Other News In Brief

£200k Improvement Scheme Announced

Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy has announced details of a £200,000 road improvement scheme.

The project, which will be carried out near Omagh, will see a right turn lane and junction improvement works undertaken.

Work on the A32 Clanabogan Road/U1540 Brookmount Road junction outside Omagh will commence on 3 March and is expected to be completed by 9 May 2014.

Minister Kennedy said: "The provision of a right turn lane and the associated improvements to the junction layout will significantly enhance road safety for all motorists particularly in peak hour times."

Police Seek Woman Over Drugs Seizure

Police have released an image of a woman they want to speak to after a £150,000 cannabis factory was seized at a Chinese restaurant last week.

Last Thursday, police arrested three people when they raided the Water Margin restaurant in Ballymena. The action was taken after officers on patrol noticed a strange smell coming from the premises.

Wan Hon-Fai, 54, appeared at Antrim Magistrates' Court on Saturday on drugs charges in connection with the incident.

He was released on bail and is expected to appear in court again next month, while a 50-year-old man and a woman, 49, were freed pending a report to the Public Prosecution Service.

The PSNI has now issued the image of a woman they wish to speak to as part of its investigation into the cultivation and distribution of the drugs. The woman is thought to have recently lived in the property above the restaurant on the Cullybackey Road.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0845 600 8000 or anonymously through Crimestoppers.

Farry Launches Open University Support Team

Minister for Employment and Learning Dr Stephen Farry has officially launched The Open University's Postgraduate Science Student Support Team.

The Student Support Teams are groups of staff from across the University who support students in a particular area of the curriculum.

Each Student Support Team is made up of academics, educational advisors and other University staff with subject-specific expertise.

Minister Farry said: "Science plays an increasingly important part in developing and growing the Northern Ireland economy. The Open University's decision to locate its new Postgraduate Science Student Support Team in Belfast further strengthens Northern Ireland's reputation for excellence in science.

"I and my Department are committed to supporting a vibrant, world-class Research and Development environment. We have set a target of doubling the number of postgraduate awards to 1,000 by 2020 and, as a first step towards reaching this ambitious target, I have already identified funding to support an additional 350 PhD places over the next three academic years.

"This will bring the number of postgraduate awards, directly funded by my Department, to 845 by Academic Year 2015/16, an increase of almost 71% over last year's baseline. These new places will offer our students a wider range of postgraduate opportunities and be focused on areas of economic relevance to Northern Ireland."

The Student Support Team is responsible for all Postgraduate Science Students across the University, regardless of their location.

(JP/CD)