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Christopher Nolan's next movie is adaptation of Homer's ‘The Odyssey'
Trimble and Mallon sanctioned DUP ministers over rotation plan
Negotiators have agreed to 'at least' $300 billion in climate funding at the UN climate summit after two weeks of tense negotiations that highlighted sharp divides between rich and poorer nations. But is it enough?Rarely has a climate summit venue so accurately reflected the mood and unfolding of negotiations. Also Read | World News | Rich Nations Offer USD 300 Billion Annually After 10 Years to Global South. For two bumpy weeks, the labyrinthine corridors in Baku's Olympic Stadium have echoed with the hurried footsteps of negotiators rushing from one windowless meeting room to the next, avoiding dead-ends and wrong turns among the endless passageways. Also Read | World News | Trump Taps Rollins as Agriculture Chief, Completing Proposed Slate of Cabinet Secretaries. Further characterized by missing global leaders, major disagreement and shifting geopolitical dynamics, the talks stretched deep into overtime before there was finally light at the end of the tunnel. And an agreement that sets a goal of at least $300 billion in climate financing per year by 2035 flowing from developed to developing countries. Failure in Baku was "not an option," said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, speaking on Thursday. But that failure looked possible late on Saturday when delegates from AOSIS (Alliance of Small Island States) and LDCs (Least Developed Countries) walked out of talks on the grounds their concerns were not being heard. "What is happening here is highlighting what a very different boat our vulnerable countries are in, compared to the developed countries," said Cedric Schuster, the Samoan chairman of the group. "After this COP29 ends, we cannot just sail off into the sunset. We are literally sinking." What have nations agreed — and is it enough? COP29's core aim was getting the near 200 countries to agree on a new climate funding target that could replace the current goal of $100 billion (about €95 billion) per year. This financial packageis intended to help developing countries tackle emissions, transition away from fossil fuels and adapt to a warming world. But the size of the finance pot and which countries should foot the bill were huge sticking points in negotiations. Developing countries pushed for at least $1 trillion per year, a sum leading economists have said is necessary for them to respond to the climate crisis. Anything else was lowballing and "divorced from the reality of what was needed," according to Champa Patel of environment non-profit Climate Group. But industrialized countries held off specifying concrete figures until the very last day and said they couldn't raise the money alone without private sector involvement. The $300 billion promised is far lower than what developing countries were hoping for. "At COP29, developed nations once again coerced developing countries into accepting a financial deal woefully inadequate to address the gravity of our global climate crisis," said Harjeet Singh of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. "The deal fails to provide the critical support required for developing countries to transition swiftly from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy systems, or to prepare for the devastating impacts of the climate crisis." Low-income countries are seeing increasingly extreme floods, droughts, heat waves, storms and rising sea levels and do not have the resources to deal with them. Developed countries are responsible for the majority of historical emissions causing the planet to heat up. By 2050 climate change is expected to cause $38 trillion in damages around the world, according one estimate. But the new text released early Sunday morning, attempted to reassure progress to the $1.3 trillion would happen. It referenced a "Roadmap from Baku to Belem," which calls on "all actors" to "scale up" climate finance to developing countries and includes access to finance through "grants, concessional and non-debt-creating instruments." Observers said negotiators from Africa and other developing countries had pushed for the changes to be included in the hope of creating a meaningful process to align the global financial system with the $1.3 trillion target by 2035. To date, much of the international climate finance has been provided to developing countries in the form of non-concessional loans. Organizations such as Oxfam have criticized this, pointing out that this increases the debt burden of some of the LDCs. Developed countries also pushed for China and wealthy Gulf states that are heavily dependent on oil and gas to contribute to the $300 billion climate fund and share the burden. China is the world's biggest carbon emitter. And although it's a major economy, the UN still classes it as a developing country. The final agreement didn't widen the donor base to include China, but it did introduce a fudge that would officially recognize the country's contributions. The new mechanism allows for voluntary recognition of cash flowing from developing countries through development banks as climate finance. What does the outcome mean for global emissions? When it comes to fossil fuels — the primary source of global emissions and drivers of climate change — proceedings this year didn't get off to a good start. The Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev used COP29 as a platform to describe oil and gas as a "gift of God." But negotiators did reach a deal on controversial carbon markets that would allow polluting countries to buy carbon-cutting offsets. Supporters say the new rules would help boost investment in local-income countries, where the carbon projects are usually located. But critics say they could be used for greenwashing climate targets. "These decisions were taken behind closed doors," Tamra Gilbertson of the US-based non-profit