Other NI News In Brief

Ethnic Food Brings Jobs To Victoria Centre

Belfast's popular Victoria Square shopping centre (interior, pictured) is to open two new restaurant outlets, with a total of 160 new jobs being created. Brinker International is opening a new outlet of Chili's, the Texas-formed restaurant brand on Thursday and in October, it will open a branch of its Italian restaurant Maggianos.

No Sticking Point Over Bail

A Belfast man accused of breaking and entering has been granted bail, but only on the condition that he refrains from glue sniffing, drinking in public or entering licensed premises. William Gallagher, of Belvoir Street, was found near a woman's east Belfast house in June allegedly after he broke in as she was sleeping. He was granted bail of £1,000.

US Envoy's Future In Doubt

The US Presidential Candidate Barack Obama is to ask the British and Irish governments and the NI party leaders if a special US envoy is still necessary. Mr Obama said "the crisis period has passed, and the people are now in charge of their own destiny". He said he would discuss "whether a senior administration official, serving as point person for Northern Ireland, would be most effective".

Leslie Leaves

A senior investment boss has given notice. Leslie Morrison, Chief Executive of Invest NI, is to step down after being in the high profile job since Invest NI was formed - from the former body, the IDB - in April 2002. He has said he believes it is now time for a new boss to take the agency forward and build on its successes. Mr Morrison will retire next March.

Biker Dealer Punished

A motorcycle dealer, Henry Maurice Owens, who traded at Prince Regent Road, Belfast, has been given a conditional discharge for two years for supplying the wrong model of motorcycle. A compensation order of £300 was awarded to the purchaser of the motorcycle. Mr Owens will also have to pay costs of £228. The case was brought by the Trading Standards Service of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. Mr Owens, who traded as Owens Bros (Belfast), supplied a 2006 model Honda CBR1000RR motorcycle to a consumer, having earlier described it as a 2007 model.

(BMcC)