On this day in Northern Ireland news history

PSNI Issue Warning Over Impersonation Scams
The PSNI have issued a warning of impersonation scams, following reports of scams operating predominantly in Belfast in which £20,000 has been lost in the last five months.

Restoring Stormont Will Not Address Budget Shortfall – DUP
Restoring Stormont will not address Northern Ireland's budget shortfall, the DUP has claimed. North Antrim MP Ian Paisley said that the UK government's "blackmail tactics have completely backfired".

Student Nurse Cuts Will Do 'Real And Fundamental Damage'
The loss of 300 student nurse training places will do "real and fundamental damage" to Northern Ireland's health service.

Economy Budget Cuts 'Draconian'
The Ulster Unionist Party has condemned cuts in the Department for the Economy's budget as "draconian" that will leave NI "fighting to create prosperity with one hand tied behind our back".

31% Fall In House-Buying In 2022
House-buying has fallen by 31% and house prices have shown negative growth for the first time since the Covid pandemic, according to the latest research from Ulster University.

Cash And Drugs Seized In Dundonald Search Operations
Two properties in Dundonald have been searched by the PSNI's Paramilitary Crime Task Force as part of an operation investigating suspected criminality linked to the east Belfast UVF.

Four Arrested In Connection With String Of Thefts Across NI
Four people have been arrested in connection with a string of toy thefts from stores across Northern Ireland. On Sunday, 14 May, at around 5.

Van Destroyed In Petrol Bomb Attack In Larne
The PSNI have issued an appeal for information and witnesses following a petrol bomb attack on a van in Larne in the early hours of this morning, Tuesday 16 May. At approximately 12.30am this morning, police were called to a report of a van on fire in the Greenland Parade area of the town.

Appeal For Information On North Belfast Attempted Robbery
The PSNI have issued an appeal for information following a report of an attempted robbery in north Belfast on Sunday, 15th May. It was reported to police, that just after 11pm, two masked men entered a takeaway food business as it was preparing to close and demanded money.

UK Govt 'Will Do Its Part' To Help Restore Stormont
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is in Belfast today, Monday 16 May, for emergency talks in an effort to break the ongoing deadlock at Stormont in the hopes of facilitating the formation of a new Executive.

NI Businesses Urged To Promote Greener Ways Of Travel
A number of organisations have come together to encourage Northern Irish businesses to promote greener ways of travel among their workforce this June, as part of the new Active Travel Challenge.

New Diabetes App Wins Belfast Business Idea Award
A new app to help guide people with a new diabetes diagnosis, designed by final year Ulster University Interactive Design student Emma Corbett, has won the Belfast Business Idea Awards 2022.

Three Police Officers Injured In Collision
The PSNI have issued an appeal for information after three police officers were injured in a road traffic collision shortly before 12.55am on Sunday, 15th May in the Armagh area.

Appeal For Information On Holywood Collision
Police have issued an appeal for information following a serious two-vehicle road traffic collision on the Belfast Road, Holywood shortly before 11.15pm on Friday, 13th May.

UUP Welcomes Govt Action On Protocol
UUP Leader Doug Beattie has welcomed the news that the UK Government is going to "move unilaterally to protect Northern Ireland's place within the UK internal market". Adding that the current stand-off cannot continue, Mr Beattie said: "The EU needs to change its mandate.

Warning Issued After Attempted Bank Fraud
The PSNI has urged people to be "on their guard" following an attempted fraud of almost £3,000 where a fraudster posed as a caller from the victim's bank.

Employment Rights Cases Payout Limits Increased
The Economy Minister, Gordon Lyons, has announced an increase in the limits for payments and awards to workers in employment rights cases.

Agricultural Shows Sector Resilience Review Announced
Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots has announced an independent external resilience review of NI Agricultural Shows Sector in Northern Ireland, to be led by Mr Aled Rhys Jones.

15 Arrests Made In ATM Theft Probe
An investigation into the recent spate of ATM thefts in Northern Ireland has seen 15 people arrested, 41 searches carried out and over £15,000 recovered, according to police.

UK Govt Urged To Act On NI Abortion Laws
Amnesty International has likened the vote in Alabama for abortion to be almost totally outlawed to the situation facing women in Northern Ireland. The US senate backed the proposal this week, which would see the southeastern state adopt the country's most stringent law on pregnancy terminations.

Flybe Emergency Landing At Belfast Airport Explained
A detailed report into why a Flybe plane was forced to carry out an emergency landing at Belfast International Airport with no nose gear has found that it was due to a damaged piece of equipment.

