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23/02/2010
Other NI News In Brief
Names Quiz At Zoo
Belfast Zoo has launched their latest competition to give someone the chance of naming the two pygmy goats (pictured) and win a top prize. Belfast Zoo welcomed two new pygmy goat arrivals in time for Valentines Day; however the couple remain nameless and the zoo would now like suggestions for the names of their goats, the male and female, and reasons behind the names. Not only will the winning names be with the goats for life, the winner will get to spend an afternoon with a zoo keeper, experiencing behind the scenes of the farm area at Belfast Zoo. They will have an opportunity to get up close and even feed some of the animals. Entries must be received by Friday 19th March at 3pm. See:
www.belfastzoo.co.uk/namingcomp
Belfast On Alert
SDLP Oldpark Councillor Nichola Mallon has said that continuing security incidents over the past few weeks are serving no one and causing nothing but disruption and mayhem to residents in north Belfast. Commenting on today's evacuation of residents living in Rosevale Street, off the Oldpark Road, the local representative said: "This is the second evacuation in recent weeks because of the suspected suspicious activity of a vehicle. As I understand it a member of the public contacted the police around 8.30am this morning to report an abandoned car in Rosevale Street. The PSNI moved in within 10 minutes and as a precaution evacuated the homes along Rosevale Street before Army technical experts carried out a number of controlled explosions," she said, noting that, after last night's events in Newry, the police are operating in a climate of heightened dissident threat and activity. "The PSNI should always respond to suspicious activity with serious caution but it is always a fine balancing act between protecting the community and minimising unnecessary disruption to the daily lives of local people," she concluded.
Railway Body Shock
No crime is suspected as police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding a body being found on a railway line in north Antrim. While a post mortem is still to be carried out, the discovery - at Station Road in Dunloy on Monday night - is not suspicious as a police spokesman said foul play was not suspected at this stage. The line was closed for a time between Ballymena and Ballymoney, but has since reopened.
Petrol Bombers Condemned
Turf Lodge residents don't want trouble in their area. According to Sinn Fein Councillor Janice Austin - who said a petrol bomb attack last night was "disgraceful" - the "people in Turf Lodge do not want this type of activity". The republican representative was speaking after two petrol bombs were thrown into a house in west Belfast. Police said that shortly before 10pm on Monday, a front downstairs window was broken and two petrol bombs were thrown into the property. One ignited in the living room causing damage and the second was recovered intact by police. It is understood the property was empty at the time of the attack.
NI Man Held Over Drugs
The UK Border Agency in Dover has charged a Northern Ireland man with drug smuggling. Nigel Donnelly, 42, of Cookstown, has been remanded in custody until he next appears at Dover Magistrates Court on February 25. Mr Donnelly was arrested after officers searched a lorry and trailer on February 17 and uncovered approximately 350 kilos of cannabis with an estimated street value of £900,400 in a load of frozen chips.
Islandmagee Education Query
East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs has condemned the lack of decision making, over an extended period, by the Department of Education, which has allowed school enrolment numbers to decline in Islandmagee, putting into doubt the delivery of a long awaited new Primary School for the district. In an Assembly answer to a question placed by Mr Beggs, the Minister for Education Caitriona Ruane has said that "the long-term enrolment for the proposed new primary school in Islandmagee has declined to a level substantially below the minimum enrolment threshold of 105 outlined in the Department's Sustainable Schools policy for a sustainable rural primary school." Responding to this news, the Ulster Unionist MLA said: "This state of affairs is sadly only too predictable. We have had years of drift and dithering by the Department of Education which has lead directly to this situation," he fumed.
Planning Offence Fines
A Co Armagh father and his son have been fined a total of £300 at Armagh Magistrates' Court for failing to comply with a Planning Service Enforcement Notice. John Mervyn Winter and his son Jonathan Mervyn Winter of Derrycrew Road, Loughgall pleaded guilty to non-compliance of the Enforcement Notice which required them to remove unauthorised mobile homes from a site north west of Derrycrew Road, Loughgall. John Mervyn Winter was fined £200 and £95 costs and Jonathan Mervyn Winter was fined £100 and £95 costs. While the defendants have since removed the mobile homes, this occurred outside the time specified in the notice and an offence had been committed.
