L'Derry Man Shot And Beaten

An attack has been carried out in County L’Derry which saw a man shot in the leg and beaten.

It is thought that four masked men, two of whom are believed to be armed, went into the 45-year-old man’s house, attacked him and shot him several times.

The incident happened at 22:45 at Kingsbury Gardens in Coleraine on Thursday.

The man has been treated in hospital, although his injuries are not thought to be life threatening.

Police have appealed for witnesses to contact them.

Publicans And PSNI Debate Licensing Laws

County Fermanagh publicans have been discussing the enforcement of late night opening hours with the PSNI.

The debate is a result of laws which state that only pubs which are providing live entertainment or are serving food can continue to serve alcohol after 23:00

But police say a large number of pubs continue to open late all week despite the law.

Some publicans believe the law is being enforced in a heavy-handed way.

There are also fears that the measures being undertaken by police will see already-struggling pubs and bars face further loses in trade.

The PSNI deny they are in the business of shutting down livelihoods.

Poots Gay Adoption Appeal 'Disappointing' - Sinn Féin

Sinn Féin MLA Sue Ramsey has voiced her disappointment over Health Minister Edwin Poots’s decision to appeal a High Court ruling that said a ban on gay and unmarried couples adopting is unlawful.

The West Belfast MLA and Chair of the Health Committee at the Assembly said: "This is a disappointing decision by the Health Minister Edwin Poots considering that our laws on adoption were out of date and not reflective of modern society and life-styles.

"The primary focus when it comes to adoption has to be the welfare of the child. It has to be the determining factor and guiding principle when it comes to anyone adopting a child.

"A single person or unmarried couple should be able to adopt a child, regardless of their sexuality, providing they can provide a stable, caring home with the child’s best interests at the heart of that decision.

"This extension of the eligibility criteria in line with modern society will significantly reduce the number of children in care," she added.

Man Charged Over Loyalist Parade Offence

A man has been charged following trouble at a north Belfast loyalist parade during the summer.

The 36-year-old will appear in court in Belfast next month.

The charge centres around an offence on Donegall Street during a contentious Royal Black Institution Parade on 25 August.

The charge will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.

Minister Announces Road Race Resurfacing

Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy has major resurfacing works in preparation for the Tandragee 100 Road Race.

The announcement was made following a meeting with representatives of the Armagh Motorcycle and Car Club Ltd.

The Minister said: "The work at Cooleyhill Road is representative of a number of road resurfacing schemes which have been carried out and others which are being planned in the Armagh area. They will improve the structural condition of a number of roads and will enhance safety by improving their running surfaces."

(IT)