Northern Ireland News for January 2004

UK National News, Jan 30, 2004
Dyke scores line in Hutton mud
Former BBC Director-General Greg Dyke has said that he was shocked that the Hutton Report was "so black and white" and has claimed that the report's conclusions were "quite clearly wrong". In an outs...
UK National News, Jan 30, 2004
More leeway needed to act against terror suspects: Blunkett
The Home Secretary has called for a closer look at the "evidential threshold" so that authorities can take pre-emptive action against suspected terrorists. Speaking before he is due to address the Br...
Business News, Jan 30, 2004
SMEs to gain from £400m tax boost
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are set to receive a £400 million boost today, Paymaster General Dawn Primarolo has announced. The increases, which double the amount of investment eligible ...
UK National News, Jan 30, 2004
Rape charge against Leeds Utd footballer is dropped
Premiership footballer Jody Morris, who had been accused of rape, has had the charges against him dropped today. Mr Morris (24), from Wellington Street, Leeds, and Kristofer Dickie (26), from Skelwit...
Business News, Jan 30, 2004
Travel training company launched
A new travel training company based in Northern Ireland has been set up in response to an increasing demand for high quality, flexible home-study training courses for the travel industry. Over 100 gu...
UK National News, Jan 30, 2004
Ryanair to appeal wheelchair fee case
A disabled man forced to pay for the use of a wheelchair at Stansted airport has succeeded in a court case taken against Ryanair. Mr Bob Ross, who suffers from cerebral palsy and arthritis and finds ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2004
Pensioner dies in flat fire
A blaze at a flat in Co Down has claimed the life of a disabled 80-year-old woman this morning may have been started by a candle. The fire was discovered at the flat in High Street, Portaferry at aro...
Business News, Jan 30, 2004
Camp America Summer Job Fair in Belfast
If you’re 18 or over, and wish to find out how you can be traveling to the USA this summer to work with a great bunch of kids, make new friends and have some amazing experiences, then a job with Camp ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2004
'Constructive' meeting between Paisley and Ahern
The historic London meeting between the Democratic Unionist Party leader Ian Paisley and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern has been described as "constructive". The first political meeting between th...
UK National News, Jan 30, 2004
George Best charged with drink driving
Football legend George Best has been charged with drink driving after being stopped by police in London this morning. The former Manchester United player was arrested in Merton, south west London, s...
UK National News, Jan 30, 2004
'Bird flu' fears sees EU ban on bird imports
Following public concerns over the outbreak of bird flu in southeast Asia, the European Commission has agreed to suspend all imports of captive and pet birds from nine Asian countries into the EU. Th...
UK National News, Jan 30, 2004
Laws tightened on 'cheap' firework sales
New rules unveiled today will ban air bombs and other cheap 'pocket money' fireworks that "anti-social louts" commonly use on streets and housing estates, according to the government. Air bombs and m...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2004
Minister reaffirms tough stance on civil service pay
Following a meeting held yesterday between senior officials of Northern Ireland Departments and representatives of NIPSA to discuss the on-going industrial action by civil servants, Minister for Finan...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2004
Dismay at loss of Victor Stationary jobs
There has been dismay at the news that Victor Stationery has decided to close its manufacturing operation in Castlereagh, Northern Ireland with the loss of 150 jobs. Responding to the announcement Se...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2004
Customs raids net huge contraband haul
Smuggled cigarettes and thousands of litres of illegal fuel have been seized by Customs following swoops on three fillings stations in south Down and south Armagh yesterday. In total, Customs office...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2004
Winter weather triggers cold weather payments
Cold Weather Payments are to be paid to approximately 36,000 people in the Mid Ulster and South Eastern regions of Northern Ireland. The announcement by the Department for Social Development today fo...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2004
Chancellor agrees to meet Beggs over insurance costs
Chancellor Gordon Brown has agreed to meet a delegation led by UUP MP Roy Beggs to discuss how Northern Ireland's small businesses can be better protected from crippling costs of public liability insu...
UK National News, Jan 30, 2004
Government hails Child Tax Credit figures
The government has hailed its Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit after official figures revealed that six million families had taken up the scheme in the 10 months since their introduction. Toda...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2004
FSB calls for tax year date change
The Federation of Small Businesses has called for "common-sense changes" that would make administering the tax self-assessment scheme easier for everyone. According to reports as the nation scrambles...
UK National News, Jan 30, 2004
New guidance set to improve countryside access
Public access to the countryside took a step forward today, following the launch of guidance for land managers on how to dedicate land voluntarily. Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, t...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2004
Local building regulations placed under review
A consultation document on the review of the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) Order 1979 has been launched by Ian Pearson, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for Finance...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2004
From Russia to NI with training
A marketing manager from Russia is currently in Northern Ireland as part of an international management training scheme. Russian Maria Mirenstaya, is visiting the province as part of the Russian Pres...
UK National News, Jan 29, 2004
BBC Director-General Greg Dyke quits
The fallout from the Hutton Inquiry has continued today with the resignation of the BBC's director general Greg Dyke. Mr Dyke told the waiting media scrum outside Broadcasting House this afternoon th...
Recruitment News, Jan 29, 2004
Tánaiste tackles imbalance created by EU 'brain drain'
The capacity of the European Union to hold onto its science and technology graduates is a key issue for the future growth and competitiveness of EU industry, according to Tánaiste and Minister for Ent...
Business News, Jan 29, 2004
Business initiative set to tackle 'investment no-go areas'
The private and public sector must work together to ensure that no neighbourhood is seen as an 'investment no-go' area, the Minister for Regeneration Jeff Rooker has said. Too many people are missing...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 29, 2004
Paisley to meet Ahern in London
The staunchly anti-Agreement DUP leader Ian Paisley is scheduled to have his first political meeting with Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern later today. The five-strong delegation of DUP Westminster ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 29, 2004
Stationery firm sheds 150 jobs in east Belfast
One hundred and fifty jobs are to be lost in east Belfast following Victor Stationery's decision to relocate its manufacturing facilities to Estonia. Trade union representatives confirmed the news on...
UK National News, Jan 29, 2004
BBC Chairman resigns, but expresses concern over Hutton
In the aftermath of The Hutton Report, which roundly condemned BBC editorial procedures and its governance, the BBC Chairman of Governors Gavyn Davies has resigned. Mr Davies accepted that as the chi...
UK National News, Jan 29, 2004
10 die in Jerusalem suicide bomb
Ten people have been killed in a suicide bomb attack close to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's official residence in west Jerusalem today. The suicide bomber detonated the device at around 9am local tim...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 29, 2004
Fourth report on baton round alternatives published
The fourth report by the NIO on finding an alternative to the baton round, one of the recommendations of the Patton Commission on Policing, has been published today. The report, entitled 'A research ...