Lion Cubs For 'Belfast' Mum

Belfast's 'migrant' lion, Lily, has had her first pair of cubs in her new home in the Czech Republic. Lily is a Barbary lion and was hand reared at Belfast Zoo in 2007 and moved to the Czech Republic in 2009 to meet a suitable male lion called Simon. They moved to Olomouc Zoo together, and are now parents to male and female lion cubs.

Seaside Bomb Outrage

An undercar booby trap bomb has been found in the driveway of a soldier's home in Bangor, Co Down this morning. The device fell off the vehicle on Wednesday morning and was found by the officer and between 20 and 30 houses in the Chatworth area of the town were evacuated. NI Policing Board Acting Chair Brian Rea has condemned the attempt to kill the Army Major: "Those who planted the bomb this morning could have killed or injured anyone and I strongly condemn them for it. There is no room for this type of attack in a society that overwhelmingly wants to work together to deliver peace and stability. Anyone with information should bring it to the attention of the police." Last night, Army technical officers also carried out a controlled explosion on a suspicious vehicle abandoned in the Co Antrim costal village of Cushendall. A number of houses were evacuated on Tuesday while the car left at Moyle View was examined, but a police spokesperson said nothing had been found.

Party Donations Consultation

NIO Minister of State, Hugo Swire, has launched a public consultation on the confidentiality arrangements that apply to donations and loans to NI political parties. The law currently provides for donations and loans above certain thresholds to be reported to the Electoral Commission, but the Commission is under a strict duty not to release information relating to these. However, Parliament has legislated for these confidentiality provisions to expire on 1 March 2011. "We all want to see full transparency in politics and on the funding of political parties in particular. But I accept there have been real concerns about intimidation which has made it difficult to achieve this to date," the Minister said, urging all those with an interest to respond to the consultation.

Bank Losses Mount

The Republic's Allied Irish Bank (AIB) has reported a loss of €2bn for the first six months of 2010. It is the worst ever half-yearly results for what is one of Ireland's biggest banks with their Northern Ireland business, First Trust, also reporting a loss of £52m, which compares to a loss of £41m in the same period last year. However, First Trust actually had an operating profit of £24m, but that disappeared with £76m being set aside to cover bad loans.

Park Playday

Young and old are being encouraged to get to know each other and explore their neighbourhood as part of National Playday, which takes place today. Belfast City Council is supporting the theme by organising a family day out at Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park between 1pm-4pm. The Lord Mayor, Councillor Pat Convery, said: "The campaign ties in with our own priorities to get children out and about and active within their communities. National Playday promotes children as valued members of our community and puts children's needs at the heart of community spaces. It also recognises the importance of play in developing bonds within families and the wider community. We are happy to be a part of it," he added.

Linwoods Accolade

An Armagh food company, Linwoods is 'seeing stars' after an outstanding performance in the 2010 Fine Food Guild Great Taste Awards. Linwoods achieved no less than four Gold Star ratings for their healthy-eating Superfoods products, including Linwoods Organic Milled Flaxseed; Linwoods Organic Milled Flax, Sunflower & Pumpkin Seed Mix; Linwoods Shelled Organic Hemp Seed and one of their newest products, Linwoods Milled Flaxseed, Nuts & Q10. Joanne Hayden, Sales and Marketing Manager said: "The Great Taste Awards are seen as food and drink's equivalent to a Michelin star - they are the most sought after and rigorously judged awards in the UK. It really is the icing on the cake for industry experts such as the Fine Food Guild to acknowledge and commend the quality of our Superfoods."

Van Man 'Seen Smoking'

A Dungannon driver has been given an absolute discharge - but ordered to pay court costs of £66 - after he was detected smoking in a work vehicle, which is required to be smoke free at all times. Seamus Patrick Donaghy, from Cloghog Road, was seen smoking in his van on November 3, 2009 at the junction of York Road and the Westlink. The prosecution was brought by Belfast City Council under the Smoking (NI) Order 2006.

Trader Pays Up

A Dublin man has been given an 18 month conditional discharge for street trading in Belfast without a licence. James O'Reilly, from Palmerston Place in Broadstone, Dublin, was also ordered to pay court costs of £66 after he was found selling whistles at Dargan Road without a street trading licence on May 8, 2010 in a prosecution brought by Belfast City Council.

(BMcC/GK)