SF Cllr John Finucane To Be Belfast's Next Lord Mayor
Newly elected Sinn Fein councillor John Finucane is set the become the next Lord Mayor of Belfast. Announced by the party's Belfast City Council group leader, Councillor Ciaran Beattie, he will succeed the current Lord Mayor Deirdre Hargey.

Healthcare Progress Clear But Must Continue- DoH
Vital health reforms are delivering real change but must continue if we are to tackle waiting list and staffing pressures. That was the message from the Department of Health today, 16 May, as it launched a progress report on health and social care transformation.

Pair Escape Injury After Light Aircraft Crash In Co Tyrone
Two people have managed to avoid any serious injuries after a light aircraft crashed in County Tyrone yesterday evening, Wednesday 15 May. The incident happened near the Annaghnaboe Road outside Coalisland at around 8.30pm. Police, paramedics, and the fire service responded to the emergency call.

Belfast Golf Ambassadors Prepare For Visitors To The 148th Open
With less than ten weeks to go until The 148th Open at Royal Portrush, the tourism and hospitality industry across Northern Ireland is gearing up to welcome over 215,000 spectators and visitors from around the world.

L'Derry Properties Raided In Lyra McKee Murder Probe
Police have carried out a number of searches in L'Derry this morning as part of the investigation into the murder of Lyra McKee. A number of items were seized and taken for further examination, however no arrests were made.

PSNI Warning As Drink Driver Causes Magherafelt Crash
A drink driver has been left uninjured after causing a crash in Magherafelt that left three others in hospital with significant injuries. The incident on Tuesday evening, 14 May, prompted police to issue a warning about the dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol.

Man Beaten In North Belfast Aggravated Burglary
A man has been hospitalised after he was beaten during an aggravated burglary in north Belfast. Police said a gang of men entered a flat near the junction of the Antrim Road and Cliftonville Road at around 6.30pm on Wednesday evening, 15 May.

Balmoral Show Officially Opens
Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the first day of the Balmoral Show. Ireland's largest agricultural and food show is celebrating its 150th year.

Optimal Business Programme Announced
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has announced the Optimal programme, which aims to provide tailored and specialist business mentoring to support the development of a more prosperous economy. The OPTIMAL programme aims to: • Support the creation of new sustainable jobs in the council area.

Concerns Raised After Loyalist Flags Erected In South Belfast
Concerns have been raised after loyalist flags were erected near a housing estate in south Belfast. The flags were put up on lamp posts close to Cantrell Close and Global Crescent. However, loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson confirmed they had been taken down on Wednesday morning.

Drug Mule Michaella McCollum Gives Birth To Twins
Drug mule Michaella McCollum has given birth to twins. She revealed the news via a social media post on Tuesday, 15 May. McCollum posted a video on Instagram with her two newborns with the caption: "My little darlings, 1 week today (sic)." It is not yet known who the father is.

Investigation Launched After Man Assaulted In East Belfast
An investigation has been launched after a man was assaulted in east Belfast. The attack happened in the Dundonald area at around 9.30am on Wednesday, 16 May. The victim, aged in his 50s, is currently receiving hospital treatment after sustaining a head injury and wounds to his abdomen.

Man With €180,000 Arrested At Belfast International Airport
A man has been arrested at Belfast International Airport after trying to board a flight to Spain with €180,000 in cash in his luggage. The 39-year-old Irish citizen was due to travel to Alicante on Wednesday, 09 May. The National Crime Agency has launched a money laundering investigation.

West Belfast Security Alert Declared A 'Hoax'
A security alert in west Belfast has been declared a hoax. Army bomb disposal experts attended the scene on the Springfield Road on Monday, 14 May. The object was found on the grounds of Whiterock Orange Hall. Residents have now returned to their homes.

Man Attacked In Co Antrim
A man has sustained a head injury after being attacked by masked men in Co Antrim. The assault happened at a flat in the Upper Waterloo Road area of Larne at around 10pm on Monday, 14 May. The thugs beat the man with bats studded with nails.

Murder Investigation Launched After Woman's Body Found In Fermanagh
Police have launched a murder investigation after the body of a 52-year-old woman was found in Co Fermanagh. Her body was discovered in the Abbey Road area on Monday, 15 May. The body of a 55-year-old man was also found.

Two Men Arrested Over Ronan Kerr Murder
Two men have been arrested under the Terrorism Act in relation to the murder of PSNI Constable Ronan Kerr. Constable Kerr, 25, was killed by a booby-trap car bon in Omagh on 02 April 2011. A 27-year-old man was arrested in Omagh and a 40-year-old man was taken into police custody from prison.

