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News about the Irish & Irish American culture, music, news, sports. This is hosted by the Irish Aires radio show on KPFT-FM 90.1 in Houston, Texas (a Pacifica community radio station)
May 02, 2007
PSNI Employee Provided Names & Addresses to UVF Member
News about Ireland & the Irish
BB 05/02/07 PSNI Employee Is Released On Bail
BN 05/02/07 PSNI Fail To Clear Three Quarters Of Crimes
BB 05/02/07 Man Freed In Funeral Shots Probe
IT 05/02/07 Obama Roots Traced To Co Offaly
*********************
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6615645.stm
PSNI Employee Is Released On Bail
A PSNI employee has been released on bail on a charge of passing
information to paramilitaries.
Aaron Hill, 23, from Mainebank in Randalstown, who has been
suspended from duties, is also accused of misconduct in a public
office.
It is alleged Mr Hill used the police computer to provide names
and addresses for a co-accused who is charged with UVF
membership.
A lawyer said Mr Hill thought they were for use within the motor
trade.
The judge fixed bail at œ1,500 and told Mr Hill not to associate
with his co-accused or a loyalist flute band in Randalstown.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2007/05/02 12:43:48 GMT
c BBC MMVII
*********************
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/?jp=308913&rss=rss2
PSNI Fail To Clear Three Quarters Of Crimes
02/05/2007 - 17:09:11
Just one in every four crimes was cleared in the North last year,
it was revealed today.
The drop coincided with a rise in sexual assaults, offences
against children and race hate attacks.
But police did manage to bring overall crime levels down by
nearly 2%, and recorded big reductions in burglaries, thefts,
fraud and forgery, and robberies.
As the figures were put before a Policing Board meeting in
Belfast, senior officers stressed their successes.
Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton said developing techniques
and greater public support was helping in the war on crime.
He said: "There has been a decrease of 1.7% in overall crime in
2006/07 compared with the previous year. This means 2,050 fewer
crimes committed. Since 2002/03 crime has fallen by 21,352
offences, a decrease of 15%."
Mr Leighton stressed how burglaries fell by 9.9%; thefts by 5.8%;
and fraud and forgery offences by 12%.
Vehicle crimes were down by 8.8% and robberies showed an overall
decrease of 9.7%.
A fifth more people were arrested for drug related offences and,
even though overall seizures dropped, the recovery of Class A
narcotics rose by nearly 59%.
Although the force was set a target of clearing 29% of crimes
during 2006/07, it achieved under 24%.
This 7% drop from the year before was explained by police using a
higher evidential standard for cases requiring no further action.
Bringing the force into line with England and Wales, the so-
called non sanction clearances can involve those where a death
during an inquiry can stop police advancing the case, or where
victims will not prosecute - such as incidents of domestic
violence.
But despite less murders and attempted killings, there were
significant increases in some hate crime areas.
With rising numbers of migrant workers moving to the North amid
massive economic development, attacks on ethnic minorities have
become a major concern.
And last year 111 more racist incidents were recorded than the
previous 12 months.
After Policing Board representative Suneil Sharma expressed
concerns at the increase, Mr Leighton insisted his officers were
trying to instil confidence among minority communities.
"Part of the rise may well be an increased confidence in
reporting (crimes)," he said.
So-called faith/religion incidents also went up by nearly 95%,
although homophobic and sectarian attacks fell.
Mr Leighton accepted there were areas of concern, pointing to an
overall rise in violent crime, including a 5% increase in sexual
assaults.
"In some jurisdictions reports of sexual offences have been
declining and this has been linked to a lack of confidence in the
legal system," the Deputy Chief Constable said.
"If the rise in reports of sexual offences means that people are
reporting the crime and have confidence in our ability to deal
with it, then that is positive.
"Offences of criminal damage also rose by 4.4%. It is evident
that there are times of the year when there are peaks in criminal
damage, such as Halloween, and police are working in conjunction
with communities to reduce the incidents of this crime though
analysis and targeting specific areas."
*********************
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6615311.stm
Man Freed In Funeral Shots Probe
A man held after shots were fired at a paramilitary funeral in
Londonderry has been released without charge.
The shots were fired over the coffin of the former leader of the
Official IRA in Londonderry and founding member of the INLA, John
White.
A lone gunman emerged from the public toilets at the City
Cemetery with a handgun at about 1130 BST, fired about eight
times then ran off.
A police helicopter was overhead at the time. White, 60, died at
the weekend.
Earlier, masked INLA men led the cortege from his home to requiem
Mass at St Joseph's Chapel in the Galliagh area.