Indigenous Environmental Network told DW. "We know that other carbon markets have completely failed to address climate change and emissions." Many were hoping for more progress to build on what was achieved at COP28 in Dubai last year, which concluded with a hard-won final agreement on "transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems." But oil producer Saudi Arabia, tried to derail progress on moving away from fossil fuel, and was described as a "wrecking ball" to the agreement. "We are in the midst of a geopolitical power play by a few fossil fuel states," said Germany's foreign minister Annalena Baerbock Saturday as talks spiraled. As with previous COPs, there were strong criticisms regarding the presence of over 1700 oil and gas lobbyists. They received more passes to COP29 than all the delegates from the 10 most climate-vulnerable nations combined, according to one report. Richard Folland, head of policy and engagement with independent financial think tank Carbon Tracker said the talks in Baku had been "strangled by the second highest attendance of fossil fuel lobbyists on record" and that the summit had "taken us dangerously backwards on collective climate action as extreme weather events take their toll." The core goal of the Paris Agreement is to hold global average temperature increases well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels, and to strive to stay under 1.5 C. The science is clear that this requires urgent and deep cuts to global emissions. However, global CO2 emissions from fossil fuels have hit new heights this year and 2024 is set to be the hottest ever on record. Dubbed the "finance COP," this year's conference highlighted the difficulties in reaching global consensus on climate action, and also drew calls for reform. In an open letter to the UN, a group of scientists and former leaders said COP was "no longer fit for purpose," and required a shift from negotiation to implementation to "deliver on agreed commitments and ensure the urgent energy transition and phase-out of fossil energy." With reporting from Giulia Saudelli and Tim Schauenberg in Baku, Azerbaijan. Edited by: Jennifer Collins and Tamsin Walker (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 24, 2024 05:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com ).Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”
Concentra Announces Completion of Spin-Off from Select Medical
StocktiX Ltd Participates in the 2024 U.S. Investment COO Summit to Explore Cutting-Edge Technologies and Future Financial Trends 11-22-2024 10:46 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: LianPR StocktiX Ltd showcased its leading fintech innovations and advanced investment concepts at the 2024 U.S. Investment COO Summit. The summit, held successfully in Boston from November 14 to 15, brought together 150 top leaders and experts from the global financial industry to discuss the future direction of financial markets. StocktiX representatives engaged in in-depth discussions with other investment and asset management professionals, focusing on key topics such as sustainable investment, financial technology, and market innovation. Image: https://www.getnews.info/uploads/fe6ea9668adfd28a353f534ac9e64d85.jpg Founded in Colorado in 2020, StocktiX has rapidly grown into a powerful financial services platform, specializing in providing CFDs, stock trading, and forex products to global clients. With its advanced trading platform, professional personalized services, and efficient market operations, the company has emerged as a rising star in the financial industry. Participating in the 2024 U.S. Investment COO Summit provided StocktiX with an opportunity to showcase its innovative ideas and future development strategies. During the summit, StocktiX emphasized how fintech is reshaping asset management and investor behavior. Company representatives demonstrated their trading platform powered by big data and artificial intelligence, highlighting how these technologies improve trading efficiency, enhance market forecasting, and optimize investment decision-making processes. Through this innovative platform, StocktiX delivers personalized investment advice to clients and helps them achieve asset growth in dynamic markets. Additionally, StocktiX highlighted its latest advancements in sustainable investment. By integrating green investment solutions and socially responsible investment strategies, the platform actively promotes a more sustainable and responsible direction for the industry. Company representatives stated that StocktiX plans to strengthen collaboration with various stakeholders to drive the green transformation of the financial sector and offer investors more socially responsible investment opportunities. Image: https://www.getnews.info/uploads/d958543a2efd5a20e1fd8db545aa989a.jpg The successful hosting of the 2024 U.S. Investment COO Summit not only provided a vital platform for global financial industry discussions but also gave participating companies and experts a chance to jointly explore future financial trends. StocktiX leveraged this summit to reinforce its leadership in the financial services sector and laid a solid foundation for future innovation and growth. As global fintech continues to evolve rapidly, StocktiX remains committed to delivering greater value to investors through technological innovation, market expansion, and sustainable investment strategies. The company also plans to deepen collaboration with major financial institutions worldwide, driving industry-wide progress and digital transformation while offering investors smarter, more efficient, and secure investment experiences. Media Contact Company Name: StocktiX Ltd Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=stocktix-ltd-participates-in-the-2024-us-investment-coo-summit-to-explore-cuttingedge-technologies-and-future-financial-trends ] Country: United States Website: https://www.stocktix-websit.com This release was published on openPR.