PSNI Attacked By Youths In L'Derry
The PSNI have been attacked by youths throwing stones at police vehicles in L'Derry. The incident happened as officers were searching a property in the Carnhill area on Sunday, 14 May.

Call For Action After Fish Found Dead In Co Antrim
The Alliance Party is calling for action to be taken after over 40 fish were found dead in the Woodburn reservoir catchment area, near Carrickfergus in County Antrim.

Investigation Launched After Sudden Death Of Man In Larne
Police have launched an investigation following the sudden death of a man in Lane. It happened in the vicinity of the Inver River at around 7pm on Monday, 15 May, according to the PSNI. A post-mortem is to be carried out to determine the cause of death. No further details have been released.

Up To 1.3m Computers Still At Risk From WannaCry Attack
Up to 1.3 million computers are thought to still be at risk following a major ransomware attack that infected more than 200,000 computers in 150 countries.

Over 3,400 People Turned Away From Polls In March
Over 3,400 people were turned away from polling stations on 02 March in Northern Ireland because they were not registered. Over 60,000 voters were removed from the register in December 2016 as they had not updated their details.

Queen's To Disinvest From Fossil Fuels
Queen's University in Belfast has confirmed it is to disinvest from fossil fuels.

Alliance Calls For Second Referendum To Be Held
The Alliance Party is calling for a second referendum to be held on the terms of the UK's exit from the EU. South Belfast Westminster candidate Paula Bradshaw also said Brexit will be the most damaging event the UK will have seen for generations.

Andersonstown Leisure Centre Closed For Redevelopment Work
A leisure centre in west Belfast has closed for redevelopment work. Belfast City Council is investing £25million in the Andersonstown Leisure Centre, which is expected to open in summer 2019. Members of the centre can use the facilities at other leisure centres in the city at no extra cost.

Conference Aims To Foster Business Links With Poland
A free conference is to be held in Belfast to help foster business connections between Northern Ireland and Poland.

Increase In NI-Related Terrorism 'Alarming And Unexpected' - Foster
The increase of the Northern Ireland-related terrorism from moderate to substantial has been described as "alarming and unexpected" by First Minister Arlene Foster. Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show Minister Foster said that she was "rather surprised" by the increased threat level.

'Viable Device' Used In Cushendun Security Alert
A suspicious object at the centre of a security alert in Cushendun was a "viable device", the PSNI has said. The device was discovered on the Glendun Road on Sunday morning. The road was closed for a number of hours while Army bomb disposal officers examined the scene.

Ministers Express Condolences Following Death Of Malachi Mitchell-Thomas
First Minister, Arlene Foster and deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, have expressed their condolences to the family of motorcyclist Malachi Mitchell-Thomas following a fatal accident at Saturday's North West 200.

Alliance Support Claim For Out-Of-Court Compensation Scheme
A new report has called for an out-of-court redress scheme for the victims and survivors of institutional child abuse.

Watermain Works Get Underway In Shaftesbury/Botanic Area
NI Water has begun essential works in the Shaftesbury/Botanic Area of Belfast as part of the ongoing Watermains Improvement Scheme in Central Belfast.

Assault Of Teenage Girl Being Treated As 'Sectarian Hate Crime'
Police are treating the assault of a teenage girl in the Falls Park area on Saturday night as a sectarian hate crime. The girl was walking in the Falls Park area of the Falls Road at about 21:00 on Saturday 14 May when she was assaulted by a group of unknown females.

Investigation Launched Into 'Paramilitary-Style Shooting' In L'Derry
An investigation has been launched into a "paramilitary-style shooting" in the Ballymagroarty area of L'Derry in the early hours of Sunday morning. A 30-year-old man was shot in the ankles at around 03:30 on Sunday 15 May.

NI Water Van Set Alight In N Belfast
A group of men have attacked and set alight an NI Water van while contractors were carrying out their duties, the body has said. The attack occurred in the Ladbrook Drive area of north Belfast at about 09:30, as contractors were undertaking work in the north and west of the city.

NI Shopping Centres For Sale
Property firm Savills has been appointed by the Abbey Group and Foyleside Group to sell a group of shopping centres in Ireland and England. Known as Project Swallowtail, the eight assets are available as a whole or as individual assets for a total guide price in excess of £710m.

Shooting Victim Assaults Paramedic
A man has assaulted a paramedic who was treating him following a paramilitary-style attack in north Belfast. The man had been shot in the Jamaica Court area of Ardoyne at about midnight on Thursday.

Man Stabbed In Stomach
A man has been stabbed in the stomach by another man in south Belfast. Police said the incident occurred somewhere in the area incorporating the Donegall Road, Donegall Avenue and Tates Avenue between 17:45 and 18:15 on Thursday evening.

