IFA Backs No Smoking

Danielle Dunbar, Irish FA, Nigel Worthington, Northern Ireland Manager and Gerry McElwee, Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF) joined Steve Davis the Northern Ireland international and Jim Grattan, Irish FA, at the launch of this year's No Smoking Day. The IFA's Child and Player Welfare Department - sponsored by McComb's Travel - has been working hard to promote No Smoking Day alongside the Ulster Cancer Foundation. No Smoking Day is being backed by the distribution of leaflets and posters to Irish League Clubs and also promoting it within the clubs through their Child Welfare Officers. Gerry McElwee, Head of Cancer Prevention, UCF: "Stopping smoking is the most important thing that you can do to improve your health but it requires commitment and planning."

Murder Charge Follows Robbery

One man has been charged with attempted murder following a folied robbery on a delivery van in east Belfast on Wednesday. The suspect is also charged with attempted robbery and conspiracy to rob after the police fired a shot during the incident. The PSNI said another man has been charged with conspiracy to rob. Both men are expected to appear before Newtownards Magistrates Court later on Friday. It happened when a delivery van pulled up at a newsagents at Greenway, Cregagh and four men approached the van. A shot was discharged by police and three men made off on foot. See: Robbers Foiled As Police Fire Shot

West Belfast Cash Box Alert

Yesterday's security alert in the Springfield Road area of west Belfast ended last night after the Army ensured a security cash box found in Fort Street on Thursday afternoon was safe. A controlled explosion was carried out on the box by bomb disposal experts and the PSNI said they believed the box may have been stolen during the robbery of a cash in transit van on the Andersonstown Road on Wednesday.

Coalition Decision 'Expected Soon'

A decision on whether Labour and Fine Gael will enter into a coalition to form a majority Government in the Dáil is expected to come on Friday. As the party's enter their fourth day of negotiations, it has emerged that putting together a programme for government in time for Labour's conference on Sunday could force a deal before the weekend. Both party leaders, Enda Kenny and Eamon Gilmore, are currently attending meetings in their respective European political groups, and are not return expected to return to Ireland until Saturday afternoon. Their appointed negotiating teams are hammering out the deal in their absence.

Two Door Are Choice For Dublin

Co Down band Two Door Cinema Club has won this year's Choice Music Prize in Dublin on Thursday night. The three-piece indie act received a cheque for €10,000 along with the prestigious accolade during the live event at Dublin's Vicar Street venue last night, beating favourites, Villagers. Two Door have experienced a meteoric year after being named one of BBCs Sounds of 2011 bands, having their song What You Know placed on the BBC Radio One play list, and making an appearance on the lauded Later with Jools Holland show.

Paddy's Day PO Closures

Postal arrangements for the St Patrick's Day holiday on Thursday, 17 March will see no deliveries or collections and caller's offices will be closed with business collections only made by prior arrangement. Post Office branches will be closed all day and there will be no deliveries or collections by Parcel Force on Thursday, 17 March. Full services will resume on Thursday, 18 March.

Park Vandalism Slammed

Alliance Newtownabbey Councillor Tom Campbell has condemned those behind damage done to repair work to the Loughshore Park at Jordanstown on Wednesday night. He said the park, play area and car park were closed for renovation but was broken into where thieves stole wiring in one of the buildings causing extensive damage. "These thieves have hurt the community when they broke into the site and caused this damage. This site is there for the benefit of everybody but yet these people were only thinking of themselves when they did this. They obviously have no regard for the consequences of their actions," he said.

IFI Backs Border Projects

Cross border projects have been handed more than £8m in funding. The cash boost from the International Fund For Ireland will support projects involved in breaking down barriers in education, combating divisions between communities and supporting projects tackling economic and social problems. The £8.2m funding will benefit groups in areas including Tyrone, Antrim, Donegal, Louth and Sligo.

BT Backs Training

The NI Employment and Learning Minister, Danny Kennedy, has officially launched a joint engineering training initiative between BT and Springvale Learning in west Belfast. Following BT's recent announcement of a £2.5bn investment in the rollout of 'superfast' broadband, Springvale Learning linked up with BT for the benefit of the unemployed. The BT Telecommunications Engineering Training Initiative was developed using the Department for Employment and Learning's Steps to Work employment programme. There are currently seven participants in training and it is hoped that it will eventually deliver up to 15 jobs.

(BMcC/GK)