Northern Ireland News for June 2004

UK National News, Jun 30, 2004
Church leaders tell Blair of dismay at 'brutal' jail abuses
The leaders of the Church of England have written to Prime Minister expressing their dismay at the "brutal and indecent" mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners by coalition troops, warning that the "deeply d...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 30, 2004
Appeal Court rules 'Real' IRA is an illegal organisation
The Court of Appeal in Belfast, overturning an earlier Crown Court decision, has ruled that the 'Real' IRA is an illegal terrorist organisation. The finding followed on from a Crown Court decision th...
UK National News, Jun 30, 2004
Charles' raised £100m for charity last year, says review
The Prince of Wales helped to raise around £100 million for charity and travelled the equivalent of almost twice round globe for official engagements, an annual review of the royal's activities has fo...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 30, 2004
Soldiers' reinstatement 'wrong' says complaints assessor
The independent military complaints assessor has said that the Army's decision to reinstate two soldiers convicted of shooting a Belfast teenager "undermines" Army employment policy. In his annual re...
UK National News, Jun 30, 2004
BMA urges Prime Minister to ban smoking in public places
The British Medical Association (BMA) has called for all Britain's workplaces to become smokefree at the organisation's annual conference in Wales today. The BMA said that it will be sending 4,500 l...
UK National News, Jun 30, 2004
Political will needed to round up war crimes suspects, says UN
Prosecutors at the UN war crimes tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda have warned that today warned that many indicted suspects remain at large, and threatens the scheduled the completion of...
UK National News, Jun 30, 2004
Tens of thousands stung by pension collapses
Up to 65,000 people have lost at least a fifth of their expected pension benefits from under-funded schemes wound-up by insolvent employers, the government has revealed today. Research by the Departm...
UK National News, Jun 30, 2004
'Switched-off' public hindering prevention, says crime survey
The public's "switched-off" attitude to crime prevention campaigns is hindering community safety professionals in their efforts to deliver safer, more secure communities, according to a major study fu...
UK National News, Jun 30, 2004
Tiger Tim 'disappointed' at Wimbledon loss
Tim Henman will have to wait another year to realise his dreams of Wimbledon glory after he was unceremoniously dumped out of today's quarter-finals by unseeded Croat Mario Ancic. Henman said afterwa...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 30, 2004
Police attacked by petrol bombers on Springfield Road
Police officers called to investigate reports of youths attempting to block a road in west Belfast yesterday evening were attacked by petrol bombers. At around 8.40pm, police responding to reports th...
UK National News, Jun 30, 2004
Study uncovers social variations in UK abortion rates
Abortions among young women tend to be lower in socially disadvantaged areas – even though these areas also have the highest rates of conception among the under 18s, according to a new report out toda...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 30, 2004
SF Deputy Mayor will not attend cenotaph commemoration
Sinn Féin Deputy Mayor of Belfast, Joe O'Donnell, has said that he will not be present at the wreath laying ceremony to mark the commemoration of the Battle of the Somme. Joined by the former Sinn Fé...
UK National News, Jun 30, 2004
New anti-drink drive campaign to be launched
The deadly consequences of drivers consuming even a small amount of alcohol are to be depicted in a new advertising campaign. The £1.4 million TV, radio and cinema campaign will develop the message ...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 30, 2004
Lottery cash boost to help NI communities get active
Northern Ireland’s most disadvantaged communities are set to get more active thanks to an innovative Community Sport Programme from the Big Lottery Fund and the Sports Council for Northern Ireland. T...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 30, 2004
Local doctors sign up to back smoking ban
Four-and-a-half thousand letters from doctors calling for a ban on smoking in public places will soon be delivered to Prime Minister Tony Blair. In the huge postbag sent to the BMA, doctors from all ...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 30, 2004
John Lewis to open store in Sprucefield
It is reported that the top retail department store John Lewis is to open a store at the Sprucefield complex on the outskirts of Lisburn. The retail chain was previously believed to be considering Ta...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 30, 2004
NI voice in Europe counts says Pearson
Northern Ireland cannot afford to sleepwalk through major changes taking place in the European Union, NIO Minister Ian Pearson has said. The Minister was speaking on Tuesday as he launched a public c...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 30, 2004
Business leaders meet Prince Andrew at Garden Party
Prince Andrew met business leaders and senior figures in Northern Ireland when he attended the Secretary of State's garden party at Hillsborough Castle yesterday afternoon. During the event, the Prin...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 30, 2004
Minister reveals Strategic Energy Framework for NI
Enterprise Minister Barry Gardiner has announced a new Strategic Energy Framework for Northern Ireland. The framework builds on existing achievements and sets the energy agenda, including key priorit...
UK National News, Jun 29, 2004
Blunkett invokes High Court in top cop suspension row
The row over the future of underfire Humberside police chief David Westwood has entered the High Court, after the Home Secretary lodged papers last night asking the court to "enforce the law and grant...
UK National News, Jun 29, 2004
Counter-terror focus leaves British spies out in the cold: report
Directing much-needed resources into counter-terror measures has meant that Britain's spies are taking more risks, a Parliamentary intelligence committee report has found. The Commons' Intelligence a...
UK National News, Jun 29, 2004
Tories pledge education spending rise to boost 'choice'
The Tories have set their sights on creating the equivalent of up to 260 new secondary schools, and ensuring that 100,000 more parents can send their children to first choice schools, if voted into go...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 29, 2004
Pensioner treated for shock following break-in
A pensioner has been treated for shock after a number of men broke into her south Belfast home early this morning. The 78-year-old woman awoke to find three intruders standing in her bedroom shortly ...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 29, 2004
US firm invests £2.9m at Belfast plant
The Belfast base of a US software company is to invest £2.9 million to develop new services for its parent company and embark on further training and development. Liberty Information Technology (LIT)...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 29, 2004
Regional Neighbourhood Watch Scheme launched by Minister
NIO Minister John Spellar today launched the new Regional Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. Encouraging local communities throughout Northern Ireland to become involved, Mr Spellar outlined the scheme: "Th...
UK National News, Jun 29, 2004
Captured US soldier executed by Iraqi militants
A US soldier who was being held by militants in Iraq has been executed, Al Jazeera has reported. Twenty-year-old Keith Maupin, who was married with an infant child, was murdered just hours after Iraq...
UK National News, Jun 29, 2004
Iraqis to take custody of tyrant Saddam tomorrow
Saddam Hussein will be handed over to Iraq's newly established sovereign authorities tomorrow, it has been reported today. According to the BBC Online, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said the former dict...
UK National News, Jun 29, 2004
BBC proposals set to empower the regions
The BBC intends to increase its presence in the regions, promising more jobs and a billion-pound investment across the UK, under proposals outlined today as part of the charter renewal process. Acco...
UK National News, Jun 29, 2004
Globalisation is failing world's 700m poorest people, says UN
The economic benefits of globalisation are not filtering down to the most disadvantaged, and 700 million people in 50 of the world's poorest countries are being forced to choose between migration or p...
Northern Ireland News, Jun 29, 2004
Schools’ budgets must be managed more effectively
Education Minister, Barry Gardiner today voiced his concerns at the number of schools in Northern Ireland that are over and under spending budgets. During a meeting with the Chief Executives of the f...