Other News In Brief

Appeal For Information Over Suspicious Fire In L'Derry

The PSNI have issued an appeal for information following a suspected arson attack in L'Derry.

At around 1.45pm on Wednesday 18 August, emergency services responded to reports of two caravans on fire on Racecourse Road in the Ballyarnett area of the city.

According to reports the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) were able to contain the fire before it spread.

The PSNI have said that they are treating the fire as suspicious and have appeal for anyone with any information about the incident to contact them.

SF Must Disclose Any Request Made For Support For Afghan Refugees – SDLP

Colum Eastwood, leader of the SDLP, has called on Sinn Féin Housing Minister Deirdre Hargey to disclose any request made by the British Government for assistance with support for Afghan refugees.

The Foyle MP has made the call following allegations that the Housing Minister failed to bring the request to the attention of Executive colleagues for six weeks.

Mr Eastwood said: "The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Afghanistan is clear for everyone to see. Images of frightened people clutching the wheels and wings of airplanes demonstrates the scale of the fear and desperation they feel. Western governments, particularly those who piled troops into the region 20 years ago and precipitated the current crisis with a chaotic withdrawal, have a moral obligation to provide safe refuge for those fleeing the Taliban.

"The suggestion that the Housing Minister Deirdre Hargey received a request for assistance from the British Government six weeks ago and has yet to take any action is incredible. Any request to provide shelter to Afghan refugees desperate to escape the country should have been urgently referred to the Executive.

"The urgent priority is to have this resolved by the Executive. We should play our full part in supporting those fleeing the crisis in Afghanistan, just as we have provided shelter for Syrian refugees before.

"But we also need full disclosure from Sinn Féin's Deirdre Hargey about this matter. When was the request for assistance received and why hasn't it been referred to the Executive? This is a gross failure to meet our moral obligation to people who fear for their lives and the lives of their families."

NI Needs A Strategy To Take Advantage Of Protocol's Special Status

A strategy is needed to take advantage of the north's special status under the protocol and continued access to the EU single market to attract investment and create jobs here, Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald has said.

The party's economy spokesperson said: "Newly published data from the Central Statistics Office in the south shows the trend of increased cross-border trade since the beginning of the year continues and has strengthened both on a north to south basis and from south to north.

"The figures published for June show that over the first six months of 2021 north to south trade has increased by 78% from €998 million to €1.77 billion compared to the same period in 2020 while south to north trade has also increased by 43% from €1.1 billion to €1.576 billion.

"It is clear over recent days in Britain, the impact that Brexit is having on supply chains.

"The protocol provides vital mitigations for businesses here and protects important all-island supply chains.

"We need to see a greater focus on helping businesses identify opportunities and we need a strategy to take advantage of our special status under the protocol of continued access to the EU single market to attract investment and create jobs here.

"The DUP and the British government need to face the realities of the Brexit they negotiated and agreed, they need listen to businesses, to the manufacturers, farmers and retailers who are telling us all that they want the protocol to work and find permanent solutions to issues over the next number of weeks."