Former Swim Ireland chief accused of coercive control and multiple assaults of wifeDUP minister rejected suggestion licensing laws could be relaxed for jubilee
Scientists document rich biodiversity along underexplored Chilean coastlineMinutes of an Executive meeting from June of that year state further action would be considered “as appropriate” if the DUP went ahead with a threat to rotate its ministers. The minutes are within files which have been declassified at the Public Record Office in Belfast. Devolved powersharing had been restored to Northern Ireland in May 2000 when Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble had received the backing of his party to go back into the Assembly, despite there having been no decommissioning of IRA arms at that point. Then DUP deputy leader Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds took up the offices as ministers for regional development and social development, but refused to attend Executive meetings due to the presence of Sinn Fein ministers. The party also said it would rotate its ministerial posts to prevent other parties from taking them. A minute of an Executive meeting on June 8 said Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds had refused a request from First Minister Mr Trimble and deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon to meet with them “to discuss recent public comments by the DUP concerning their positions as ministers”. The minute records that the Executive endorsed a proposal from the First and deputy First Ministers to write again to the two DUP ministers setting out sanctions against them. It says: “The First Minister and and Deputy First Minister would assume responsibility for representing the Executive Committee on transport matters at the British-Irish Council in place of the Minister for Regional Development. “The Minister for Social Development and the Minister for Regional Development would not be nominated to attend meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee. “Pending the receipt of satisfactory assurances from DUP Ministers regarding the confidentiality and integrity of Executive Committee business, the Minister for Social Development and Minister for Regional Development would not receive Executive Committee papers as of right. “The First Minister and Deputy First Minister would seek briefing, as appropriate, from officials in the Department for Regional Development and Department for Social Development.” The minute continues: “If the DUP carried out their threat to change the holders of the two Ministerial offices on a frequent basis, the Executive Committee would consider other action as appropriate.” Mr Robinson and Mr Dodds resigned as ministers on June 27 and were replaced by party colleagues Gregory Campbell and Maurice Morrow. A minute from an Executive meeting that day says: “The Executive Committee noted that the Minister for Social Development and Minister for Regional Development would be resigning their posts that afternoon, and expressed concern at the proposed rotation of the ministries held by their Party Members.”