Stolen Car Crashes Into PSNI Vehicle
Police have said a stolen car has crashed into a PSNI vehicle in west Belfast. The incident followed a report to police that an Audi A4 had been stolen and was being driven erratically in the Albert Street area, off Divis Street, at about 22:00 on Thursday evening.

Investigation Into Armed Robbery, Andersonstown
Detectives at Woodbourne CID are investigating an armed robbery at a shopping centre in Andersonstown, Belfast yesterday. It was reported that at around 15:00, a man entered a currency exchange business, threatened a female employee with a handgun and demanded money.

Police Appeal Over Racist Attack In Newtownabbey
A Jamaican woman and her family have been targeted in an attack on a property in Newtownabbey, County Antrim that police believe is a race hate crime.

One In 10 Young People Consider Self Harming
One in ten 16-year-olds have considered self-harming, according to a new study undertaken by Queen's University Belfast and the University of Ulster.

Men Sentenced After Mortar Discovery
Three men from L'Derry who were caught with a mortar in the city in 2012 have each been sentenced to 10 years imprisonment at Belfast Crown Court.

Former Chief Executive Saves Business From Receivership
A construction firm's former chief executive has saved almost 400 jobs by taking over two of the firms businesses that had been placed in receivership.

Belfast Traffic Management Enters Final Phase
The final phase of Belfast city centre's traffic management arrangements is to get under way. The work to introduce new bus lanes as part of the Belfast on The Move initiative has now moved to Wellington Place, Chichester Street and Donegall Square East.

Agri-Food Action Plan Launched
The First and deputy First Ministers have launched a new action plan for Northern Ireland's Agri-Food industry. The announcement was made at the Balmoral Show – Ireland's largest agricultural event.

PSNI Rural Crime Unit Announced
A new 'Rural Crime Unit' is to be formed within the PSNI, according to the Ministry of Justice. Justice Minister David Ford made the announcement at this year's Balmoral Show, alongside Deputy Chief Constable Judith Gillespie and Martin Malone from agri-insurers NFU Mutual.

£1.25m For Belfast Community Projects
20 community regeneration projects across Belfast have received funding totalling £1.25m from the City Council. The funding is part of £5m set aside for the Local Investment Fund (LIF). Just under £1.

NI Women Maintain Longer Life Expectancy
Women in Northern Ireland continue to experience a longer, average life expectancy than their male counterparts, according to statistics released by the Department of Health.

Munster Simms Opens New Premises
Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has visited Bangor firm, Munster Simms, to see the company’s new premises at Enterprise Road. Whale Pumps is a specialist manufacturer of water, bilge and heating systems based in Bangor known for ground breaking and innovative pump design.

Catholics More Prone To 'Bad' Health
Catholics in Northern Ireland are more likely than Protestants to assess their general health as either 'bad' or 'very bad', according to new 2011 census results published today. The census found these differences were more noticeable in older age groups.

Portadown Orange Parade 'Provocative' - SDLP
SDLP Upper Bann MLA Dolores Kelly has said that plans to start an Orange parade in Portadown near the Garvaghy Road will be seen by nationalists as 'provocative'.

The Fall Breaks BBC Two Records
Belfast-based British drama The Fall became BBC Two’s biggest drama series launch in eight years when it aired last Monday, 13 May. The series opened with an average audience of 3.5m and 15.4% share, peaking at 3.6m, making it the highest drama series launch on the channel since Rome in 2005.

Bus Éireann Strike Called Off
Bus Éireann services have resumed today, following a deal between the company and the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU). New cost-saving measures have been agreed to protect the future of the company, 2,500 jobs and 300 routes.

Belfast Company Expands To Meet Growing Export Demand
Belfast-based provider of environmental health services Healthy Buildings Ireland Ltd (HBI) is investing over £160,000 with support from Invest Northern Ireland to capitalise on the growing demand for its services across Great Britain.

Airtricity Acquires Phoenix Gas
Airtricity, Northern Ireland's fastest-growing energy provider, has entered into an agreement with Phoenix Energy Holdings Limited to acquire Phoenix Supply Limited, Northern Ireland's market leading gas supplier.

PSNI Body-Part Retention "Exceptionally Worrying"
SDLP Policing spokesperson Conall McDevitt has spoken with deep concern about the revelations regarding the PSNI’s retention of human tissue in 67 cases of violent or unexplained death between 1960 and 2005 without the subjects' families being informed.

