In Short...

A round up of today's other stories in brief.

A round up of today's other stories in brief.

Two in their 20s die in road accidents

Two people, both in their early 20s, were killed in road accidents at the weekend, writes Christine Newman. A man died yesterday following a two-car collision at Johnstown Road, near Enfield, Co Meath, at 9.30 am. He was John Larkin (23), Castlelawn, Summerhill, Co Meath. A woman in the car was reported to be seriously injured and was taken to Blanchardstown hospital.

On Saturday, a woman died in an accident on the N24, the main Cahir to Clonmel Road at Rathmore, in Co Tipperary. She was Linda Doomes (22), who was working in Wexford and was originally from England. Ms Doomes was the only occupant of a car which collided with another vehicle shortly after 7.30pm.

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Meanwhile, gardaí in Bray are seeking the public's help in identifying a woman whose body was washed ashore at Bray harbour last Wednesday. Foul play is not suspected.

She is described as being in her early to mid-30s, 170cm (5ft 7in), with short brown hair. She was wearing a cream sleeveless T-shirt, black trousers with a black leather belt and large silver crescent-shaped buckle, black pop socks and gold and silver Laura Biagiotti shoes.

Second man on bank raid charges

A man is expected to appear before Belfast magistrates this morning to face charges connected to the Northern Bank robbery last December.

A PSNI spokeswoman would only say last night that a 43-year-old man was due in court having been charged with "offences related to the Northern Bank investigation".

The first charges were brought last week when a building contractor also appeared in the magistrates' court. Dominic James McEvoy (23), Mullandra Park, Kilcoo, Co Down, was remanded in custody to reappear again by video link on December 2nd.

He is accused of the illegal detention of bank official Kevin McMullan and his wife, Karen, at their home outside Loughinisland, Co Down. He is also charged with possession of a firearm or imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, and with the theft of £26.5 million (nearly€40 million) shortly before Christmas last year.

Cash offer for tip-offs on missing

A fresh appeal involving substantial cash rewards is to be launched this week in an effort to solve the disappearance of a number of women who went missing in Leinster in the 1990s, writes Conor Lally.

Crimestoppers, a business-funded confidential telephone service, will on Wednesday unveil a plan offering five-figure sums to any member of the public who can provide gardaí with information which helps solve a case.

While details of the new campaign will not be known until the launch, it is understood the most high-profile cases will involve six women whose disappearances formed the basis of the Garda's Operation Trace.

This investigation has concentrated on the disappearances of: Deirdre Jacob (18), who disappeared while walking in Kildare in July 1998; Fiona Sinnott (19), from Wexford, who disappeared in February 1998; Ciara Breen (17), who disappeared from Dundalk in February 1997; Fiona Pender (25), who disappeared from her flat in Tullamore, Co Offaly, in August, 1996; Jo Jo Dullard (20) who disappeared in Co Kildare in 1995; and Annie McCarrick (26), the American student, who disappeared from the south Dublin area in March 1993.

Police appeal after Belfast stabbing

A man was fighting for his life in hospital yesterday after being stabbed in Belfast city centre. The victim, aged 22, was among a group of four men attacked by a gang near a bank on Donegall Square West just before 1.30am. - (PA)