SOUTHBURY – Dorothy Judson Winship Gagnon died Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, at her son’s home in Southbury. She was born to Prentice and Vera Judson in Bethlehem in 1925, and she recently celebrated her 99th birthday on Oct. 23. Dorrie was the beloved sister of six siblings (who all predeceased her) and was the one to give care where needed, nursing her mother, mother-in-law, husband, and many others over the years. She leaves her dearest sister-in-law Joan Judson of Woodbury. Dottie married Anson Winship in 1949 and made her home in Southbury until his passing. Hard work was second nature on the family dairy farm, milking cows and operating farm equipment to harvest corn and hay. Horses were a pleasure and saddling up for an evening ride a rare treat. She loved to travel to national parks in a Volkswagen camper. A good mystery would keep her reading until deep into the night, and a sewing basket was never far away, always stitching to mend or create something new. It didn’t take much to bring her joy, be it an extra pinch of salt or a candy found. Later in life she married Joseph A. Gagnon and lived in Meriden, where his family became her family. They loved spending winters in Florida and made many friends in the years at Central Park RV. At Joe’s passing she moved to Vermont, where she relaxed and enjoyed the beauty of the Green Mountains. She might be found riding her golf cart at End of the Road Farm with Anne and Dave, or at the Old Schoolhouse Camp with Walt and Pat, enjoying a lively card game, one of her greatest pleasures. She will be very sadly missed by all who knew her, especially her children Anne (David) Kehmna, Walter (Pat) Winship, daughter-in-law Martha Winship, nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchild. She was predeceased by her son Peter Winship. Friends may gather at the Southbury location of Munson Lovetere Funeral Home, 235 Main St. North, on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with a short service at 1 p.m. A private burial will be in Pine Hill Cemetery. To send an online condolence, visit munsonloveterefuneralhome.com.MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The top of the NFC standings are towering over the Green Bay Packers as they move toward the playoffs, casting a long shadow shaped like Vikings, Lions and Eagles over what has been an otherwise-promising season on both sides of the ball. For as well as the Packers (11-5) had been playing down the stretch, they left Minnesota with a rather murky outlook for the playoffs after stumbling into a 17-point deficit that proved too large for their late surge in the 27-25 loss to the Vikings on Sunday . “They continued to compete and battle, but you just can’t do that against good teams. The margins in this league, especially against a good football team, are razor thin," coach Matt LaFleur said. "I don’t think we were at our best, but that’s a credit to them in our slow start — and that’s me as much as anybody.” The Packers gained 126 yards in the fourth quarter and still finished with a season-low 271 yards. The defense allowed 441 yards, which was also a season worst. The most glaring set of numbers after this frustrating afternoon, though, was this: 0-5. That's Green Bay's record against the top three teams in the NFC: Minnesota, Detroit and Philadelphia. There's no shame in losing to those opponents that carry a combined 40-7 record into Monday, particularly when four of those defeats — save for the 10-point loss to the Lions on Nov. 3 — came by a total of 12 points. “It’s not about who we can and can’t beat. We can beat everybody. If we figure out how to finish, we’ll win games,” cornerback Keisean Nixon said. But the Packers will more than likely be on the road the entire time they're alive in the playoffs, so any path to the Super Bowl would undoubtedly trigger rematches with one, two or even all three teams from that daunting trio. The Packers clearly aren't overmatched by the Vikings, Lions or Eagles, but in games against those premier foes that significantly shrink the margins for error the Packers have shown a troubling pattern of not meeting the moment with too many ill-timed mistakes and not enough big-time plays. “It's hard when you put yourself in a hole and are down early and just kind of shooting yourself in the foot,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “There’s so much stuff to clean up and get better at, but I think we’re still a really good team. We can put up points. But when you put yourself in a hole, it’s just hard to climb out of that hole. And when it’s a good team like the Vikings, you know, it just makes it even tougher.” The red flag came right away. Josh Jacobs, the NFL 's fourth-leading rusher, had just given the Packers a second first down on the opening drive of the game when defensive tackle Jerry Tillery pushed the ball out and safety Cam Bynum recovered at the Minnesota 38. Jacobs had gone 11 straight games without fumbling until losing one at Seattle on Dec. 15. Now he has coughed up the ball twice in three games. “I feel like it drained the energy out of the team just starting early,” Jacobs said. “I take it personal on getting the team to start fast and things like that. Yeah, that’s on me.” Though the Vikings punted on the subsequent possession, they moved the ball enough to flip the field position. Perhaps wary of the fumble getting in Jacobs' head, LaFleur then called three straight passes from their own 15-yard line, and Love was off the mark on all three to force a punt. After a breakout performance here a year ago in a 33-10 victory over the Vikings that helped the Packers squeak into the playoffs after a rough start and ride the momentum through a first-round win at Dallas, Love looked awfully amid the cocktail of blitzes ordered by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores that fueled a fierce pass rush. He finished 19 for 30 for 185 yards and one touchdown. “They do a good job of keeping a lid on the coverage. That’s how they play," LaFleur said. "We knew that going in, so there was going to be minimal opportunities to push the ball down the field. You've got to be super efficient. You've got to stay on schedule because once they get you into third down, that’s where they’re really good.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Dave Campbell, The Associated Press