Teen Convicted Of Raping Five-Year-Old
A teenager has been convicted of raping a five-year-old boy. The 14-year-old boy was convicted of raping the child and one count of sexually assaulting him, at Belfast Crown Court today. Neither can be identified for legal reasons. During the week long hearing, the victim testified via videolink.

Investigation Re-Opened In Damien Duffy Murder Case
Police have re-opened the investigation into the murder of a teenager in west Belfast 11 years ago. 18 year old Damien Duffy was beaten and stabbed during a confrontation between two groups of people on the Stewartstown Road in the early hours of 20 May 2001.

Man Killed In Ballymena Car Crash Named
The man who was killed in a car crash in Ballymena on Tuesday was 66-year-old Vincent Kelly. Mr Kelly was the driver of one of the cars involved in the accident, which happened on the Lisnavenagh Road. The other drivers injuries are not believed to be life threatening.

NI Unemployment Rate Down 0.5%
Figures released today for the period January - March 2012 show that the Northern Ireland unemployment rate was down 0.5 percentage points over the quarter at 6.7%.

Executive Delivers Housing Targets
Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland has released the 2011/12 out turn figures for new build social and affordable homes.

Cross Community Friendships Amongst NI Teens Increase
An increasing number of 16 year olds in Northern Ireland have contact across both religious and ethnic divides. That’s according to new research published by Queen’s University and the University of Ulster today as part of Community Relations Week.

Charity Aims To Improve Future Woodlands
A charity has been created which is dedicated to improvement of the quality of native broadleaved trees through tree breeding programmes.

Innovative Klassoo Makes Life Less Stressful On The Farm
DBR Trading Ltd in Fivemiletown has been assisted by Invest Northern Ireland to perfect an innovative device that makes administering drugs to cows easier and safer for vets and farmers.

Stormont Executive Ministers Named
The Stormont parties have named their ministerial teams for the new Executive. The DUP's Arlene Foster has once again been named as Enterprise Minister, having previously held the post during the last assembly term and Sammy Wilson also returns to the role of Finance Minister.

Shock As Belfast Children Pick Up Bomb
Two politicians have joined condemnations from the PSNI after a pipe bomb-type device found by children sparked a security alert in north Belfast.

London Bomb Threat Ends
Following a bomb warning by dissidents republicans, the area around Buckingham Palace has now been re-opened. Scotland Yard reported the telephone threat was made using a recognised code word but was not specific with regard to either location or time. Around 4.

Old Bailey Bomber Back In Jail
The NI Secretary of State, Owen Paterson, has revoked the life licence of convicted IRA terrorist, Marian Price after she was charged with offences under the Terrorism Act 2000.

VIP Visitors To Cost Ireland €30m
The beleaguered Irish economy is facing a major policing bill as the entire operation for the Queen's visit this week and next week's overnight visit by US President Barack Obama is expected to be close to €30m.

RTÉ Commissions New Fanfare for Queen's Visit
The RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra will be one of a number of artists performing at the special ceremony celebrating the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to Ireland on Thursday 19 May.

North West 200 Visitors Urged To Go Safely
With crowds in excess of 100,000 expected to descend on Portrush for this year's International North West 200 motorcycle road races, police are urging the public to play their part towards a safe and enjoyable week for everyone.

PMS 'Scheme Of Arrangement' Passed
Creditors and shareholders of the Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS), which is in administration, have voted overwhelmingly to accept a proposed Scheme of Arrangement which will result in them receiving a total of more than £232m in repayments.

Derry Presbyterian Re-opening Welcomed
Hundreds of people were in an historic Londonderry church at the weekend to mark the completion of a £2.5m refurbishment project. Over 1,000 people - including the PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott, attended the reopening of First Derry Presbyterian Church.

Britivic Buys NI Drinks Wholesaler
The massive international soft drinks brand, Britvic, has announced that it had bought Co Tyrone-based drinks wholesaler Quinn's from C&C-owned Tennents for an undisclosed sum.

Warrenpoint Welcomes Bell Of The Blues
Ex Thin Lizzy legend, Eric Bell, has been announced as the headline act at this year's Blues on the Bay festival in Warrenpoint.

Double Blow For NI Hotel Industry
Northern Ireland's hospitality industry has been dealt a double blow with the announcement that the Marine Hotel in Ballycastle, Co Antrim and Lough Erne golf and hotel resort in Co Fermanagh have been placed in administration.

Race On Despite Dunlop Tragedy
Even though a second tragedy has shattered a famous Ulster road-racing family, the North West 200 road race - in which Robert Dunlop died last night - is to continue. The fatal accident came after his equally famous brother Joey was killed in a racing accident, in Estonia, in 2000.

