Other News In Brief

Man Convicted Of Benefit Fraud

A man has been convicted for claiming benefits he was not entitled to at Belfast Magistrates' Court.

Conor O'Boyle, 32, claimed Income Support and Housing Benefit totalling £11,216 while failing to declare employment. He was given 180 hours community service and ordered to pay court costs of £37.

He is also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

No Business As Usual Within The Assembly - DUP

DUP MLA Simon Hamilton has said those parties raising criticisms over a disruption to business in the Assembly need to explain why they wish to ignore that the murder of man in Belfast has been linked to a party in the Executive.

Mr Hamilton said: "The implication of criticisms coming from parties on all sides of the Assembly about DUP action to ensure that it is not 'business as usual' is that they do not believe any action should be taken following a murder linked to a party in the Executive.

"However both yesterday and today some parties have kept their focus on the DUP rather than on those responsible. The course of action we have taken was not our first choice, but was the only option left open after offers of adjournment or suspension were rejected.

"Those offers were put forward to ensure everyone's sole focus could be on addressing the twin issues of paramilitary activity and implementation of the Stormont House Agreement. We have already seen how business in the Assembly has held back the talks process, yet some parties want to exacerbate this further.

"Whilst we have demonstrated that necessary and important business can still be done, there will be no 'business as usual' within the Assembly."

Call For More To Be Done To Ease Humanitarian Crisis

Alliance MLA Anna Lo has said the UK Government must listen to an Assembly motion calling for more to be done to ease the humanitarian crisis in Syria.

Ms Lo said the Alliance motion, which received unanimous backing from other parties in the chamber, showed the support was there for Northern Ireland to take more refugees than the scheduled 3% of the 20,000 due to be brought into the UK by 2020.

She said: "Around nine million Syrians have fled their homes since the outbreak of civil war there in March 2011 but by June of this year, only 5,000 had been granted asylum in the UK.

"Our motion rightly stated EU nations have a moral obligation to assist people seeking refuge from war and persecution. Now is the time for action to back that commitment up."