Police said a man has been arrested on suspicion of possession of
a firearm and discharging a firearm in a public place.
He was later released without charge.
The IRA split in 1969 into two organisations - the Official IRA
and the Provisional IRA.
The Official IRA declared a ceasefire in 1972 and the INLA was
formed in 1974 after a further split within the organisation.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2007/05/02 17:58:49 GMT
c BBC MMVII
*********************
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0502/breaking67.htm
Obama Roots Traced To Co Offaly
Wed, May 02, 2007
US presidential hopeful Barack Obama's ancestry has been traced
back to a shoemaker in a small Co Offaly village, it emerged
today.
Records unearthed in the home of an elderly parishioner who died
recently have shed new light on the prominent Illinois senator's
roots
A Church of Ireland rector who has scoured historical church
files dating back to the late 1700s confirmed Mr Obama descended
from Moneygall on Offaly's border with Co Tipperary.
The village today holds little more than a couple of pubs, a few
shops, a Catholic church and a GAA pitch.
Canon Stephen Neill, from the nearby town of Cloughjordan, began
delving into the senior Democrat's past after a genealogist in
Salt Lake City, Utah, told him about the possible connection with
his parish.
"I would be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that this is
categorical evidence of Mr Obama's link to this part of the
world," said the rector.
It was initially believed the would-be president's third great
grandfather Fulmuth Kearney was the only one of his family to
have sailed from Ireland to New York aged 19 in 1850. But the
newly-uncovered records show other family members had in fact
emigrated to America since the 1790s.
They also reveal that Fulmuth's father, Joseph, was a shoemaker -
a wealthy skilled trade at the time. "They would have been among
the upper echelons of society back then. They would have been
comfortable," said Canon Neill.
The original Anglican church that Senator Obama's ancestors would
have worshipped at still stands, although now as a private home,
having been converted about 30 years ago.
A former civil rights attorney Mr Obama is being tipped as the
first black presidential hopeful with a chance of taking the top
office in Washington. The 45-year-old is hoping to see off
Hillary Clinton to be the Democrat's official candidate for the
White Office polls next year.
PA
c 2007 ireland.com
----
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To May Index
To Index of Monthly Archives
To Searches & Sources of Other Irish News
BB 05/02/07 PSNI Employee Is Released On Bail
BN 05/02/07 PSNI Fail To Clear Three Quarters Of Crimes
BB 05/02/07 Man Freed In Funeral Shots Probe
IT 05/02/07 Obama Roots Traced To Co Offaly
*********************
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6615645.stm
PSNI Employee Is Released On Bail
A PSNI employee has been released on bail on a charge of passing
information to paramilitaries.
Aaron Hill, 23, from Mainebank in Randalstown, who has been
suspended from duties, is also accused of misconduct in a public
office.
It is alleged Mr Hill used the police computer to provide names
and addresses for a co-accused who is charged with UVF
membership.
A lawyer said Mr Hill thought they were for use within the motor
trade.
The judge fixed bail at œ1,500 and told Mr Hill not to associate
with his co-accused or a loyalist flute band in Randalstown.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2007/05/02 12:43:48 GMT
c BBC MMVII
*********************
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/?jp=308913&rss=rss2
PSNI Fail To Clear Three Quarters Of Crimes
02/05/2007 - 17:09:11
Just one in every four crimes was cleared in the North last year,
it was revealed today.
The drop coincided with a rise in sexual assaults, offences
against children and race hate attacks.
But police did manage to bring overall crime levels down by
nearly 2%, and recorded big reductions in burglaries, thefts,
fraud and forgery, and robberies.
As the figures were put before a Policing Board meeting in
Belfast, senior officers stressed their successes.
Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton said developing techniques
and greater public support was helping in the war on crime.
He said: "There has been a decrease of 1.7% in overall crime in
2006/07 compared with the previous year. This means 2,050 fewer
crimes committed. Since 2002/03 crime has fallen by 21,352
offences, a decrease of 15%."
Mr Leighton stressed how burglaries fell by 9.9%; thefts by 5.8%;
and fraud and forgery offences by 12%.
Vehicle crimes were down by 8.8% and robberies showed an overall
decrease of 9.7%.
A fifth more people were arrested for drug related offences and,
even though overall seizures dropped, the recovery of Class A
narcotics rose by nearly 59%.
Although the force was set a target of clearing 29% of crimes
during 2006/07, it achieved under 24%.
This 7% drop from the year before was explained by police using a
higher evidential standard for cases requiring no further action.
