Other NI News In Brief

Queen Gets The X Factor

Tesco checkout lady and X Factor finalist, Mary Byrne, will sing for the Queen (pictured by Brian McCalden) during her four-day royal visit to Dublin that begins this coming Tuesday. Westlife has also been chosen to perform at a concert to mark the first visit to Ireland by a British monarch for 100 years. The British Embassy will be hosting the event in Dublin city centre, which will include a Riverdance performance as well as the contributions from Ms Byrne and Westlife along with the famed Irish music group The Chieftains. Belfast's Methodist College Choir will also perform for Her Majesty.

Obama 'Death Threats' Probe

Irish detectives are questioning a converted Muslim over fears of an alleged plot to kill US President Obama during his trip to Ireland. Khalid Kelly, aged in his 40s, was detained after officers searched a home in Dublin's north inner city. Later this month, President Obama is due to visit his ancestral home Moneygall, Co Offaly as well as Dublin and, following the death of Osama Bin Laden, security has been stepped up. The suspect is being detained in Store Street Garda station.

Ligoniel Lives

An environmental project helping transform a number of derelict sites used for dumping and vandalism in the Ligoniel area of north Belfast has been awarded a grant from the Big Lottery Fund. Ligoniel Improvement Association is one of four groups across Northern Ireland that have been awarded grants totalling nearly £33,000 from the Fund's Community Wildlife programme which aims to bring communities together to improve or protect the natural environment by raising awareness of threatened wildlife or places. Working alongside a number of local groups, the association will use a grant of £5,220 to turn overgrown and derelict eyesores in the Ligoniel area into vibrant green spaces for the local community to enjoy.

(BMcN/KMcA)

Carrick 'On The Radar'

A firm that designs, develops and manufactures sophisticated automated test equipment for testing and measuring the performance of lasers, radar systems and electronic products, Yelo Ltd in Carrickfergus has won new contracts worth £250,000 for its cutting-edge test systems from major US telecommunications companies. This follows its participation in an Invest Northern Ireland trade mission to the market. The company now supplies 70% of laser reliability systems used for the latest 40Gbps and 100Gbps networks to ensure the smooth operation of popular websites such as YouTube and Facebook. The new US business was announced by David Simms, Yelo's Sales and Marketing Director, and welcomed by Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI Trade Director.

Benefits In Kind

Five people were convicted at Belfast Magistrates' Court this week for claiming benefits they were not entitled to. John Cochrane (28) of Antrim Road, Belfast was given 200 hours community service and ordered to pay court costs of £55 for duplicate encashment of Income Support and Social Fund totalling £933. Mary Magee (51) of Sylvan Street, Belfast claimed Income Support totalling £5,254 while failing to declare employment. She was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay court costs of £28. Neill Sproule (41) of Glencairn Walk, Belfast claimed Income Support totalling £13,148 while failing declare employment. He was given 160 hours community service and ordered to pay court costs of £36. Fiontann Crawford (20) of Coolnasilla Park South, Belfast claimed Job Seekers Allowance totalling £1,186 while failing to declare employment. He was given a two year conditional discharge. Linda McCauley (54) of Ballyvesey Green, Newtownabbey claimed Income Support and Housing Benefit totalling £7,352 while failing to declare employment. She was given six months imprisonment suspended for two years. All are also required to repay any outstanding money wrongfully obtained to the Social Security Agency.

Glengormley Asbestos 'Safe'

It has emerged that a small amount of asbestos found at the site of a former printing factory in Collinbridge area of Glengormley, Co Antrim poses "no risk" to the public. That's despite concerns that the site at Glengormley Park could be used as a 'playground' by children. However, the potentially lethal asbestos has indeed been confirmed on the site by the Health and Safety Executive NI (HSENI) at the former factory building levelled to make way for an apartment block for a social housing scheme originally proposed for the site. However nothing has been constructed since the building was demolished, but the HSENI insists there is no risk posed.

(BMcC/KMcA)