One of Northern Ireland's newest tourist attractions is to shut down after only 18 months. The Lagan Belle narrow boat has been taking tours on the Lagan canal but will make its last journey later this month. William Wallace began the service after Lisburn City Council invited expressions of interest. He said about 4,000 people used the service in the first year, but numbers have since dropped. "The first year was very successful, but this year has seen a downturn," Mr Wallace said. Full Article

Details of the all-new MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S have been revealed. Featuring a completely new body design, a modern interior and modern high-performance engines, the two new models go on sale before the end of the year. The external design of the new MINI has remained true to its forebear, yet every body panel is different. The MINI design team deemed evolution preferable to revolution and MINI's styling remains instantly recognisable. Full Article

BMW is introducing three new six-cylinder powerplants into the BMW 3 Series range for September 2006. BMW's most popular model now encompasses a new twin-turbo 3.0-litre petrol engine, to be badged 335i, and a single turbocharged diesel engine called the 325d. Joining these two new units is the most powerful diesel ever to power a BMW in the UK - a twin-turbocharged 2,993cc engine with 286hp. Following its launch in the 3 Series Coupé range, the 335i-badged cars come to the BMW 3 Series Saloon and Touring ranges. The new 335i features a light alloy engine, fitted with two turbochargers, each one feeding three cylinders, and High-Precision Direct Injection technology to produce 306hp and 400Nm of torque.Full Article

Peugeot's latest concept car is to debut at the Paris Motor Show in September. The 908 RC owes its name to its engine - the Peugeot V12 HDi DPFS, which will power the racing version of the 908 in 2007. The abbreviation "RC", used to designate sports models in the Peugeot range in mainland Europe. Peugeot tells us that the original idea was to create a limousine with an imposing style that offered its four occupants a new driving sensation. The final design, however, is said to be an uncompromising car that combines dynamic performance, comfort, luxury and environmental protection. The 908 RC is powered by Peugeot's V12 HDi DPFS (diesel particulate filter system) diesel engine, designed to take part in the "Le Mans Race Series" programme in 2007. Full Article

You have medical insurance so you don''t get stuck paying a hefty bill if you should get sick. But what if your dog or cat gets sick? A trip to the veterinarian can cost as much, if not more, than a visit to the doctor. More and more pet owners are starting to see that logic and are investing in pet insurance. Because they''re not just pets, they''re members of the family. Like medical bills, veterinary bills can mount quickly. But, most Americans don''t have pet insurance. "The actual percentage of pets that are insured in the United States is still very small, as compared to for instance the UK, that has about 20 percent of their dogs insured," said Kent Kruse, DVM and Director of Provider Development for VPI Pet Insurance. Full Article

The USPCA has said there has been an increase in the number of dogs abandoned over the summer holidays. The animal charity has been dealing with as many cases of unwanted pets in July as it does over Christmas. Recently police and USPCA officers rescued a dog left home alone for up to a week while its owner went on holiday. In the last two days the charity has taken in 14 dogs from just four council areas and its shelter in Carryduff just outside south Belfast is now full. The charity's Philip Burns said they could not identify why there was an upsurge. "Normally where we would have been attending to five or six calls a week, generally over the summer holiday period, I'm finding now that the phones are excessively busy and I'm getting five or six calls a day," he said. Full Article

Driving rain and strong winds of 20 knots hammered the 31 boats competing on the final day of the third Evason Phuket Raceweek regatta today, but it was not enough to dampen the spirits of the skippers and their crews, who battled on to finish the final race in trying conditions with little visibility. David Lindahl kept an almost perfect record on his boat La Samudra over the four days of racing to win the top honours in the top-flight IRC1 class after some close tussles with the other boats in his class. Lindahl and crew finished first in five of the six races contested at this year’s Raceweek regatta, and in the only race they did not win, they finished second. Full Article

Thousands of spectators gathered in Liverpool for the climax of a 35,000-mile yacht race. The Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race featured 10 identical craft circumnavigating the globe. The Western Australia team won the race on Saturday, while the Liverpool team missed a podium finish when they were beaten into fourth place by New York. Spectators lined the River Mersey to welcome the crews back into the city where the race started last September. Each of the racing yachts are named after - and officially endorsed by - a different city or country including New York, Western Australia, Victoria, Qingdao, Jersey, Liverpool, Singapore, Durban, Glasgow and Cardiff. Full Article

The Goodwood Revival will this year celebrate a bizarre phenomenon with a display of small, inventive cars. With oil prices at record levels, the British motorist increasingly needs to consider driving a more economical motor car. This is pertinent in 2006, but it was equally relevant fifty years ago when the Suez crisis began in late July 1956, leading to drastic fuel shortages and spiralling oil prices. The Suez crisis prompted thousands of UK motorists to buy and drive a variety of clever, quirky and distinctive economical microcars, usually imported from Continental Europe. Full Article

Conviction rates for animal cruelty in the UK have revealed a worrying increase in abuse, the RSPCA has said. The animal welfare organisation said cases in 2005 included a cat dying in a washing machine and a dog whose leg was sawn off by its owners. Convictions for animal cruelty last year increased by a fifth to 2,071, compared with 1,700 in 2004. A RSPCA spokeswoman said inspectors had reported an "increase in the level of violence" against animals. According to the charity, neglect remains the most common crime. Full Article

US entertainment giant Disney is to cut 650 jobs worldwide as part of plans to produce fewer adult-oriented films and concentrate on family blockbusters. The firm is to reduce its film output from about 18 to 12 movies a year, with only two or three from adult-oriented subsidiary Touchstone Pictures. Touchstone releases do not match Disney films'''' profits or provide the same marketing tie-ins, the company said. The Pirates of the Caribbean sequel has been a huge success for Disney. A hit like Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man''''s Chest can spawn other products including video games and action figures. Full Article

The tragedy about claims that thousands of retired racing greyhounds are being shot dead every year - if true - is that they make excellent pets. I can't remember why we decided to adopt a retired racing greyhound - I think it was because we wanted a dog and had a vague idea that retired greyhounds were in most need of a home. It might also have been that a friend told me that I would look more elegant walking a greyhound than any other type of dog. Whatever the reason, about two years ago we found ourselves driving to our nearest retired greyhounds' home in Hersham, Surrey. Full Article