Man hurt in Antrim cliff fall

A man has been taken to hospital after falling from a cliff in County Antrim.

The incident happened in the Murlough Road area of Ballycastle last night, reports breakingnews.ie. Emergency services attended the scene.

The extent of the man's injuries are not yet known.

Shared Neighbourhood Programme for eleven NI housing areas

Eleven housing areas across Northern Ireland have been unveiled as the latest participants in a major £1m initiative designed to support and encourage shared neighbourhoods.

Participation in the Shared Neighbourhood Programme will provide access to grants to celebrate diversity and bring together people, from all backgrounds, who live in these areas, reports build.ie. Participants also benefit from community relations training, community consultations and support to design their own Neighbourhood Charter and deliver their own Good Relations Programme.

The 11 housing areas, joining an existing five participants in the programme are Redburn and Loughview, Holywood; Suffolk and Lenadoon, Belfast; Skegoneil and Glandore, Belfast; Shandon Road & Belfast Road, Newry; Central Brownlow, Craigavon; Sion Mills Village; The Glen, Limavady; Whiteabbey Village; Castle Street/Westgate, Ballymoney; Areema, Lisburn; and Windmill/Minorca Drive, Carrickfergus.

PSNI investigate Belfast attacks

The PSNI have carried out a series of raids in south Belfast in connection with racist attacks on Romanian families in the area.

Up to three properties were searched after 114 terrified migrants were forced to flee their homes following the violence, reports Sky News.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed that an "ongoing investigation" was taking place in Donegall Avenue area. As a result, a man in his late teens has been arrested and is helping police with their inquiries.

Weekend disruptions for rail users

A security alert on the Belfast to Dublin railway line has disrupted cross-border train services.

Bus transfers between Newry and Dundalk are currently in operation due to the alert.

Meanwhile, rail users are being warned about major disruption to train services at Dublin's Heuston Station this weekend. Bus transfers will be in place for all inter-city routes into and out of the station from 8pm this evening until Sunday night. The closure is due to work on the Kildare Project, which involves the construction of new tracks and stations between Hazelhatch and Dublin.

14th Swine Flu case for Northern Ireland

A 14th case of swine flu has been confirmed in Northern Ireland.

The latest case is believed to be in a female who recently returned from the USA.

She has mild flu symptoms and is recovering at home.

Mourne walker found

The 22-year-old Belfast man who went missing in the Mourne Mountains last night has been found.

The man got separated from a group of family and friends while out walking. The group was staying at a Caravan Park near Carlingford Lough, reports RTE.

A team from Mountain Rescue spent the night searching the area for him and the coastguard was called in at 5.30am this morning.

Overnight attack on Romanian family in Belfast

The home of another Romanian family has been attacked in Belfast a day after more than 100 migrants were left homeless in the city.

The Romanians were temporarily housed at the Ozone centre, reports Sky News. Nobody was injured in the incident which happened at around 11pm on Wednesday night, a Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman said.

Romania's consul general is to hold high-level meetings in Northern Ireland following the attacks.

Antrim restaurants close down

Victoria Square in Belfast suffered another blow today when it was announced that two restaurants were closing immediately, reports breakingnews.ie.

Around 100 staff at Maggiano’s Italian restaurant and Chili’s were told they were losing their jobs with the immediate closure of the outlets which opened less than a year ago.

The decision came from their US parent company Brinker which announced it was closing all its UK outlets.

Man in serious condition following Belfast attack

A 35-year-old man is in a serious condition in hospital following an assault in Belfast last night.

Police said the man was assaulted by two men and a woman on Kinnaird Close in the north of the city at 11:30pm, reports the Irish Times. The man was taken to hospital suffering from serious injuries to his head and face.

A motive for the assault has yet to be established.

Huge increase in NI unemployment rate

Unemployment in Northern Ireland showed another upward leap today and the the number of people claiming benefits is now over double what it was 15 months ago.

The number of people unemployed was 49,000 for the three-month period to the end of February, up 3,000 over the quarter and 16,000 over the year, reports breakingnews.ie.

The rate of unemployment has now hit 6.2% - 0.5% up on the quarter and 2.1% up on a year ago.

Antrim school building project commences

The building work for a County Antrim schools project has just commenced.

Northern Ireland Education Minister Caitríona Ruane and Bishop McKeown joined forces to greet work getting underway at Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock and St Joseph's Primary School in Carryduff, according to build.ie.

The new building at St Joseph's Primary School, costing £5million is due to open in May 2010 whilst the college scheme - costing £22million to build on the current site - is due to open in 2011.

Attacks on Romanians continue in Belfast

Over 110 Romanians have sought refuge in a church hall after being forced to flee their homes in Belfast because of racist attacks.

About 20 families - including a five-day-old baby girl - were helped by police to evacuate their homes in the Lisburn Road area of south Belfast and seek safety in the Protestant City Church Hall last night, reports the Irish Times.

Police and community leaders condemned racism in the area which culminated in an attack on a rally in support of the east European migrants on Monday night. Youths hurled bottles and made Nazi salutes at those taking part in the anti-racism rally.

M2 improvements scheme is officially opened

The £20m Belfast M2 improvements scheme has been officially opened.

