Other NI News In Brief

Zoo Animals 'Loose'

NI people who have seen a giraffe at the bus stop, a tiger in a telephone box, a red-backed bearded saki hanging out at the leisure centre or heard Spook, the Andean bear on the radio, then they are not to be alarmed! Belfast Zoo animals are all over Northern Ireland as part of a campaign, which will run throughout the summer and with the chance to enter a Zoo competition by sending in a photo taken with one of the advertisements. The entries will be judged by a panel of staff from Belfast Zoo and the most creative photo will win a bronze animal adoption package for a Rothschild's giraffe, a red-backed bearded saki, an Andean bear or a Sumatran tiger. Entrants must email media@belfastzoo.co.uk with their photographic entries and must provide their name, address, telephone number and the location of the advertisement. Entries must be submitted no later than 4pm on Friday 19 August.

Liam Adams Fights Extradition

The extradition case involving the brother of Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has been back in court. Adams is facing charges of raping his daughter as well as indecent assault and gross indecency after Áine Tyrell, who waived her right to anonymity when reporting the abuse. The offences are claimed to have occurred between March 1977 and March 1983, when the alleged victim was aged between four and ten years old. Adams claims he won't get a fair trial if he is extradited "back to the North".

Belfast Robbery Appeal

Detectives in north Belfast are appealing for information following an armed robbery at takeaway premises in the Crumlin Road area during the early hours of Sunday, 24th July. They said that shortly before 1am two unknown males, one armed with what is believed to be a handgun entered the premises. They pushed the owner aside and struck a 27-year-old female assistant on the head with the gun before making off with a sum of money. The woman was treated at the scene for her injury, which in not believed to be life threatening at this stage. The two robbers are descried as 5'6", slim, black clothing and 5'4", slim, blue and black clothing with their hoods up. Anyone who witnessed it or who has any information should contact detectives at Grosvenor Road on 0845 600 8000. Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Brain Injury In Focus

A Northern Ireland community organisation supporting people with acquired brain injury will be able to carry out energy saving improvements to its centre thanks to a grant from the Big Lottery Fund. Headway Belfast is one of 24 groups across Northern Ireland that have been awarded grants totalling over £182,000 from the Big Lottery Fund's Energy Efficient Venues programme. The programme offers Lottery cash to local groups to carry out improvements to their community venues so they make savings on their heating and lighting costs and cut down on their spending. The organisation has been awarded £10,000 to carry out a range of improvements to its new resource centre on the Upper Castlereagh Road including installing double doors, and upgrading the heating controls and the lighting system, and installing wall partitions.

Taxi! Taxi!

A Dungannon-based vehicle conversions firm is targeting £2m worth of new business in Great Britain over the next two years with support from Invest Northern Ireland. Taxi and Bus Conversions specialises in the adaptation of wheelchair accessible vehicles, including taxis and minibuses to service the mobility market. The company works with a range of vehicle manufacturing companies and also sells its adapted vehicles to customers across Ireland. Invest NI offered Taxi and Bus Conversions £15,000 towards a £140,000 investment by the company to help the business expand into GB and strengthen its partnership with Motability and Volkswagen. The firm appointed a GB based sales manager to drive awareness of the company outside Northern Ireland, undertake promotional activities and secure new sales. As a result of its overall investment, Taxi and Bus Conversions has secured an agreement with a number of GB-based Volkswagen van centres to sell its Fully European Type Approved wheelchair accessible Volkswagen Caddy Maxi Life into the UK market.

Aussie Kerry Man Critical

A man from Co Kerry is in a serious condition in hospital after an attack in Canberrra, Australia. It's understood the man, 41, sustained serious head injuries following an assault outside a nightclub in the city centre of the Australian capital in the early hours of Sunday morning. A police statement said when officers arrived on the scene they found the man lying on the ground with head injuries. He was taken to Canberra Hospital where he was due to undergo emergency surgery. The Australian police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

(BMcC/GK)