Bringing the force into line with England and Wales, the so-
called non sanction clearances can involve those where a death
during an inquiry can stop police advancing the case, or where
victims will not prosecute - such as incidents of domestic
violence.
But despite less murders and attempted killings, there were
significant increases in some hate crime areas.
With rising numbers of migrant workers moving to the North amid
massive economic development, attacks on ethnic minorities have
become a major concern.
And last year 111 more racist incidents were recorded than the
previous 12 months.
After Policing Board representative Suneil Sharma expressed
concerns at the increase, Mr Leighton insisted his officers were
trying to instil confidence among minority communities.
"Part of the rise may well be an increased confidence in
reporting (crimes)," he said.
So-called faith/religion incidents also went up by nearly 95%,
although homophobic and sectarian attacks fell.
Mr Leighton accepted there were areas of concern, pointing to an
overall rise in violent crime, including a 5% increase in sexual
assaults.
"In some jurisdictions reports of sexual offences have been
declining and this has been linked to a lack of confidence in the
legal system," the Deputy Chief Constable said.
"If the rise in reports of sexual offences means that people are
reporting the crime and have confidence in our ability to deal
with it, then that is positive.
"Offences of criminal damage also rose by 4.4%. It is evident
that there are times of the year when there are peaks in criminal
damage, such as Halloween, and police are working in conjunction
with communities to reduce the incidents of this crime though
analysis and targeting specific areas."
*********************
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6615311.stm
Man Freed In Funeral Shots Probe
A man held after shots were fired at a paramilitary funeral in
Londonderry has been released without charge.
The shots were fired over the coffin of the former leader of the
Official IRA in Londonderry and founding member of the INLA, John
White.
A lone gunman emerged from the public toilets at the City
Cemetery with a handgun at about 1130 BST, fired about eight
times then ran off.
A police helicopter was overhead at the time. White, 60, died at
the weekend.
Earlier, masked INLA men led the cortege from his home to requiem
Mass at St Joseph's Chapel in the Galliagh area.
Police said a man has been arrested on suspicion of possession of
a firearm and discharging a firearm in a public place.
He was later released without charge.
The IRA split in 1969 into two organisations - the Official IRA
and the Provisional IRA.
The Official IRA declared a ceasefire in 1972 and the INLA was
formed in 1974 after a further split within the organisation.
Story from BBC NEWS:
Published: 2007/05/02 17:58:49 GMT
c BBC MMVII
*********************
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2007/0502/breaking67.htm
Obama Roots Traced To Co Offaly
Wed, May 02, 2007
US presidential hopeful Barack Obama's ancestry has been traced
back to a shoemaker in a small Co Offaly village, it emerged
today.
Records unearthed in the home of an elderly parishioner who died
recently have shed new light on the prominent Illinois senator's
roots
A Church of Ireland rector who has scoured historical church
files dating back to the late 1700s confirmed Mr Obama descended
from Moneygall on Offaly's border with Co Tipperary.
The village today holds little more than a couple of pubs, a few
shops, a Catholic church and a GAA pitch.
Canon Stephen Neill, from the nearby town of Cloughjordan, began
delving into the senior Democrat's past after a genealogist in
Salt Lake City, Utah, told him about the possible connection with
his parish.
"I would be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that this is
categorical evidence of Mr Obama's link to this part of the
world," said the rector.
It was initially believed the would-be president's third great
grandfather Fulmuth Kearney was the only one of his family to
have sailed from Ireland to New York aged 19 in 1850. But the
newly-uncovered records show other family members had in fact
emigrated to America since the 1790s.
They also reveal that Fulmuth's father, Joseph, was a shoemaker -
a wealthy skilled trade at the time. "They would have been among
the upper echelons of society back then. They would have been
comfortable," said Canon Neill.
The original Anglican church that Senator Obama's ancestors would
have worshipped at still stands, although now as a private home,
having been converted about 30 years ago.
A former civil rights attorney Mr Obama is being tipped as the
first black presidential hopeful with a chance of taking the top
office in Washington. The 45-year-old is hoping to see off
Hillary Clinton to be the Democrat's official candidate for the
White Office polls next year.
PA
c 2007 ireland.com
----
To Subscribe to Irish Aires Google News List, click Here.
To Unsub from Irish Aires Google News List, click Here
For options visit: http://groups.google.com/group/IrishAiresNews
Or join our Irish Aires Yahoo Group, Click here
To Get RSS Feed for Irish Aires News click HERE
(Paste http://irishaires.blogspot.com/atom.xml into a News Reader)
To May Index
To Index of Monthly Archives
To Searches & Sources of Other Irish News
