Northern Ireland News for February 2009

UK National News, Feb 27, 2009
Lloyds Announces £10.8bn Losses
Lloyds Banking Group has announced it made a pre-tax loss of £10.8 billion in 2008, following its take-over of ailing rival HBOS. The former Lloyds TSB business saw profits slashed 80% to £807 millio...
Recruitment News, Feb 27, 2009
The Body Shop Announces Job Cuts
Around 150 British jobs are to be lost at ethical cosmetics chain The Body Shop, it has been announced. The company – which was sold to French cosmetics giant L'Oreal in March 2006 for £652m – is to ...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2009
Healthy Schoolboy Dies After Taking Acne Pills
A healthy teenager died 12 hours after taking medication for acne, a coroner has said. Shaun Jones, 14, of Rhydyfelin, near Pontypridd, South Wales, died "of complications" 12 hours after taking the ...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2009
Tomlinson Cancer Appeal Tips Goal
A charity set up by a terminal cancer sufferer has exceeded the funding goal set before her untimely death. Jane Tomlinson, who was awarded a CBE by the Queen for her brave work, died in September 2...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2009
Vatican Rejects Holocaust-Denying Bishop's Apology
The Vatican has today said it will not accept the apology issued by a bishop who denied the Holocaust, deeming it insufficient to admit him into the church as a clergyman. Spokesman for the Vatican, ...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2009
Tragic Death Of Child In Farm Accident Investigated
Tributes have been paid to an eight-year-old girl who died after an accident at a farm in Co Tyrone yesterday evening. Alison Torrens, from Drumquin, is the daughter of well-known horse trainer Mervy...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2009
Liverpool Confirms Parry Will Depart Club
Liverpool FC Chief Executive Rick Parry is to leave his post at the end of the season, after 12 years with the club. His departure - "by mutual consent" - was confirmed today on the Reds' website. T...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2009
'Mother's Kiss' May Have Killed Newborn
The death of an 11-day-old baby, could have been caused from her mother's kiss, an inquest in Lancashire has heard. Jennifer Schofield was just 11 days old when her vital organs failed after contract...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2009
Baby Dumped On Pavement By Car Thief
A car thief dumped a baby on the side of the road after realising the vehicle he had taken had a child inside. The four-month-old was in the back of a silver Lexus, which was stolen by a man wearing ...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2009
Hermon Absent For Tory/UUP Launch
The Ulster Unionist's sole Westminster MP was conspicuous by her absence at last night's unveiling ceremony of a new UUP and Conservative Party voting pact. Lady Hermon (pictured) did not attend th...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2009
IT Engineer Crowned MasterChef 2009
Mat Follas has been crowned winner of MasterChef 2009 after serving a three-course meal with a 'wild ingredient' theme. The 42-year-old IT engineer from Beaminster, Dorset, lifted the trophy in the f...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2009
'Nothing Found' In Bog Meadows Police Search
A police search for traces of human remains at Bog Meadows in west Belfast has ended - without anything being found. The operation was a follow-up to specialised searches of land formerly owned by th...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2009
Belfast's Bumper £500m Development Year
This year has been described as a momentous period for Belfast with ₤500m worth of developments unveiled, including a number of landmark buildings opening their doors to the public again followi...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2009
Agency Workers Campaign Brings Real Help
Help for agency workers is high on the agenda for the second meeting of the Fair Employment Enforcement Board. The Board brings together businesses, unions and the government to monitor and direct ef...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2009
Border Counties Poorest In Ireland
While the majority of 'capital' is concentrated in the Irish capital itself, the border counties have been shown to be worst off economically. New figures just produced by the Central Statistics Offi...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2009
New Port Plan Moves Forward
A £70m plan for a new Stena Line port linking Scotland to Northern Ireland has been recommended to receive council approval. The ferry operator wants to move the Irish Sea services out of Stranraer i...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2009
New CCTV System Installed At Coleraine Station
A new high-quality CCTV system has been installed at Coleraine train station. Translink said it hopes the cameras will serve as a powerful deterrent to prevent level crossing abuse. When incidents ...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2009
Jenny Back To Balmoral Show
After the success of last year's collaboration between the Royal Ulster Agricultural Show at Balmoral and Northern Ireland's own 'Good Food Ambassador' and celebrated chef, Jenny Bristow, it has been ...
UK National News, Feb 27, 2009
Other News In Brief
Arrests Over Human Trafficking More than 20 arrests have been made after raids as part of an alleged anti-human trafficking operation in Bedfordshire. The raids, at five businesses and four houses in...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2009
Ban Tobacco Vending Machines, Says Charity
On foot of news that the Scottish government has decided to introduce both a register of those selling tobacco and to ban vending machines selling tobacco products, a local charity is seeking similar ...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2009
Get Ready Now For 'No Smoking Day'
With only two weeks to go before this year's No Smoking Day - Wednesday 11 March - the Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF) is encouraging smokers to think about their wealth as well as their health. Judit...
Recruitment News, Feb 27, 2009
Jobs Announced By Irish Broadband Supplier
Some 25 new jobs will be created after a broadband supplier announced a €3m investment programme, it was revealed today. UPC, the parent company of Chorus NTL, said it plans to overhaul its operatio...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 27, 2009
Other NI News In Brief
Reward For Research Cattles' Return A £10,000 reward has been offered by the NI beef industry for information leading to the return of 19 in-calf suckler heifers stolen by rustlers from an Armagh res...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2009
Ex-RBS Boss Urged To Give Up Pension, As 'Largest Annual Losses' Announced
The failed boss of the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has been called upon to give up his £650,000-a year pension, as the institution posts its largest annual loss in UK corporate history. Prime Minist...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2009
EastEnders Actress Wendy Richard Dies
The former EastEnders actress Wendy Richard has died of cancer, aged 65. The star, who played Pauline Fowler in the BBC One soap opera, died in the Harley Street Clinic in London with her husband Joh...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2009
Woman Guilty Of 'Queue-Jumping' Death
A 37-year-old woman has been found guilty of the manslaughter of a man in a supermarket after a 'queue-jumping' row in Merton. Antonette Richardson had called her boyfriend Tony Virasami into the Sai...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2009
Man Arrested Over McKenna Killing
A 46-year-old man is being questioned by police in relation to an attack which left a man dead and his son seriously injured. Graham McKenna, 45, and his 14-year-old son Michael were stabbed on Upton...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2009
Rise In Teenage Pregnancies, Figures Show
The number of teenage pregnancies in England and Wales has risen by 6.4% in one year, according to new figures released today. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the teen pregnancy rate ...
Northern Ireland News, Feb 26, 2009
Police Response Criticised Over Church Hall Attack
Two separate investigations are underway today as the PSNI investigate overnight attacks, one involving a pipe bomb and another a petrol bomb. In Co Fermanagh, the PSNI have been criticised for not t...
UK National News, Feb 26, 2009
House Prices Drop By 1.8%
The price of a typical house fell by 1.8% in February bringing the annual rate of change to -17.6% according to the latest figures released by the Nationwide. The average house price has now fallen t...