A large number of mysterious drones have been reported flying over New Jersey and across the eastern U.S., sparking speculation and concern over where they came from and why. In response, the Federal Aviation Administration on Wednesday temporarily banned drone flights in 22 areas of New Jersey where critical infrastructure is located. FAA officials said the flight restrictions were requested by federal security agencies and are effective through Jan. 17. The FBI, the Homeland Security Department and state agencies have been investigating, but officials say there has been nothing so far to suggest that any drones have posed a national security or public safety threat. In fact, authorities say, many of the drone sightings have actually been legal drones, manned aircraft, helicopters and even stars. President Joe Biden said Tuesday night that there appears to be nothing nefarious about the flying objects. Despite federal officials’ comments, many state and municipal lawmakers have nonetheless called for stricter rules about who can fly unmanned aircraft — and for the authority to shoot them out of the sky. Federal government agencies have the authority to track and disable drones deemed to be threatening, but that power was set to expire after Friday. A temporary spending bill before Congress that would extend that power and avert a government shutdown was in flux Thursday after President-elect Donald Trump called for its rejection. Dozens of witnesses have reported seeing drones statewide since mid-November, including near the Picatinny Arsenal, a military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, has said that drone-detection equipment supplied by the federal government has yielded little new information. He declined to describe the equipment except to say it was powerful and could even disable the drones, though he said that’s not legal on U.S. soil. Murphy urged Congress to give states more authority to deal with the drones. Meanwhile, federal and local authorities are warning against pointing lasers at suspected drones, because aircraft pilots are being hit in the eyes more often. Authorities also said they are concerned people might fire weapons at manned aircraft that they have mistaken for drones. The growing anxiety among some residents is not lost on the Biden administration, which has faced criticism from Trump for not dealing with the matter more aggressively. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said Monday that the federal government has yet to identify any public safety or national security risks. “There are more than 1 million drones that are lawfully registered with the Federal Aviation Administration here in the United States,” Kirby said. “And there are thousands of commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones that are lawfully in the sky on any given day. That is the ecosystem that we are dealing with.” The federal government has deployed personnel and advanced technology to investigate the reports in New Jersey and other states, and is evaluating each tip reported by citizens, he said. About 100 of the more than 5,000 drone sightings reported to the FBI in recent weeks were deemed credible enough to warrant more investigation, according to a joint statement by the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense. Speculation has raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drones could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents or clandestine operations by the U.S. government. Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said it’s unlikely the drones are engaged in intelligence gathering, given how loud and bright they are. And he repeated Tuesday that the drones being reported are not being operated by the Department of Defense. Asked whether military contractors might be operating drones in the New Jersey area, Ryder rebuffed the notion, saying there are “no military operations, no military drone or experiment operations in this corridor.” Ryder said additional drone-detecting technology was being moved to some military installations, including the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. Drone activity in the past week led to an hourlong closure of runways at New York’s Stewart International Airport, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) north of Manhattan, a four-hour closure of air space around Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, and the arrests of two men in Boston accused by police of flying a drone too close to Logan International Airport. Trump has said he believes the government knows more than it’s saying. “Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” he posted on Truth Social. U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, a New Jersey Democrat, said he has heard nothing to support the notion that the government is hiding anything. He said a lack of faith in institutions is playing a key part in the saga. “Nothing that I’m seeing, nothing that I’ve engaged in gives me any impression of that nature. But like, I get it, some people won’t believe me, right? Because that’s the level of distrust that we face,” Kim said Monday. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut last week called for the drones to be “shot down.” A Senate bill that would expand federal agencies’ authorities to track and disable drones has been pending since last year. It also includes a pilot program that would allow state and local law enforcement agencies to monitor and disable drones, under supervision by federal authorities. A similar bill in the House was introduced in June. More articles from the BDNA DUP minister rebuffed a suggestion that there could be an extension of pub opening hours in Northern Ireland to celebrate the golden jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2002, declassified files show. Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.” We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.