Zoo Supports Sick Kids

Dreamnight 2010 was Belfast Zoo's biggest such event to date, with around 200 families enjoying a very special evening earlier this month. Families were greeted by the Lord Mayor, Councillor Pat Convery, and UTV's Julian Simmons. Families from the NI Childrens Hospice, Cancer Fund for Children and the Royal Victoria Hospital for Sick Children were invited to this exclusive charity event at the zoo. Activities included lots of special feeding times, meeting reptiles and education animals, face painting, blow-piping with the vets, a bouncy castle and drum workshops. Families were also greeted with displays of vintage vehicles, emergency service vehicles and even Delorean cars. Food and drink was provided and performances from Mr Hullaballoo and lucky dips from Dora the Explorer and Postman Pat also kept children entertained.

Lurgan On Alert

There is yet another security alert in progress in Lurgan. It follows the discovery of a suspicious object close to the line at Bells Row crossing. Police have said a small number of homes have been evacuated in the Belvedere Manor area and Army bomb experts have been sent to the scene. The Antrim Road has been closed up to its junction with the Cornakinneger Road. The Co Armagh town has been the scene of many such incidents, which usually also close the main Belfast-Dublin line, as has happened in this case.

Tesco Sandwich Sings For England

A unique singing sandwich created especially with the England World Cup team's spicy diet of soccer action in mind has gone on sale in Tesco stores today, including selected stores in Northern Ireland. The limited edition fiery Jalapeno Chicken sandwich comes in special packaging which when opened triggers the (in)famous football chant 'ole ole ole ole'. As well as displaying such musical prowess, the sandwich has what it takes to tickle the taste buds too as it contains chilli pepper bread, sliced steamed chicken breast, a fiery Jalapeno sauce, and a slice of medium strength Cheddar cheese. The Jalapeno was inspired by the bevy of hot sauces included on the squad's food requirements from Tesco, which is the official England supermarket.

Agri-Fine 'To Stay'

It has emerged that it is unlikely that a £60m fine imposed on the NI Department of Agriculture by the EC will be reduced. Yesterday, a spokesman for the EU's Agriculture Commissioner said the bid by the Assembly's Agriculture Committee to press for the reduction of the fine in Brussels was not expected to make any change. The fine was imposed due to farm subsidy payments made in error to farmers in Northern Ireland. The errors were discovered when European auditors carried out spot checks on individual subsidy claims made by farmers with the committee members set to argue that it is a disproportionate to the offence.

Music Guru Flies In

One of the top marketing 'gurus' in the music business is to visit Belfast later this month. Lou Plaia, co-founder of Reverb Nation, the leading online music marketing platform used by more than 650,000 artists, managers, record labels and venues to grow their reach, influence and business across the internet, is to deliver a lecture at Queen's University on 21 June. The lecture is presented by Belfast City Council in association with Queen's, as part of the Creative Industries Fellowship, with support from the European Union Regional Development Fund through the Northern Ireland Sustainable Competitiveness Programme. Limited places can be booked on: p.cochrane@qub.ac.uk

Van's Not 'Good Neighbours'

East Belfast's finest, Van Morrison, is involved in a High Court challenge over the alleged failure of a local council to protect the privacy of his house in Dalkey, Co Dublin. Van's wife, Michelle Morrison, of Kilross House, Sorrento Road, is seeking leave to bring proceedings to quash Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council's acceptance of a notice of compliance related to the redevelopment of neighbouring Mount Alverno, home to neighbours Desmond and Mary Kavanagh. The council had accepted a permission compliance notice from the couple, which provided for the planting of shrubs between properties when it is actually trees that are required to protect her family's privacy, Mrs Morrison claimed yesterday. Ms Morrison, described in court papers as a consultant, claims the landscaping proposed for Mount Alverno will cause significant overlooking of her family's property.

Law Boss Sworn In

Northern Ireland's new Attorney General John Larkin has been sworn in at the Royal Courts of Justice in Belfast. Mr Larkin is the first attorney general for Northern Ireland in nearly 38 years and will be the Stormont Government's chief legal adviser.

(BMcC/GK)