Other News In Brief

Man Arrested Following Armed Robbery In South Belfast

Police investigating an armed robbery at a business premises in the Botanic Avenue area of south Belfast on Monday, March 24th, have arrested a 35-year-old man.

The man was arrested on suspicion of several offences, including suspected robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. He remains in police custody. Detectives are now appealing for witnesses and anyone with information to come forward.

Detective Sergeant Kitchen said: "At around 7.20pm it was reported that a man entered an off-licence in the area, waited to be served and then threatened a staff member with a broken bottle. He then climbed over the counter, opened the till and removed the takings before leaving the store and heading towards the university. Thankfully, no one was injured during the incident."

Police have described the suspect as wearing a black puffer coat and grey jogging bottoms.

Detective Sergeant Kitchen added: "Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to call police on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 1715 24/03/25."

Alternatively, information can be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via

or by contacting Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at .

Durkan Calls for Ring-Fenced Housing Funds from UK Government

SDLP Foyle MLA Mark H Durkan has urged the Northern Ireland Executive to ring-fence any additional funding received from the UK Government for housing, following the announcement of a £2 billion investment aimed at building 18,000 social and affordable homes.

Mr Durkan stated he would be contacting the Communities Minister to ascertain the Barnett Consequential for Northern Ireland, ensuring that any resulting financial boost is specifically allocated to addressing the region's housing crisis.

"Following the announcement that the UK Government is allocating significant additional funding to building social and affordable housing we must urgently establish what Barnett Consequential the Executive expects to receive as a result," said Mr Durkan.

He emphasised the need for transparency and targeted investment, stating: "The Executive could see a financial boost as a result of this investment. It’s imperative that this money doesn’t disappear into Stormont’s financial black hole and is instead allocated for the same purposes here – building much needed housing to get families off waiting lists and to enable others to get on the housing ladder."

Mr Durkan criticised the Executive's current approach to housing, citing the scale of the ongoing housing emergency. "The Executive’s approach to housing has been abject given the scale of the emergency we are dealing with, social new builds are in the hundreds, developments are being held up due to a lack of wastewater infrastructure and we are still none the wiser around how they intend to deliver the 100,000 homes promised in the Housing Supply Strategy," he said.

MLA Praises Swift Response To School Threat Hoax

Alliance North Antrim MLA Sian Mulholland has commended the rapid response of staff and police following hoax threats that led to the closure of several schools across Northern Ireland.

Ms Mulholland, whose children attend one of the affected schools, praised the professionalism and care demonstrated by teachers and staff in managing the situation, which she said was greatly appreciated by parents.

Three schools in Strabane, three in Ballycastle, and three in Enniskillen were forced to close after receiving a threatening email. Police later confirmed that the incidents were a hoax and that nothing suspicious was found.

"As a parent, receiving a text message to say my child’s school was closing due to a security concern was incredibly worrying," said Ms Mulholland. "I know many other parents and carers experienced that same moment of fear and uncertainty. The impact of this ripples right out into the community, from the children dealing with the confusion and worry, right through to parents unable to get to work today."

Ms Mulholland expressed her gratitude to the police and the wider school community for their prompt action. "My thanks go to the police and the wider school community for their quick reaction to this morning’s events. There is no place for this at all, and I want to commend the entire school community for all they’ve done to keep our children calm and safe. The professionalism and care shown by teachers and staff in managing the situation is deeply appreciated."

She also thanked parents and support networks who assisted in the school closures. "Thank you also goes to parents for getting back to the schools quickly and to the support networks of grandparents and family members who stepped in. The resilience and support shown by the community today has been remarkable."

While acknowledging the relief that the threats were deemed to be hoaxes, Ms Mulholland emphasised the real distress and disruption caused. "While it is a relief police now believe the threats to be hoaxes, the distress and disruption caused is still very real. No school community should have to face this kind of ordeal. I will be engaging with the schools and authorities to ensure the necessary support is in place for pupils and staff in the aftermath of this distressing incident."