Frozen Rates:DUP
DUP MLA for Strangford Simon Hamilton has welcomed a continued freeze in domestic regional rates announced by the NI Finance Minister Sammy Wilson and has also highlighted how devolution compares to the record of Direct Rule rate increases. "The further freeze in domestic regional rates will be welcomed by householders across Northern Ireland as they cope with the difficult economic climate. The 2.7% increase in the non-domestic regional rate is also a freeze for businesses in real terms given the current level of inflation. It stands in stark contrast to the record of Direct Rule Ministers who saddled the people of Northern Ireland with 19% increases in their rates. In the last five years of Direct Rule, Ulster's householders saw their rates bills rise by 65%," he said.
(BMcC/GK)
Belfast Zoo has launched their latest competition to give someone the chance of naming the two pygmy goats (pictured) and win a top prize. Belfast Zoo welcomed two new pygmy goat arrivals in time for Valentines Day; however the couple remain nameless and the zoo would now like suggestions for the names of their goats, the male and female, and reasons behind the names. Not only will the winning names be with the goats for life, the winner will get to spend an afternoon with a zoo keeper, experiencing behind the scenes of the farm area at Belfast Zoo. They will have an opportunity to get up close and even feed some of the animals. Entries must be received by Friday 19th March at 3pm. See:
www.belfastzoo.co.uk/namingcomp
Belfast On Alert
SDLP Oldpark Councillor Nichola Mallon has said that continuing security incidents over the past few weeks are serving no one and causing nothing but disruption and mayhem to residents in north Belfast. Commenting on today's evacuation of residents living in Rosevale Street, off the Oldpark Road, the local representative said: "This is the second evacuation in recent weeks because of the suspected suspicious activity of a vehicle. As I understand it a member of the public contacted the police around 8.30am this morning to report an abandoned car in Rosevale Street. The PSNI moved in within 10 minutes and as a precaution evacuated the homes along Rosevale Street before Army technical experts carried out a number of controlled explosions," she said, noting that, after last night's events in Newry, the police are operating in a climate of heightened dissident threat and activity. "The PSNI should always respond to suspicious activity with serious caution but it is always a fine balancing act between protecting the community and minimising unnecessary disruption to the daily lives of local people," she concluded.
Railway Body Shock
No crime is suspected as police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding a body being found on a railway line in north Antrim. While a post mortem is still to be carried out, the discovery - at Station Road in Dunloy on Monday night - is not suspicious as a police spokesman said foul play was not suspected at this stage. The line was closed for a time between Ballymena and Ballymoney, but has since reopened.
Petrol Bombers Condemned
Turf Lodge residents don't want trouble in their area. According to Sinn Fein Councillor Janice Austin - who said a petrol bomb attack last night was "disgraceful" - the "people in Turf Lodge do not want this type of activity". The republican representative was speaking after two petrol bombs were thrown into a house in west Belfast. Police said that shortly before 10pm on Monday, a front downstairs window was broken and two petrol bombs were thrown into the property. One ignited in the living room causing damage and the second was recovered intact by police. It is understood the property was empty at the time of the attack.
NI Man Held Over Drugs
The UK Border Agency in Dover has charged a Northern Ireland man with drug smuggling. Nigel Donnelly, 42, of Cookstown, has been remanded in custody until he next appears at Dover Magistrates Court on February 25. Mr Donnelly was arrested after officers searched a lorry and trailer on February 17 and uncovered approximately 350 kilos of cannabis with an estimated street value of £900,400 in a load of frozen chips.
Islandmagee Education Query
East Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Roy Beggs has condemned the lack of decision making, over an extended period, by the Department of Education, which has allowed school enrolment numbers to decline in Islandmagee, putting into doubt the delivery of a long awaited new Primary School for the district. In an Assembly answer to a question placed by Mr Beggs, the Minister for Education Caitriona Ruane has said that "the long-term enrolment for the proposed new primary school in Islandmagee has declined to a level substantially below the minimum enrolment threshold of 105 outlined in the Department's Sustainable Schools policy for a sustainable rural primary school." Responding to this news, the Ulster Unionist MLA said: "This state of affairs is sadly only too predictable. We have had years of drift and dithering by the Department of Education which has lead directly to this situation," he fumed.
