Other News In Brief

Greens Express 'Sadness And Anger' At Murder Of Alesia Nazarova

Green Party NI Cllr Rachel Woods has expressed her sadness at the murder of Alesia Nazarova – a 37-year-old woman found to have been murdered at the scene of a house fire in Portadown.

Alesia is thought to be the 17th woman to be murdered in Northern Ireland since 2020. The vast majority of these women were murdered in their own homes.

Offering her condolences to Alesia's family and friends, Rachel Woods, a member of Stormont's Justice Committee during the last Assembly mandate, said: "I am saddened for Alesia's family and her friends. This is such a tragic loss of life in what appears to have been a violent and horrific incident. However, it comes in a sickeningly long line of murders and violence committed against women and girls.

"Also, I am angry that there is no sign of the re-establishment of the Executive and therefore little hope of a much needed strategy to tackle gender based violence.

"Violence against women and girls has been described as one of the most pervasive violations of human rights in the world and yet, one of the least prosecuted crimes.

"The sad reality is that violence and abuse against women and girls are endemic across the world and responses to it are woefully inadequate, both legally, institutionally and societally.

"We need a Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy - we are still the only part of the UK without one. The DUP's boycott of the Assembly is holding up vital process in this area."

Govt Urged To Properly Invest In NI's Public Services

The British government must properly invest in NI's public services and end the cycle of cruel cuts to our education system, Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan has said.

Pat Sheehan continued: "Cuts to our education system and vital services and programmes which support and benefit our young people must be opposed.

"Sinn Féin has made our opposition to these cuts clear to the Department of Education, outlining the severe impact they will have on children's education.

"The British government must deliver proper investment in our public services so that our schools can plan and support our young people.

"Our public services have been left at the mercy of an unadulterated Tory Budget with no local ministers at the wheel to take spending decisions to protect our people and businesses from the worst impacts.

"That's unacceptable. We need an Executive up and running now and parties working together to support our children and young people against savage Tory cuts."

Gregory Campbell Condemns Comments From Colum Eastwood

DUP East Londonderry MP Gregory Campbell has criticised SDLP leader Colum Eastwood for telling unionists to "get out of the way".

Mr Campbell said: "This is appalling and inappropriate given that thousands of Unionists fled their homes in Londonderry 50 years ago and Colum Eastwood on the same location tells us to 'get out of the way' he's bound to be aware about the ground on which he stands when he makes such insensitive comments.

"I was the generation of unionists where neighbours were forced from homes just because they were Protestant.

"Colum should be more aware of his history indeed his party should at long last speak up and recognise that the SDLP and Sinn Fein were silent as many Protestants were physically forced to "get out of the way."