Zimbabwean 'President Elect' In Belfast
As the election controversy rumbles on in Mugabe's financially devastated country, the Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai - who appeared to have won the disputed elections in the troubles country last month - will be in Belfast today for a political conference of international liberal pa

Executive To Pick Up Tab For Back Pay Settlement
Women workers and Catholics figure most in a group of lower paid civil servants in Northern Ireland who are set to receive over £100m in back pay. The move revealed this week by NI Finance Minister Peter Robinson, is to redress inequality.

Crime Rates Falling - But 'Clear Up' Rate Dropping Too
While crime rates are reported to have fallen in Northern Ireland - by more than a tenth - clear up rates, or the number of crimes for which a prosecution has been obtained have fallen too.

Sewage Is A Drain On Business
A Lisburn businessman has been 'up to his eyes in it' this week dealing with raw sewage seeping into his premises.

Discussion Sparks Delay In Price Rise
A widely expected jump in the price of electricity in Northern Ireland has been delayed due to ongoing discussions. The delay followed this week's news that coal prices are to rise by a quarter, compounding inflated natural gas, oil and food costs.

QUB Research To Help Build Better Homes For Aged
Research carried out for the Changing Ageing Partnership (CAP) has found that those who design and plan sheltered accommodation in Northern Ireland could do more to meet the needs of the residents who live there.

Lisburn's First Hotel On Site By October?
There will be no 'noisy disco' to disrupt the ambience of Lisburn's first ever hotel. The already successful hotelier behind the project, Arthur Mooney has moved to address concerns from local residents that the planned top hotel will bring disruption.

Queen's Grand Design - £1m Design Studios Officially Opened
A major new £1 million suite of design studios has been unveiled at Queen's University. The new resource is part of an overall development of facilities for students in the leading university’s School of Planning, Architecture, and Civil Engineering (SPACE).

Donegal girl died from 'injuries to the body'
A post-mortem that was carried out on the bodies of a girl and her mother in County Donegal, has revealed the girl died from injuries to her body. The bodies of seven-year-old Katelyn Innis and her mother Catriona were discovered at Whitehorn Close in Letterkenny, just after 3:00pm on Tuesday.

Youths raid Royal Mail office
Police in Castlereagh are appealing for information following a raid at a Royal Mail sorting office in east Belfast at 12:30am. Up to five youths removed a section of perimeter fence at the Prince Regent Road premises. The gang were armed with crowbars and sledgehammers.

Men questioned over cash machine ‘skimming’
Two men are currently being questioned in connection with a suspected 'skimming' incident at a cash machine in County Londonderry. The men were arrested after reports of suspicious activity near a cash machine on the Glenshane Road, Magherafelt at around 6:00pm yesterday.

Pipe bomb defused near farming show
A pipe bomb has been defused in south Belfast close to a major farming event which starts today. Detectives discovered the device in the front garden of a house just yards from the Kings Hall and Balmoral Showgrounds where the Balmoral Show is being staged.

Multi-million pound autism centre to open
Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness has today reaffirmed his commitment to the establishment of a multi-million pound all-Ireland centre for the education of children with autism.

Festival helps expand children's imaginations
Arts Minister Edwin Poots has emphasised the importance of stimulating a child’s creative imagination through theatre, storytelling, music and dance.

Artist to make Bobby Sands film
A Turner Prize winning artist is to make his first feature film, about the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands.

Employment levels in NI reach a new high
Employment in Northern Ireland has risen to a record high and the unemployment rate remains below the UK average, according to new figures.

High flying NI firms land in Berlin
As the first phase of a major initiative to target the European Aerospace Sector, Invest Northern Ireland is helping five leading precision engineering firms to exhibit at the Berlin Air Show this week.

Hain tells UVF to 'catch up'
Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Peter Hain, has stated that the UVF need to catch up with republicans in regards to addressing criminality and paramilitarism.

Schoolboy's body released to family
The body of murdered teenager Michael McIlveen has been returned to his family in Ballymena, one week after he was beaten to death in the town.

Children's park named in honour of Mo Mowlam
A children's park within the grounds of the Stormont estate has today been named after former Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Mo Mowlam. Ms Mowlam, was one of the most popular and respected NI Secretary's during the her time in office between 1997 and 1999.

Charles and Camilla continue with NI visit
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall today continued with the second day of their visit to Northern Ireland by making a wish come true for 8-year-old Anna Earls from Dundonald.

Belfast to get £26 million make-over
Belfast City Centre is to get a £26 million make-over, the government has revealed.

Man charged with withholding information
A 27-year-old man has appeared in Antrim Magistrates Court, charged with withholding information in relation to the murder of a man in Coleraine at the weekend.

