Other NI News In Brief

Newry Crash Tragedy

An elderly man died yesterday following a two-car crash on the Newry bypass. The tragedy happened at the Moneymore junction on the A1 carriageway near Newry shortly after 10.30am on Thursday and involved two vehicles. The victim, aged 88, has not yet been named while a 34-year-old female who was the driver of one of the cars and her two passengers - a 40-year-old man and a newborn baby girl - were taken to hospital, suffering from shock.

Church Suffers Blaze Attack

An overnight fire has caused extensive damage to the kitchen area of Ballyclare Presbyterian Church on the Co Antrim town's Doagh Road. It was reported at around 11.50pm and is understood to have been started maliciously. Police are investigating the incident and have appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

Culture Vultures

Belfast and Londonderry are showcasing a programme of free events as part of Culture Night on Friday. This is the second time that Belfast has hosted the event which attracted more than 15,000 people into the city centre last year. The programme includes free gigs, walking tours and interactive events in locations across the city, but it is Derry's inaugural event - in the city that will be UK City of Culture in 2013. Similar celebrtions are also taking place in the Irish Republic. See: Culture Night To Blast Ireland Tonight

Paisleys Meet Baggot

The veteran politician, former DUP First Minister and North Antrim MP, Lord Bannside has joined his son, and fellow MP Ian Paisley Jnr in a delegation to meet with the PSNI Chief Constable, Matt Baggott about continuing sectarian attacks in Rasharkin, Co Antrim. The delegation also included, North Antrim representatives Mervyn Storey MLA, Paul Frew MLA and Cllr John Finlay. Ian Paisley Jnr said: "The attacks in Rasharkin are blatantly sectarian and unless they are taken seriously and brought to an end there will undoubtedly be a fatality," noting that whilst the police has a role in bringing this violence to an end, ultimately the only people who can ensure it stops are the people perpetrating the violence. He said a small number of republicans in Rasharkin "want to ethnically cleanse Protestants from the village" insisting the violent campaign will not be allowed to continue and "we will work with the police to ensure it is stopped".

Monochrome Poet Welcomed

Politicians at Stormont have been seeing everything in black and white this week with First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness meeting budding Co Londonderry poet, Michael O'Donoghue in Parliament Buildings. Michael, 21, who has Down's Syndrome, was presenting his poetry collection 'In Black and White' to the ministers. Martin McGuinness said: "I am an admirer of Michael's work and we have swapped poems in the past, so today it is a great honour for me to receive this, his first book of published poetry." Mr Robinson also commented: "He is a real inspiration to us all. Not only has he had his work published, he has donated £3,000 from the sale of the book to three local charities."

'Celeb-Chef' For UCF

Celebrity Masterchef finalist and all-round media star Christine Hamilton will be serving up a treat as special guest speaker at the Ulster Cancer Foundation (UCF) Think Pink! Luncheon. Sponsored by the Medicare Pharmacy Group, the fun afternoon will be held at the Europa Hotel in Belfast on Friday 8th October, getting off to a sparkling start with a pink champagne reception at 12noon. The event is the charity's flagship event and helps raise awareness and funds to support local women with breast cancer. The Think Pink! Campaign runs during October, breast cancer awareness month.

Big Hand From Lottery

Innovative activities across Northern Ireland are being awarded Big Lottery Fund grants to improve the mental health of local people. The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery Good Cause Distributors, this week announced grants totalling £95,979 to 11 projects under the Healthy Minds NI programme, which supports activities to improve the mental health and well being of local people. Activities that are being supported include counselling sessions for primary school children in Fermanagh and a project to film a campaign by families who lobbied to improve health services for people most at risk from suicide and self harm.

UU Pioneers IT

Pioneering researchers at the University of Ulster's Magee campus are in the running for a top UK teaching award. A team of computing engineers based in the Intelligent Systems Research Centre has been short listed for a prestigious Times Higher Education Award for their contribution to information and communications technologies (ICT). The Serious Games and Virtual Worlds team (SGVW) has been nominated in the Outstanding ICT Initiative of the Year category. The SGVW team is gaining an international reputation for cutting-edge innovation in a new and constantly evolving field, the use of 'virtual worlds' in education.

Attwood Hears From Westside Traders

NI Social Development Minister, Alex Attwood, has visited local traders in the Castle Street / King Street area of Belfast City Centre to hear their views on its future regeneration. The Folk Town Community Interest Community presented their plans to further build on the success of the DSD funded 'reStore Castle Street' Programme that was piloted in the area last year.

(BMcC/KMcA)