In short

More news in brief.

More news in brief.

Man charged with gun and drugs offences

A 24-year-old man was charged yesterday with firearms and drugs offences at a special sitting of Dublin District Court.

Trevor Brunton, of Broombridge Road, Cabra, was arrested by Terenure gardaí on December 30th after he was discovered with a loaded gun in a toilet cubicle in the Spawell hotel.

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In follow-up operation ammunition and 750mg of heroin worth an estimated €150,000 were seized.

Ireland gives €1m to orphans appeal

The Department of Agriculture and Food has made a €1 million donation to keep open a feeding programme for orphans in Namibia which was on the verge of collapse because of lack of funding.

The donation has been made following an appeal from the World Food Programme, the UN agency operating the feeding programme.

The Minister of State at the department, Brendan Smith, said it was critical to ensure that food continued to reach the vulnerable children involved.

Ireland is the first country to confirm a donation to the Namibian orphan's project since the WFP appeal in November.

This donation brings total funding provided by the Department of Agriculture and Food to the World Food Programme to €8.5 million during 2006.

31-year-old charged with murder

A 31-year-old man is due to appear in court in Co Kerry today after last night being charged at Tralee Garda Station with the murder of a 34-year-old father-of-five in the town on New Year's Eve.

The man was charged with the murder of Michael Lonergan at Balloonagh Estate, Tralee on December 31st. He will appear before Killarney District Court at 11am today.

New attempt to find missing man

Police in Belfast were yesterday trying to establish the movements of a 21-year-old man who vanished exactly a year ago.

Martin Kelly has not been seen since he left a bar in the docklands area of the city on New Year's Day 2006.

Police in Belfast yesterday revisited the pub, Pat's Bar on Garmoyle Street, where he had been drinking with friends before his disappearance.

Det Chief Inspector Jeff Smyth said they were particularly interested in the the part-time barman's movements over a 40-minute period, between 6.30pm and 7.10pm, when he left the public house and returned.He is described as 6ft, 1in tall, of slim build, with short dark hair and green eyes.