Other NI News In Brief

Foster Hails Food As Economic Driver

As the third and final day of the prestigious Royal Ulster Agricultural Society's 'Balmoral Show' opened on Friday, NI Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster is pictured alongside Robert Watson, Chief Executive of the Hilton Food Group (left) and Henry Elvin, Ulster Bank's Head of Business Banking. The Minister was a keynote speaker at the Balmoral Show Ulster Bank lunch where she told guests that local food and drink processing has become a key dynamo in driving manufacturing in Northern Ireland.

Workforce Expands

A Co Antrim company has announced plans to double its current workforce as it becomes part of a multi-base European company. Fleet Efficient, based in Antrim, has announced that it has recently merged with GlobalLive - a major European Telematics and solutions Company which has branches across the UK, Spain, Holland and is making in-roads into the USA market. The former owner of Fleet Efficient, Philip Bailie, became Managing Director of GlobalLive Ireland at the beginning of April. He said that the company's NOW! Fleet Monitor offers a multi-vehicle tracking and live fleet monitoring solution. See: Jobs Boost As International Merger Agreed

Fuel Scam Busted

Thousands of gallons of chemicals, thought to be part of a larger consignment of methanol, which criminals mix with fuel in a practice known as 'stretching', have been seized. Customs officials have seized 5,000 litres of the chemicals in south Armagh which they say would have been used in a fuel scam. The methanol was discovered on vans at a farm in Silverbridge. One person arrested during the operation on Wednesday night has since been released on bail.

Police Quiz Man Over Drug Seizure

A man has been arrested following a major drugs find in west Belfast. Officers from the Financial Investigations Unit detained the 43-year-old male following a search of a property in the Lenadoon Avenue area. PSNI personnel seized a "substantial" sum of cash and a class A drug, possibly cocaine, according to a police spokesperson. The value of the find is estimated to be £15,000, she added, also appealing for information from the public to aid the probe.

Ritchie Opens £850k Belfast Sports Project

A new £850,000 multi-use games area has been officially opened at Lagmore in the Colin area of west Belfast. The new centre will provide a range of sporting facilities such as tennis, basketball and football. Opening the scheme, Stormont Communities Minister Margaret Ritchie said: "This games area will offer the young people of Colin an opportunity to take part in a range of sporting activities in a safe purpose built environment. It will contribute to the health, well-being and social development of young people living in the area. Of course this games area is not just about turning unused land into something useful, it is primarily about meeting the needs of this community."

(BMcC/JM)