06/04/2012 BBC Newsline

Good evening. A bomb has been defused near the

main Belfast to Dublin road at Newry. The army used robotic

equipment to examine the device which the police said contained a

significant amount of explosive. The bomb was at the northbound on-

slip of the A1 near the Forkhill Road. The slip road is closed but

the main A1 road is open. Four police officers have been

suspended as part of an investigation into alleged racist

and sectarian text messages. The PSNI says it's treating the matter

with "immense gravity" and won't tolerate wrongdoing of any

description. Our Home Affairs Correspondent Vincent Kearney

reports. The PSNI it work with community

groups to try and stamp out sectarian and racist behaviour. Now,

four of its own officers stand accused. This is a matter of

immense gravity. We are taking the unusual step of briefing you at

this point. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has launched an

internal investigation into very serious allegations concerning

alleged in appropriate texts of a racist and sectarian nature. Four

officers were suspended yesterday and are under investigation.

police will not reveal precise details of the text messages at the

heart of this investigation. They were discovered during an inquiry

into another unrelated matter. What is clear is that they go much

further than jokes or remarks that could be misinterpreted. There are

a highly offensive racist and sectarian nature and there are

other offensive texts as well. I would be confident that if you had

access to any of these texts like you would find them deeply

offensive. It is understood the text messages are of such an

offensive nature it is possible the four officers could lose their jobs.

This is embarrassing for the PSNI, which has respect for rights as one

of the core values. Going public with this at such eight -- an early

stage is a demonstration about how seriously it has been taking.

A couple and two young children have been rescued from a house fire

in Rathcoole in Newtownabbey. At the height of the blaze in

Rathcoole a baby was thrown out of an upstairs window to neighbours

outside. Catherine Morrison reports. A carefully wrapped presents

somehow survived an inferno that destroyed everything else that in

its path. The alarm was raised shortly after 4 o'clock this

morning when neighbours heard the young mother screaming for her help

from her bedroom window. The front door it was an inferno of frames,

that is all I can describe. The neighbours were helping as well.

Your first instinct is to go round as the people were screaming.

baby is only 14 months and they put her out the bathroom window. Me and

a young fellow catch her and I just lifted her and to occur to my home.

The other neighbours got the rest of the family out. Neighbours have

described the scene as like something out of a horror film. At

one stage, the flames and smoke were so bad that the police could

barely even find the next door neighbour's front door to alert

them. While the family is lucky to have escaped with their lives, they

had been left with literally nothing. An appeal has been lodged

for donations of clothing and other items to try and help the family.

Tributes have been paid to the bravery of the local people who

took part in the rescue. The blaze also spread to the house next door

and the occupants, a grandmother and her grandchildren, were brought

to safety before it to cold. The police said the fire was started

deliberately and have appealed for information.

Bone marrow tests have revealed that the man accused of murdering

two County Down women in Turkey is older than he claimed. Marion

Graham and Cathy Dinsmore were stabbed to death last August near

the city of Izmir. Rechep Chetin, a Turkish waiter who was in a

relationship with Marion Graham's daughter, was arrested on suspicion

of the murders. He told the police he was 17, but a bone test has

found him to be 22. It means he can be tried in an adult court and if

convicted, will face life imprisonment. This means up to 30

years in jail. It's Day Two of the US Masters at

Augusta and Portrush's Graeme McDowell has just finished his

round. Of the three other Irish golfers still out on the course,

it's Holywood's Rory McIlroy who's been mounting the charge as Stephen

Watson reports. It was an early, chilly start for

Rory McIlroy end of us do. Unlike yesterday, there was no sign of any

nerves. A perfect opening shot was the ideal start to Iran which

simply got better and better. -- a round. Shops like this moved him up

the leaderboard, thrilling the crowds and impressing one of the

game's longest-serving commentators. A wonderful touch around the one

bunker shot, one chip shop which went within five feet. He has got

power, Church, personality, he is pleasant, long will it rain. --

power and touch. This Verdi took Rory McIlroy to within one shot of

the lead. -- birdie. Not so good for Darren Clarke, who showed

glimpses of his championship- winning form, but he has work to do

if he is to be here at the weekend. Graeme McDowell will make the

halfway cut. Another two rounds on this course, I need them. If I ever

want to win this green jacket I have got to get the hang of this

place. Yesterday I certainly felt like I had been banging my head

against the wall. Today, I just find it a few times but it was not

too bad. So it is Rory Muckamore he will give Northern Ireland the best

chance of landing yet another major title. -- Rory McIlroy. At this

stage, he is looking good. Rory Maghera is now two shots off

the lead on four under after 14 By Easter Monday it could be quite

wet in places. It is quite tonight. There will be drizzle around from

time to time and some low cloud and fog over the high ground,

especially in the north. Temperatures holding up well. A man

night and starting off Saturday on a cloudy note. -- a mild night.

Drizzle at times but decent bright spells and perhaps a hint of

brightness in the south-east. Dole and up towards the north-west. On

Easter Sunday it will be pretty wet although there will be dry weather