Summit Off

Today's planned meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Armagh will not be taking place, Stormont sources said. It follows the cancellation of a meeting of the Assembly Executive scheduled for Thursday. It has now not met in a formal capacity for a period of 105 days as the DUP and Sinn Fein wrangle over the devolution of policing and justice. The DUP have rejected a Sinn Fein call to use emergency procedures to allow the planned meeting to take place, following on from a similar initiative used last week to permit a meeting of the British-Irish Council.

UCF Goes For Fashion

As part of the Ulster Cancer Foundation's 'Think Pink!' Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign the charity has teamed up with Northern Ireland's first upmarket 'clothes swapping' company 'Coathanger'. Coathanger is the creation of local stylist Anne Rowney and is built on the concept that individuals can bring along new or nearly new items of clothing, shoes and accessories and swap them for a range of top quality designer, vintage and high street brands. Joyce Savage, Head of Appeals and Marketing at UCF said: "We are delighted to work with Coathanger to help raise funds for local women with breast cancer. Using Coathanger's personal style advice service we hope to give women, particularly those who have had breast cancer treatment, a real confidence boost in a relaxed and enjoyable environment."

NI Gets Business Tourism Fillip

Tourism Minister Arlene Foster yesterday welcomed 50 international business tourism buyers to an important Northern Ireland Business Tourism Expo. Running from 2 to 5 October and organised by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board (NITB), in association with Tourism Ireland, the event is allowing local tourism organisations to have the opportunity to showcase their venues for international conferences, exhibitions, corporate events and meetings to buyers from the USA, Canada, Republic of Ireland, Great Britain, and for the first time, France and Germany. This year's event has witnessed a 30% increase in the number of buyers attending since the first Expo event was held two years ago. The Minister said: "The 2008 Business Tourism Expo places Northern Ireland on an international stage and allows the visiting buyers to see at first hand, the quality facilities that we have on offer for conferences, exhibitions and meetings. Business tourism is a very lucrative form of tourism, which is estimated to provide the UK’s tourism economy with 38% of its revenue. It is therefore vital that our local business tourism providers take full advantage of this excellent opportunity to meet with influential national and international buyers."

Belfast Gets New DPP Chairman

A new Chairman of the Principal Partnership of the Belfast District Policing Partnership (DPP) has been announced. Christopher Stalford, a councillor who represents the Laganbank area of Belfast will serve in the position until the end of September 2009. Commenting on his appointment, Cllr Stalford said: "My main aim during this year will be to represent local people with any concerns they may have with policing issues as well as to work alongside the PSNI to deliver a first rate police service throughout the city of Belfast. I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead and to working with both the political and independent Members of the District Policing Partnership." Cllr Stalford is from the Ormeau Road area of South Belfast and is a graduate of Queen's University. He has served as a member of the Belfast District Policing Partnership (Principal Partnership) and the South Belfast Sub-Group for the past year.

(BMcC)