Planning Offence Fines
A Co Armagh father and his son have been fined a total of £300 at Armagh Magistrates' Court for failing to comply with a Planning Service Enforcement Notice. John Mervyn Winter and his son Jonathan Mervyn Winter of Derrycrew Road, Loughgall pleaded guilty to non-compliance of the Enforcement Notice which required them to remove unauthorised mobile homes from a site north west of Derrycrew Road, Loughgall. John Mervyn Winter was fined £200 and £95 costs and Jonathan Mervyn Winter was fined £100 and £95 costs. While the defendants have since removed the mobile homes, this occurred outside the time specified in the notice and an offence had been committed.
Frozen Rates:DUP
DUP MLA for Strangford Simon Hamilton has welcomed a continued freeze in domestic regional rates announced by the NI Finance Minister Sammy Wilson and has also highlighted how devolution compares to the record of Direct Rule rate increases. "The further freeze in domestic regional rates will be welcomed by householders across Northern Ireland as they cope with the difficult economic climate. The 2.7% increase in the non-domestic regional rate is also a freeze for businesses in real terms given the current level of inflation. It stands in stark contrast to the record of Direct Rule Ministers who saddled the people of Northern Ireland with 19% increases in their rates. In the last five years of Direct Rule, Ulster's householders saw their rates bills rise by 65%," he said.
(BMcC/GK)
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25 November 2024
Other News In Brief
DfC Launch Public Consultation On Gender Pay Gap A consultation on proposed changes to Section 19 of the Employment Act (Northern Ireland) relating to the requirements for employers to publish information on the pay of male and female employees has been launched by the Department for Communities.
Other News In Brief
DfC Launch Public Consultation On Gender Pay Gap A consultation on proposed changes to Section 19 of the Employment Act (Northern Ireland) relating to the requirements for employers to publish information on the pay of male and female employees has been launched by the Department for Communities.
11 January 2008
New Visitor Centre For Belfast Zoo
Construction has begun on a new, £600,000 state of the art visitor centre at Belfast Zoo. The new entrance pavilion will include a new souvenir shop, pay-booths and payment systems, a covered walkway for wet weather shelter and a tourist exhibition space focussing on native and non-native wildlife.
New Visitor Centre For Belfast Zoo
Construction has begun on a new, £600,000 state of the art visitor centre at Belfast Zoo. The new entrance pavilion will include a new souvenir shop, pay-booths and payment systems, a covered walkway for wet weather shelter and a tourist exhibition space focussing on native and non-native wildlife.
22 January 2013
Heavy Snow Closes Over 80 Schools
Over 80 schools across Northern Ireland have been closed as the heavy snow continues to cause disruption on Tuesday morning. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning, as the snow is continuing to affect many roads. Areas which have been majorly disrupted include Lisburn, Castlereagh and Carryduff.
Heavy Snow Closes Over 80 Schools
Over 80 schools across Northern Ireland have been closed as the heavy snow continues to cause disruption on Tuesday morning. The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning, as the snow is continuing to affect many roads. Areas which have been majorly disrupted include Lisburn, Castlereagh and Carryduff.
02 March 2018
Schools Closures Across NI
The Department of Education have published a list of all schools across that have confirmed they will be closed today, Friday 2nd March, 2018 due to the adverse weather conditions.
Schools Closures Across NI
The Department of Education have published a list of all schools across that have confirmed they will be closed today, Friday 2nd March, 2018 due to the adverse weather conditions.
15 February 2006
Belfast Zoo to receive award
Belfast Zoo, in partnership with Queen's University's Scholl of Psychology, has today received a prestigious ward from the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ for ‘Best Research Project’. This is the highest award given by the BIAZA, and was given for the innovative research on ‘Auditory Enrichment for Zoo-housed Gorillas’.
Belfast Zoo to receive award
Belfast Zoo, in partnership with Queen's University's Scholl of Psychology, has today received a prestigious ward from the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ for ‘Best Research Project’. This is the highest award given by the BIAZA, and was given for the innovative research on ‘Auditory Enrichment for Zoo-housed Gorillas’.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A showery start with outbreaks most frequent north of Lough Neagh and through the morning, before dwindling during the afternoon as the northwest breezes ease and brighter spells of weak sunshine prosper. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A dry night, save for a few light showers around the coasts, with prolonged clear spells and light winds bringing a frosty dawn for many in central and southern parts. Minimum temperature -3 °C.