County Down school damaged by vandals
Detectives in County Down have appealed for information after a school suffered extensive criminal damage at the weekend. Police have said that vandals broke in to the science block at Dromore High School on the Banbridge Road in Dromore, and ransacked around ten classrooms.

NI adults benefit from Essential Skills training
Over 23,000 Northern Ireland's adults are benefiting from the Government’s Essential Skills campaign, it has emerged today.

SS Nomadic to return to Belfast in July
The SS Nomadic will return to Belfast in July, the Department of Social Development has today revealed. The SS Nomadic was built at Harland and Wolff in Belfast in 1910 and was originally used to ferry first-class passengers to and from both the Titanic and its sister ship, the Olympic.

Armed robbery in east Belfast
Police in east Belfast have appealed for information following an armed robbery at a chip shop yesterday afternoon. At around 3.05pm, a man armed with a knife, entered the premises on the Holywood Road and demanded that staff hand over cash.

William Hill announces acquisition of Stanley Leisure
Bookmaker William Hill has announced that the acquisition of rival Stanley Leisure’s betting shops. The purchase of Stanley Leisure’s 624 shops for £504 million will make William Hill the biggest bookmakers in the UK, with over 2,200 shops nationwide.

Employers called on to tackle stress levels
Rising stress levels at work are now costing 10% of the UK’s Gross National Product, mental health charity, Mind, has reported. A new report published by the charity found that 58% of workers complained of job stress and 12.

Police launch murder inquiry in south Belfast
Police have launched a murder inquiry following the death of a US woman in the university area of south Belfast at the weekend.

Four die in separate road accidents
Four people have died, including a 16-month-old baby, following three road accidents across Northern Ireland at the weekend. In Londonderry, Aisling Nic Suibhre was in a pram when it was struck on the Ardmore Road. She was taken to hospital but died a short time later.

Man arrested in connection with 1981 murder
Detectives investigating the murder of a nine-year-old girl in Co Down nearly 25 years ago have today arrested a man on suspicion of her murder.

Fire service deal with hotel blaze
The Fire and Rescue Service have dealt with a number of blazes across Northern Ireland at the weekend. In the most recent incident, firefighters had to deal with a fire in the kitchen of the Wellington Park Hotel in south Belfast on Sunday.

Cars outside catholic church attacked by stone throwers
A number of cars have been attacked with stones outside a catholic church in Ballymena at the weekend. Bricks and stones were thrown at the cars, parked in the grounds of the church at Harryville, as the owners attended Mass on Saturday night.

Ammunition recovered in Coleraine
Police have recovered a substantial amount of ammunition in the Coleraine area at the weekend. A member of the public discovered the cache in a river beside a picnic area in Castleroe Forest shortly after 4pm on Saturday.

PSNI police patrols to be reviewed
The PSNI and Northern Ireland Policing Board have started a Review of how police officers patrol the province’s streets.

Belfast scientists help tsunami relief effort
Two local scientists from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development are embarking on a mercy mission to the Banda Aceh region of Indonesia.

Alzheimer's Society calls on government to launch new NI report
The Alzheimer's Society has called on the government to reveal how many people in Northern Ireland have dementia so that services can be designed to cope. The society made the call after it was revealed that older people in the province may have to wait up to six months to see a psychiatrist.

National Stadium debate rears its head again
East Antrim MP Roy Beggs has called on the Government to hold a House of Commons debate on the need for Northern Ireland to secure a national stadium of its own.

Man remanded in custody after injuring seven PSNI officers
A Belfast man was remanded in custody at Belfast Magistrates Court today after being charged with assaulting seven PSNI officers in the early hours of yesterday morning. 19-year-old Kevin Phillips from Glencolin Court is facing 16 charges following a high-speed car chase through west Belfast.

Irish Minister defends SARS decision on Special Olympics
The Irish Minister for Health has defended his decision to request teams from some of the countries where SARS is present not to attend the Special Olympics.

Westminster seat boundaries up for review
Northern Ireland's 18 Westminster election boundaries are to be reviewed due to a drop in the number of people living in Belfast. In its first review in eight years, the Boundary Commission announced a review of Belfast's seat boundaries.

British services defeated in historic GAA match
The Irish Army have defeated a combined British Combined Services team in the first ever GAA game between the two forces. The match was held in Co. Kildare yesterday afternoon with the Irish team coming out on top 4-26 to 3-02.

Glengormley man suffers broken leg during robbery
A 53-year-old man has suffered a broken leg after two armed men broke into his Newtownabbey home early this morning. The man was in bed at his home in Dorchester Drive, Glengormley when he heard a noise on the landing at about 3am.

