Alliance Decides Newtownabbey

The Alliance Party has selected Cllr Billy Webb and former Councillor Pat McCudden (pictured) to stand in Newtownabbey at the upcoming local government elections. Billy will be standing in the Macedon ward, a seat he has held since 1997 and Pat will be standing in the Antrim Line ward. Alliance has already announced that Cllr Lynn Frazer, Cllr Tom Campbell and John Blair are also standing in the Newtownabbey Council elections.

Paisley Ticking Over

The ex-DUP leader and former First Minister Ian Paisley has had a pacemaker fitted after he became ill at a House of Lords meeting on Wednesday night. The 84-year-old, who is now Lord Bannside, was initially treated by Parliamentary paramedics and then at St Thomas' Hospital in London. His son, Ian Paisley Junior, said medics realised he needed a pacemaker. Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster this morning he said: "It was very successful, he had it fitted and was discharged on Friday."

Derry Flood Woes

Northern Ireland Water has said they were at the scene of flooding in Londonderry within an hour of being alerted. They said that several families have been moved from their homes after the overnight flooding with eight houses at Lincoln Courts in the Waterside flooded because of a burst pipe at aabout 3am this morning. The fire service used pumps to get the water into the storm drains after three appliances spent four hours, pumping water from the properties.

Sinn Fein Block Veterans Boost

A Sinn Fein MLA, Mickey Brady, has slammed proposals to allow NI people who have military service to access care within the community and health and social service sector. The Irish republican said that the proposed Veterans Bill would lead to levels of priviledge in service provision for those who have served in the Army above other members of society. This follows Sinn Fein submitting a Petition of Concern to the Stormont Assembly's business office, which could stop it progressing. Mr Brady said: "This is about priviledging and providing additional resources to those who have served in the Army. It would allow preferential treatment for veterans in access to health care, housing or other public services simply due to that fact that they are veterans. Obviously this discrimates against everyone else and creates a hierarchy in terms of of service provision which cannot be justified," he fumed. See: QUB Students 'Rage Against RIR'

Forecourt Robbed

A petrol filling station has been robbed in Cookstown, Co Tyrone by men carrying sledgehammers. Two men entered the premises on the Churchtown Road on Monday night at around 9pm and demanded money from the till. They were wearing balaclavas and hooded tops - one of which was white and the other blue. The thieves along with a third man are believed to have driven to the filling station in a silver Renault Clio from the Draperstown direction and left the scene in the same direction.

Malta Takes Off

EasyJet has launched a new service from Belfast to Malta. The twice-weekly flight from Belfast International is the airline's 20th route from Northern Ireland with Malta's High Commissioner to the UK, Joseph Zammit Tabona, was among passengers on the inaugural flight on Monday morning. EasyJet lists Paris and London Stansted among its other destinations from Belfast.

Coffee Perks

Banbridge-based coffee roaster Ristretto has been assisted by Invest Northern Ireland to develop new products for export. The company has recently secured its first business in the Republic and is now following up enquiries from Scotland. The company, which gained UK Great Taste Awards last year for its ground coffee, was offered £20,156 of R&D support from Invest NI, including part funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), to produce 10 new coffee blends for the Republic of Ireland and GB markets. Ristretto's development of innovative espresso and filter blends for export is helping to build upon the company's success in Northern Ireland, where it supplies leading coffee shops, hotels and restaurants and has won plaudits from top chefs for flavour and quality.

Fines Planned

A Co Antrim man has been fined £500 for planning offences. Patrick McCrory, from Aghagallon, was fined £500 and £110 court costs at Craigavon Magistrates' Court for breach of a Planning Service Enforcement Notice. The Planning Service brought the action under Article 67A of the Planning Northern Ireland Order 1991 (as amended) namely the unauthorised use of the land for the deposit of controlled waste (as defined in the Waste and Contaminated Land (NI) Order 1997. The controlled waste was not removed to a location with the appropriate licenses within 60 days.

(BMcC/GK)