Other NI News In Brief

Ryobi Job Losses Slammed

A Co Antrim company has been accused of sharp practice in limiting redundancies under a particular total, in order to cut down on their legally required consultation period. Job losses will impact on 99 employees at Ryobi in Carrickfergus - all of whom were told on Tuesday they would lose their jobs within a month. Terry Collins of trade union Unite said he was shocked as he was previously told a "lucrative" contract was on the way. However, he also said: "Rather than a 90-day consultation period if more than 100 employees are affected, they are falling just short of that to circumvent the consultation period. The car industry is going through turbulent times, but they also told me there was work coming in from Iran which would hopefully protect jobs." Union representatives are to meet management on Wednesday, and Mr Collins said they feared the jobs of most of the 234 staff at Ryobi's Carrickfergus plant were not secure.

Lagan Victim Recovered

The body of a man initially seen entering the River Lagan at about 3am on Monday was yesterday recovered from the water, close to Belfast city centre. Divers from the emergency services discovered the body near Lagan Weir at about 2pm on Tuesday after a two-day search. The search focussed on a section of the river close to the Queen's Bridge.

Man Held In McGlynn Killing Probe

A 48-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the death of Brian McGlynn in Londonderry last year. The man was arrested in Strabane, Co Tyrone, this morning. Mr McGlynn, 28, was shot dead in front of his girlfriend at their home at Fountain Hill in the Waterside area of the city in June 2007. He was originally from Strabane, but had been working as a doorman at a pub and nightclub in Derry.

Taser Danger Highlighted

Sinn Féin Policing Board Member, Martina Anderson MLA has again called for the removal of the Taser non-lethal device to be removed from the PSNI's armoury after revelations by Amnesty International at this week's NI Policing Board meeting with regards Taser's deaths. "The information placed before the Policing Board by Amnesty International today that 334 people have died since 2001 as a result of being 'tasered' in the USA is yet more evidence that Taser’s are deadly weapons and should not be issued. As the evidence mounts are we to have to wait before somebody dies as a result of being tasered before the calls by countless organisations against this weapon are heeded?" she said.

(BMcC)