Other NI News In Brief

Three Held Over PSNI Death

It has emerged today that three people have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of Constable Stephen Carroll, (pictured). The 48-year-old PSNI officer was gunned down as he responded to a routine call in Craigavon last March. A police spokesperson confirmed a 40-year-old man was arrested in Lurgan and a 36-year-old man and 37-year-old woman in Craigavon on Tuesday morning. Dissident republicans claimed responsibility for the murder - the first PSNI officer to be killed in the line of duty as a result of terrorism. The shooting came only days after the double murder of two soldiers in Antrim. See: Tragic Police Families Promised Support

Heroes Honoured

This Friday, wounded servicemen and women returning from Afghanistan and Iraq will be supported locally with a fundraising charity gig. Five bands will play to a packed audience of local people in Whiteabbey Royal British Legion Club, with all funds raised going to the national charity, Help For Heroes. Several local service personnel who have just been in the war zone will be attending, both male and female, for a well-earned session of rest and recuperation after the front line turmoil. Whiteabbey Club Manager and former Royal British Legion NI Chairman, John Dumigan, said he has been overwhelmed by the interest shown for the 12th February evening event. Meanwhile, two more soldiers - this time from The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, part of the 3 Rifles Battle Group - died at the weekend in an explosion near Sangin. See: Two Killed In Afghan Blast

Victoria Square Victorious

NI Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has welcomed a major planning prize for the Victoria Square Regeneration Scheme. The Department for Social Development (DSD) and BDP were awarded the Silver Jubilee Cup, the UK's top planning prize, at the 2009 Royal Town Planning Institute (RPTI) awards. In a ceremony celebrating the best planning projects across the UK and Ireland, DSD and BDP were recognised for their work on the Victoria Square project. "This award recognises the important regeneration work my Department is carrying out in Belfast City Centre and indeed throughout all of Northern Ireland. I welcome that Northern Ireland's excellence in regeneration and planning has been recognised by RTPI," she said.

Hotel 'Framed'

A Co Antrim hotel has been used as a location for the new film 'Killing Bono'. The Chimney Corner Hotel, near Glengormley, was recently used as part of the 'Irish music-based comedy' telling the story of a Dublin band which lived in the shadow of U2 in the late 1970s. Music journalist Neil McCormick was in the same class as Bono at Mount Temple Comprehensive on Dublin's northside and the movie is based on McCormick's memoirs. It depicts how he and his brother attempt to become rock stars but can only look on as old school friends U2 become the biggest band in the world.

St Pat's Barracks Transformed

Some 250 homes could be provided on the former St Patrick's Barracks site in Ballymena, NI Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has said. Ms Ritchie said the Fold Housing Association is in negotiations to buy 47 former army houses on the site. She added that the Housing Executive is interested in buying approximately 10 acres of the 42 acre site where it would build up to 200 houses. The barracks, which had been the headquarters of the Royal Irish Regiment, closed in 2008.

(BMcc/GK)