Other News In Brief

Alliance Welcomes Disposable Vape Ban

The Alliance Party has welcomed a new plan to ban disposable vapes, announced today, 22 April, Earth Day.

Alliance's Environment Spokesperson John Blair said: "The theme for this year's Earth Day is particularly significant, as our planet is facing environmental degradation due to the high volume of plastic waste that is generated daily. One of the leading causes of this problem is the use of disposable vapes, with almost five million such vapes discarded in the UK every week. Therefore, I fully support the DAERA Minister's intentions to ban disposable vapes in Northern Ireland given their unnecessary threat to our planet.

"It is quite common to notice these discarded plastic vape pens littering our streets nowadays. Not only is this unsightly in the areas where we live, work, and socialise, but it poses a significant danger to the environment and wildlife. They can take hundreds of years to decompose, and during that time, they can release harmful chemicals into the environment.

"Disposable vapes do not just end up in landfills but also in our oceans and waterways, leading to the accumulation of harmful waste in our oceans. This waste can disrupt the delicate balance of marine ecosystems, leading to the decline of certain species and the overall health of our oceans.

"We need to reduce our dependence on single-use plastics and focus on using reusable products to minimise our impact on the environment. Let's make Earth Day a starting point and commit to a more conscious approach towards reducing waste and safeguarding our planet."

Belfast Learning Festival Returns This Week

Belfast City Council has welcomed the return of the Belfast Learning Festival from Monday 22 to 28 April, offering everyone the chance to pick up a new skill or rediscover an old one.

From arenas to alleys and gyms to gardens, the annual celebration of life-long learning is once again taking place in a collection of out-of-the-ordinary classrooms across the city. With 120 free events, the week-long celebration champions the chance to have a go at activities like photography, sewing, dancing and digital animation. Kicking off on World Earth Day, the theme of this year's festival is climate action with an array of activities encouraging us to learn for the protection of our planet.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Ryan Murphy welcomed the return of the festival for its 7th year: "Creating opportunities for our citizens to embrace life-long learning is at the heart of what makes Belfast a UNESCO Learning City. The Belfast Agenda endeavours to make Belfast a great place to live and providing accessible learning opportunities for everyone is an integral part of this vision. Whether there are young people aspiring to be eco-engineers or older residents interested in broadening their cookery skills, this year's festival provides the ability to do so."

To find out more about the Belfast Learning Festival including the full line-up activities, visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/BelfastLearningFestival

Two Men Arrested In Connection With Armed Robbery

Detectives have arrested two men following an attempted armed robbery in east Belfast.

At around 9.45pm on Saturday 20 April, it was reported that a masked man armed with a handgun had entered a Chinese takeaway on Eastleigh Drive, threatened staff and demanded money. He fled empty-handed.

Subsequent police enquiries located a man matching the description of the suspect in the Parkgate Drive area. The 34 year old was arrested on suspicion of robbery and possession of a firearm with intent. A second man, 38, who was located in the same property, was also arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods.

Detectives are investigating a possible link between this report and a number of other similar incidents in recent weeks and have seized a number of items for examination. Enquiries are ongoing.