Northern Ireland News for January 2006

Recruitment News, Jan 31, 2006
Abtran To Invest €1.5m And Create 50 New Jobs In Cork
Abtran, a leading Irish firm specialising in business process outsourcing services, is to invest €1.5 million in its research and development and professional services divisions. The move will lead t...
UK National News, Jan 31, 2006
British soldier killed in Iraq explosion
A British solider has died in an explosion in southern Iraq, taking the total death toll of UK military personnel to 100. The solider, who is from the 7th Armoured Brigade, was killed in the blast in...
UK National News, Jan 31, 2006
Byers cleared of lying over Railtrack
Former Transport Secretary Stephen Byers has been cleared of lying to MPs prior to the collapse of Railtrack. However, Mr Byers has been rebuked for failing to give accurate answers to the Commons Tr...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2006
Hain unveils radical NI spending review
The Northern Ireland Secretary of State has announced a radical review of the way Government money is allocated and spent in the province. In a speech to the Fabian Society, the Secretary of State Pe...
UK National News, Jan 31, 2006
British actresses gain Oscar nominations
Three British actresses have gained nominations in this year's Academy Awards. Dame Judi Dench and Keira Knightley will go head to head in the Best Actress category for their respective roles in 'Mrs...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2006
DUP rules out power-sharing executive
The Democratic Unionist Party has published its 16-page proposal in which the party outlines its details to partially restore the NI Assembly. The proposals contained in the 'Facing Reality' document...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2006
Criminal assets of £12m targeted in NI
Around £12 million in criminal assets have been targeted and 28 criminal gangs have been disrupted in Northern Ireland last year by agencies working to thwart organised crime. Security Minister and C...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2006
Re-appeal on McCartney murder
One year on since the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney, police have renewed an appeal for information. Mr McCartney's murder outside a Belfast Bar on January 31, 2005, led to a sustained and hi...
UK National News, Jan 31, 2006
Crew rescued following ships collision
Twenty-two crew members have been rescued from a chemical tanker that collided with another vessel in the English Channel this morning. The 8,003-ton tanker 'Ece', which is registered to the Marshall...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2006
Man arrested following east Belfast stabbing
Police have arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with a stabbing in the Mount area of East Belfast. The victim, a 42-year-old man, sustained a stab wound to the chest and was taken to hospital wh...
UK National News, Jan 31, 2006
Iran to face UN Security Council
Iran will be reported to the United Nations Security Council over its controversial nuclear programme. The announcement comes after a meeting of the five permanent members of the council. Foreign s...
Business News, Jan 31, 2006
Reflex successfully doubles workforce
Reflex Mouldings with support from Invest Northern Ireland has just completed a major investment programme that has almost doubled the company’s workforce from 30 to 57. Established in 1998 Reflex Mo...
UK National News, Jan 31, 2006
Strong house price rises in January
The UK housing market made a strong start this year, with prices rising by 1.4% - the biggest monthly increase in 18 months - the Nationwide reported. The increase took the annual rate of price growt...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2006
Sports Minister tours Maze stadium site
Northern Ireland Sports Minister David Hanson has visited the Maze to tour the site for the proposed multi-sports stadium. The Minister said: "There has been a lot of interest in and comment on the p...
UK National News, Jan 31, 2006
Self assessment tax deadline day
Midnight tonight marks the deadline for self assessment taxpayers to file their returns, and avoid a £100 penalty for missing the 31 January deadline. Almost 10 million self assessment tax returns we...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2006
Minister highlights benefits of infrastructure investment
Investment in Northern Ireland’s infrastructure is essential in improving the international competitiveness in the local economy. That was the message from Enterprise Minister, Angela Smith, who publ...
UK National News, Jan 31, 2006
Pc's driving acquittal challenged
A court's decision not to convict a police officer caught driving at 159mph is being challenged by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Pc Mark Milton, 38, from Telford, Shropshire, was recorded by t...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2006
Phoenix monopoly ends in Belfast and Larne
The Government has proposed plans to open the gas supply market to greater competition. Ending the monopoly of Phoenix Natural Gas Domestic and non-domestic customers, in the Greater Belfast and Larn...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2006
Bombardier shelves CSeries project
Aircraft manufacturer Bombardier has shelved its planned 110 to 130-seater CSeries airliner as it shifts resources to work on regional jet and turboprop aircraft. Bombardier announced that "present m...
UK National News, Jan 31, 2006
Anti-euthanasia alliance formed
A new alliance has been formed to promote improved palliative care and oppose attempts to legalise assisted suicide or euthanasia. The UK-based 'Care Not Killing' alliance includes human rights and h...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 31, 2006
EHS 'ponder' Wetlands Day awareness
An awareness campaign to promote World Wetlands Day has been launched by the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS). The EHS in partnership with Government and non-governmental organizations in the F...
Recruitment News, Jan 31, 2006
Reflex Successfully Doubles Workforce
Reflex Mouldings with support from Invest Northern Ireland has just completed a major investment programme that has almost doubled the company’s workforce from 30 to 57. Established in 1998 Reflex Mo...
UK National News, Jan 30, 2006
Move to push NHS services into community
The government has unveiled proposals aimed at providing health services closer to people's homes. The new White Paper on improving community health and care services includes proposals to offer some...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2006
IMC report due to land in Government in-trays
The Independent Monitoring Commission is due to hand its latest report on paramilitary activity to the British and Irish Governments later today. Ahead of the public disclosure of the contents of the...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2006
Accident victim receives £1m compensation
A Belfast boy knocked down by a car while playing on the Stewartstown road six years ago has been awarded over £1m in compensation. Matthew McCarty from Twinbrook, who appeared in court in a wheelcha...
UK National News, Jan 30, 2006
Government report warns of 'dangerous' climate changes
A report launched today concludes that the effects of 'dangerous' levels of climate change are likely to occur over coming decades. It offers little hope that CO2 emissions can be kept in check, and ...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2006
Three treated for smoke inhalation following house fire
Two young children had to be treated for the effects of smoke inhalation after a fire in a West Belfast house on Sunday morning. A four-year-old boy and his 15-month old sister were asleep in an upst...
UK National News, Jan 30, 2006
Straw hosts Iran nuclear talks
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will host talks today ahead of a meeting later this week that is almost certain to see the matter of Iran's resumption of its nuclear development programme referred to the...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2006
Man shot in leg in Bangor
A 20-year-old man has been shot in the leg in what police described as a paramilitary style attack. The man was walking along Hillcrest Walk at around 7pm on Sunday when he was grabbed by two men clo...
Northern Ireland News, Jan 30, 2006
Crossmaglen school closed after fire
A County Armagh school has been damaged in an attack by arsonists. Fire crews were called to deal with a blaze discovered in the kitchen of St Joseph's secondary school on the Dundalk road at around ...