Roads Minister Conor Murphy said the improvements the strategic route would deliver huge benefits for the local economy. "The M2 improvements scheme represents a significant investment in the strategic road network, which I am sure will improve the efficiency of the transport system and help to strengthen the local economy, particularly at this difficult time," he said.

"The scheme will greatly improve journey times for all traffic between Belfast, Antrim, the Port of Larne and Belfast International Airport, and, importantly, it will significantly improve journey time reliability on this route for the freight transport industry", Minister Murphy told Build.ie.

Royal Institute announces shortlist for Architectural Awards

The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland has announced a shortlist of 35 projects for this year’s Irish Architectural Awards.

The awards will be presented next Monday June 22nd at Farmleigh.

10A Grangegorman Villas - Odos Architects
A House - FKL Architects
St George's Church & St Thomas's Insertion - Clancy Moore Architects
Arás na hÓidhreacha, Former Bishops Palace - OPW
Ballyfermot Leisure & Youth Centre Project - McGarry Ní Eanaigh Architects
Café /Bar on Deal Pier - Niall McLaughlin Architects
Coady House - Boyd Cody Architects
Country House, Morna Valley, Balearics, Spain - De Blacam & Meagher
Domus House, Rathmines - Donaghy & Dimond
Dwelling at Maytree - Odos Architects
Eurocampus/French School Dublin - A2 Architects
Extension to Ellenvale - Catriona Duggan & Achim Gottstein Architects
Hazelwood School - GM & AD Architects
Irishtown Health Centre - A&D Wejchert & Partners
Jigsaw - McCullough Mulvin
Lake House - Clancy Moore Architects
Landscape Room - Lid Architecture
Leixlip Garda Station - O'Brian Beary Architects
Library, Abbeyleix - De Blacam & Meagher
Light House Cinema, Smithfield - Dta Architects
Midland Regional Hospital at Tullamore - Murray O'Laoire/Brian O'Connell Associates
Origami House - Jane D Burnside Architects
Precast House, Howth - FKL Architects
Spa & Leisure Building, Hotel Europa - Gottstein Architects
St Michael's House Swimming Pool - Michael Collins Associates
St. Georges Church - Joseph Doyle Architects
Tallaght Zip & Plaza - Seán Harrington Architects
Thomond Park Redevelopment - Murray O'Laoire Architects/AFL Architects'
Timberyard Social Housing - O'Donnell & Tuomey Architects
Tesco Tramore Eco-Store - Joseph Doyle Architects
Ulsterbank - Consarc Design Group Ltd
University Of Ulster Belfast Campus - Todd Architects
Victoria Square - BDP Architects
Wexford Opera House - OPW & Keith Williams Architects
York Street Social Housing - Sean Harrington Architects

Boost for SMEs in Lisburn

Northern Ireland Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has officially opened a new £1m building in Lisburn, in a bid to bolster local small businesses.

The new development, which could potentially create 15 new jobs, includes a head office, workspaces and conference facilities, according to build.ie.

It is located at Lisburn Enterprise Organisation (LEO) at Enterprise Crescent on Ballinderry Road. LEO is an agency that works to encourage small business development throughout the city.

Another swine flu case confirmed in Northern Ireland

Members of the public in Northern Ireland were urged not to get alarmed today after another case of swine flu was confirmed.

The total number of confirmed cases in the North is now nine, and another six possible cases are under investigation. Breakingnews.ie reports that the latest case relates to travel outside the UK and does not involve a school, workplace or other setting in the North, the Public Health Agency (PHA) said.

The sufferer has mild symptoms and is at home and taking antiviral treatment.

Diageo axes 100 jobs

The drinks company Diageo has announced plans to cut more than 100 jobs in Ireland as part of a global restructuring programme.

The company, which owns the Guinness brand, says the lay-offs are designed to reduce costs and improve efficiency. It says 12 positions will be cut in Northern Ireland and 95 at the company's St James' Gate headquarters in Dublin.

Diageo says it will enter into a consultation process with employees with a view to achieving the cuts through a voluntary redundancy programme over the next three months.

Work on Antrim schools project gets underway

The building work for a County Antrim schools project has just commenced, reports build.ie.

Northern Ireland Education Minister Caitríona Ruane and Bishop McKeown joined forces to greet work getting underway at Our Lady and St Patrick's College, Knock and St Joseph's Primary School in Carryduff.

The new building at St Joseph's Primary School, costing £5million is due to open in May 2010 whilst the college scheme - costing £22million to build on the current site - is due to open in 2011.

Three charged in connection with Lisburn murder

Three men have been charged with the murder of 20-year-old Darren Roberts who was stabbed during a disturbance near the centre of Lisburn early on Saturday morning.

The accused men, aged 20, 21 and 23 are to appear at Lisburn Magistrates Court later today, according to RTE.

The 20-year-old has also been charged with assaulting an 18-year-old youth who was also stabbed during the incident.

Youths disrupt anti racism protest in Belfast

Local youths threw bottles at residents in south Belfast last night who had gathered to protest against attacks on immigrant families in the area.

The anti-racism protest was arranged by residents in response to a spate of attacks on the homes of immigrants living in the area.

A group of youths leaving a bar made Nazi salutes at the demonstrators and threw bottles at them before being chased away, according to breakingnews.ie.