phil...
UK National News, Nov 29, 2013
Govt Deny Any Move On Energy Companies
Reports that the government were seeking an agreement from the UK's energy companies to hold prices until 2015 have been denied. A report by the BBC claimed they had been informed by the companies th...
UK National News, Nov 29, 2013
Referee Charged With Hacking FA Computer
A football referee has been charged with hacking a computer at the Football Association. 30-year-old Dean Mohared, of Woodley, Stockport is charged with perverting the course of justice and unauthori...
UK National News, Nov 29, 2013
New Rules Will Allow Parents To Share Childcare Leave
Parents will be given the option of sharing leave in a move designed to allow fathers to be more "hands-on" and to stop women having to choose between a career and raising children. The move was anno...
UK National News, Nov 29, 2013
Badger Cull Licence Revoked
The controversial badger cull is to be brought to an end this Saturday as Natural England has revoked the licence. The cull had been due to be reviewed on 18 December, when the extension of its origi...
Business News, Nov 29, 2013
Funding Announced For Functional Foods Technology Sector
Richard Bruton T.D. Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation has announced a second term of funding worth €21m for the functional foods Technology Centre, Food for Health Ireland (FHI). The Depar...
UK National News, Nov 29, 2013
Other News In Brief
Peaches Geldof Could Face Legal Action Over Ian Watkins Tweet Peaches Geldof could face legal action after tweeting the names of the two mothers who pleaded guilty to child abuse and allowed t...
Recruitment News, Nov 29, 2013
A Wear And MSD Pharmaceuticals Announce Job Losses
Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Jobs Dara Calleary has said it's a dark day on the jobs front, as MSD Pharmaceuticals announces plans to shut down its Swords operation and high street retailer A Wear goes...
Northern Ireland News, Nov 29, 2013
New Government Services Centre For Strabane
A new government office offering benefits, skills and farming support services is to be created in Strabane. The new office, which will be constructed on the site of the current Social Security Offi...
Northern Ireland News, Nov 29, 2013
Proposed Development Would Benefit Waterside Area - SDLP
Foyle SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey has welcomed the the recommended planning approval for a regeneration project at Rossdowney Road in the Waterside area. Mr Ramsey said the scheme has the potential to bring ...
Northern Ireland News, Nov 29, 2013
NI Residents Are Optimists At Christmas - Survey
A seasonal survey from HARP® lager has found that almost 80% of people in Northern Ireland would describe themselves as "optimists". The findings came to light as part of Harp's festive survey, 'Wha...
Northern Ireland News, Nov 29, 2013
Other News In Brief
DFP Will Not Fund Exploris Exploris, the Co Down aquarium facing closure, will not be given any financial assistance by the Department of Finance It is understood that, when asked, Finance Mi...
Northern Ireland News, Nov 28, 2013
Crossmaglen Security Alert Continues
A security alert is continuing in Crossmaglen this morning following the discovery of a suspicious object. On Wednesday, a device, understood to be a beer keg, was found left close to a north-south ...
Northern Ireland News, Nov 28, 2013
Man Jailed For Life For 1981 IRA Murder
A 57-year-old man has been sentenced to life in jail for the 1981 murder of a police reservist in a Co Londonderry hospital. Seamus Martin Kearney, 57, of Gorteade Road, Maghera, was found guilty of ...
Northern Ireland News, Nov 28, 2013
Lagan Group And Mivan In Possible Merger Talks
Mivan and Lagan Group, two of NI's biggest construction companies, are believed to be in discussions of a merger. It is understood that directors of the two companies are currently hold talks and tha...
Northern Ireland News, Nov 28, 2013
Claims Of Neglect Made Against Carrickfergus Care Home
Staff at a Carrickfergus nursing home did not inform the relatives of an elderly resident that she had died. According to a report by the BBC, Elizabeth Calvert claims that in April 2011 Cherry Tree ...
Business News, Nov 28, 2013
New Govt Services Centre For Strabane
Strabane will be home to a new government office offering benefits, skills and farming support services. The new office, to be built on the site of the current Social Security Office on Urney Road, w...
Northern Ireland News, Nov 28, 2013
NIE Credit Rating At Risk Of Being Downgraded
The credit rating of Northern Ireland Electricity is likely to be downgraded after losing a ruling to the NI utility regulator over price rises. The Competition Commission upheld a decision by the re...
UK National News, Nov 28, 2013
Life Sentence For Man Who Murdered Family In Revenge Attack
A 54-year-old man has been jailed for life for the murder of a family in a revenge attack. Jifeng "Jeff" Ding, his wife Ge "Helen" Chui, and their daughters Xing and Alice were found stabbed to death...
UK National News, Nov 28, 2013
Man Jailed For Vigilante Murder Of Wrongly Accused Neighbour
A 24-year-old has admitted murdering and setting on fire a disabled man he believed to have been a paedophile in a vigilante attack. Lee James, of Capgrave Crescent, Brislington, murdered Bijan Ebrah...
UK National News, Nov 28, 2013
Govt To Carry Out New Review Plain Cigarette Packaging
A new independent review of cigarette packaging in England is to be carried out, the government has announced. It follows previous reviews of how cigarettes are packaged and the influence that might ...
UK National News, Nov 28, 2013
NAO Critical Of Student Loan Recovery System
The National Audit Office (NAO) has criticised the government for not doing enough to recover student loans. According to the NAO the outstanding loan debt stands at £46 billion and is predicted to r...
UK National News, Nov 28, 2013
Six Arrested In Match-Fixing Investigation
Officers from the National Crime Agency have arrested six men in connection with alleged football match fixing. It is understood that three footballers are among those detained, but they are not conn...
UK National News, Nov 28, 2013
Almost 1,500 Jobs To Be Cut By Npower
Almost 1,500 jobs are to be cut by energy company Npower, in what they have described as a major corporate restructuring. The company, which is owned by Germany's RWE, has announced that it plans to ...