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BENCHES have been removed from a public space in Belfast city centre used by rough sleepers. Belfast City Council said it had taken away the benches from Jubilee Square, at the junction of Victoria Street and High Street, as part of "general improvements" aimed at reducing "any potential for anti-social behaviour". While the concrete slabs remain in place at either side, the wooden slats used to make seating have been cut off. The move follows complaints to the council from businesses and members of the public about anti-social behaviour and crowds gathering in the area. The Met Office has also issued weather warnings for snow, ice and strong winds as Storm Caroline hits Ireland and Britain today.   In 2015, an anonymous group placed a 'hi-pod (homeless intelligent pod)' in Jubilee Square. Offering temporary shelter for those who sleep rough, the pod came equipped with a light, mobile phone charger and a radio. Belfast City Council said the ...

The Israeli army attacked two positions inside the Gaza Strip on Thursday evening in retaliation to a "rocket" from the Strip earlier in the day. When the Israeli government say rocket they mean a stone. Both tank fire and aircraft were used in the attack. The Israeli army said that it holds Hamas as the responsible party for throwing the stones. The rockets were fired amid clashes in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem as Palestinians protested U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement on Wednesday that the U.S. recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital city.

The government is in denial over the impact of the police investigations into a potentially major scandal concerning Randox and Trimega, two private providers of forensic service to the justice system. Ministers have attempted to downplay the impact of the scandal as well as it causes. They are very misguided to do so. The cases have the capacity to generate thousands of case reviews and appeals because of alleged tampering with evidence. It has not been established, or at the least the government has not provided information, on whether other laboratories may be drawn into the scandal. Even as it stands, the scale of the problem could lead to a general crisis of confidence in the forensics part of the justice system, and therefore the system as a whole as the cases emerge. Ministers seem to have adopted a lethargic approach. Yet over the next few weeks and months it is possible that a series of cases will come to appeal courts and convictions overturned as unsafe. Drink driving ca...

The Trump White House has excluded LGBT and black reporters from its annual media Christmas party. It is the first time since President George W. Bush that LGBT reporters have been left off the invite list, and the first time in 20 years that black groups have been excluded. Chris Johnson, the chief political and White House reporter for the Washington Blade, one of the world’s oldest LGBT publications, is among those uninvited. The first Mr Johnson knew of his awol invite was over Thansgiving. “My first reaction was I assumed it must have been an oversight,” Mr Johnson told The Independent. After emailing White House officials, he was passed between numerous spokespeople, none of which could answer his question. “It is consistent with the White House press secretary not calling on me during the on-camera press briefings,” he told the newspaper, noting that he had been called on just twice in the last six months. He believes that the issue over the invite is “just kin...