USPCA reveal increase in animal cruelty
The Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA) has revealed that the number of acts of cruelty to animals in Northern Ireland is rising. The figures followed the news of the mutilation of a family's cat in north Belfast.

Church damaged in overnight fire
A Catholic church in Co Down has been damaged by an overnight fire. Police believe the blaze, which damaged a confessional box in Our Lady of the Assumption Church in Newcastle, was started deliberately.

NIE call for contractor caution
Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) today issued a strong warning to contractors working in the vicinity of underground electricity cables to contact the company prior to starting work.

B.I.C. Systems carries out innovative ‘hands on’ training
B.I.C. Systems, a leading technology solutions provider in Ireland and the UK, has won a contract to provide training in new Microsoft technologies to Microsoft Ireland’s channel partners in this market.

Fresh outbreak of sectarian violence in east Belfast
Fresh violence broke out last night in east Belfast as rival factions took to the streets again. The trouble began when crowds of about 100 on each side began throwing stones, fireworks and other missiles in the Madrid Street area of the Short Strand shortly after 10pm on Wednesday.

UUP victory is a vote of confidence says Empey
Senior Ulster Unionist officials were jubilant after today’s by-election victory in Antrim. The UUP candidate Drew Ritchie topped the poll beating the strongly favoured Democratic Unionist candidate Jack McClay with the SDLP coming third.

'Recovery is under way' says Bank of England
The latest Bank of England quarterly inflation report has shown strong signs that the UK economy has passed the low-point of the recession and is on the road to recovery. The quarterly report stated that "there are signs that recovery is under way".

Businesses urged to meet challenges of age diversity
A member of the Assembly Committee for Enterprise, Trade and Investment has said: “businesses must act now to exploit the opportunities and meet the challenges ahead caused by population ageing.

Viridian announce results after 'challenging year'
Viridian Group Plc have announced an increased turnover in their end-of-year report despite writing down £71.9 million in goodwill charges. Viridian's turnover increased 14% for the year, up £58.9 million to £730 million resulting mainly from strong performances by NIE and Energia.

Major safety conference milestone for NI
This weekend sees a major safety event and a milestone for health and safety being hosted in Northern Ireland.

Drive to recruit staff to check police custody procedures
The Northern Ireland Policing Board has launched a recruitment drive to attract people to a post which would involve scrutinising police holding procedures.

Brochure urges holidaymakers to stay in NI
Northern Ireland people who holiday at home this year are not only helping themselves to a great time, but are contributing in excess of £60 million to the local economy the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment Sir Reg Empey has said.

Dunloe Ewart recoup £91m from property sales
Dunloe Ewart have completed the sale of 13 of the island's most exclusive properties in a deal worth £90.75 million. The sale to property developer Brunswick comprises 10 sites in Northern Ireland including the Sirocco factory and four buildings in Lanyon Place in Belfast.

easyJet aquire rival Go for £374 million
Low-cost airline easyJet has bought over rival airline Go for £374 million. Chairman of easyJet Stelios Haji-Ioannou described the purchase of the airline – owned by private equity company 3i – as "one of the most exciting developments in easyJet's history".

Search for missing Crossmaglen man abandoned
The search by Irish police for the body of a man believed to have been murdered by the IRA 20 years ago has been abandoned. The dig began two weeks ago after fresh information emerged about the disappearance of Charles Armstrong.

Durkan sets targets for e-government delivery
Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan has told delegates at the 4th annual government Computing Conference in Belfast’s Waterfront Hall that government departments will deliver 25% of key services by the end of this year.

Thousands of bikers sail into Belfast for North West 200
This year's North West 200 motorcycle spectacular is tipped to the biggest yet with over 2000 bikers and motorcycle racing enthusiasts sailing into Belfast on the Stena HSS over the next few days.

Protestor hurt as joyrider ploughs into crowd
A member of a protest group demonstrating against joyriding in their west Belfast community has been injured after a car ploughed into them. The man, a local teacher, received severe bruising when he was dragged 20 yards along the road by a white Ford Escort car.

Illegal diesel factory shut down
An illegal diesel factory was shut down yesterday during a joint Customs and PSNI raid in County Antrim. Acting on intelligence and surveillance Customs officers uncovered the workings of a major fuel laundering plant in Islandreagh, on the outskirts of Dunadry on Wednesday afternoon.

Two men found in Warrenpoint suffered brutal deaths
Police investigating the discovery of the bodies of two men in County Down are examining the possibility that the duo may have been murdered elsewhere. The identity of the men remains a mystery and police have appealed for anyone concerned about missing persons to contact them.