16/04/2012 BBC Newsline

Welcome to BBC Newsline with Noel Thompson and Donna Traynor. The

headlines this evening: Community anger in Londonderry as dissidents

leave a bomb at the family home of a police officer: I could have been

making a funeral arrangements for that baby this morning. The parents

of a baby who died from the pseudomonas infection ask if a

health trust failed to follow hygiene guidelines. We're at a

registry office in Larne as five people are arrested on suspicion of

taking part in a sham marriage. Lord Empey becomes the new Ulster

Unionist chairman but he wasn't the first choice. I will have the story.

We've been to the stables of one of the horses that failed to finish

Saturday's controversial Grand National.

There is plenty of rain to come tonight and strong winds, too. I'll

have all the details of what is in store for the rest of the week.

Dissident republicans targeted the elderly parents of a police officer

in Londonderry last night. The pipe bomb, which didn't go off, was left

under their car. A senior police officer has described the attack as

cowardly and reckless. It is the second time the officer's family

has faced such a threat. Last night's attack was at Drumleck

Drive in Shantallow. Laura and her six-month-old son,

Leo, were caught up in the alert last night. They had to flee their

home around midnight after police evacuated and number of houses.

was just terrifying. We were told we had to leave straight away. I

had to let the baby out of his bed and they had to go up the street in

her bare feet. They were not allowed back for food or nappies. I

could have been making funeral arrangements for this baby this

morning. Detectives here say two men were seen acting suspiciously

around 9pm in Drumleck Drive last night. They then placed the device

underneath a car. Police are in no doubt about the motivation for the

attack. As police officers, we are told to keep an open mind but I

have no doubt this was intended to intimidate or injure the elderly

parents of a police officer. Your response to that? The only response

is to at Radley condemn it because it was cowardly and reckless in the

extreme. It could have caught anybody up in the blast and

seriously injured them. Detectives who were carrying out extensive

door-to-door inquiries are believed dissident republicans were behind

the attack and it is now the second time the family has been targeted

but police said the officer involved who does not live at the

address remains committed to his career in the PSNI out.

In north Belfast, people have been able to return to their homes after

a bomb alert. A car in a laneway close to Ligoniel Primary School

was examined. There was no device inside.

The solicitor representing the family of the first child who died

from pseudomonas has told the BBC that senior health officials must

be asked if they did their job properly before the outbreak and if

not, why not? An interim report found that heavy growth of the

bacteria were found in a tap in intensive care unit at Altnagelvin

Hospital in Londonderry. Caloan Burke, who was premature, died in

December. Three others died in hospital in Belfast.

Disappointed and shocked, this is one of the four couples after their

meeting with the health minister over a week ago. Their son, Caloan,

he was being cared for in a Altnagelvin hospital was the first

baby to die in the pseudomonas outbreak. Distressed by unfolding

events, they their solicitor to speak on their behalf. The death of

any party causes a lot of heartbreak and concern to the

parents and the greater family and the fact that these four babies

died whilst in the care of the health service has to be treated

exceptionally seriously. According to the couple, the report raises

There are children that have died, parents who have lost loved ones

and they are still going through the mourning period and this will

want to know whether people do their jobs. And it doesn't take a

lot to say, yes, they did or no, we dropped the ball. Unfortunately by

dropping the ball, if lives could have been saved, that has serious

consequences for the families and children. The family also want to

know why, out of the three babies who contracted the infection at

Altnagelvin, while their son had to die. The sooner we get that final

report, the better, because any of the unanswered questions, we can

get the answers to that and maybe allow people to find out exactly

what happened with the BBC. Western Health Trust has told the

BBC that they appreciate the family wants answers but they are

participating fully in a review and will not comment until the report

just finished. While the parents of the four babies were never know for

sure that their children would have survived if they hadn't have

contracted the infection will stop according to the couples who have

spoken out, what they can establish is whether the hospitals provided

the safest environment possible for their sick children and if not, why

not? Five people have been arrested in

Larne by officials investigating a suspected sham marriage. The UK

Border Agency moved in and stopped a wedding just 30 minutes before it

was about to happen at the registry office. The bride and groom, two

female witnesses and a male guest were arrested.

The moment UK Border Agency officers made in to stop what they

suspect is a so-called sham wedding. The bribe and groom arrived here

expecting to get married but instead, found themselves being

questioned about their intentions. Investigators separate the couple

and their guests. They have reason to believe that they may be

breaching immigration laws with a marriage of convenience. Emigration

it says sham weddings are a recurring problem here and in the

UK. We are cracking down on sham marriages. These are basically

marriages of convenience to allow people from outside the European

Union to get around the immigration laws and we have arrested a number

of people today on suspicion of taking part in such a sham marriage.

After one hour of questioning, the couple are arrested. There would be

grim on suspicion of taking residence unlawfully. The bribe and

groom arrested here today are a 26 year-old Portuguese woman and a

Bangladeshi man who is 29. They have now been taken to Ballymena

police station for further questioning.

Children in East Belfast who played with needles thought to have been

used for drugs were taken to hospital for infection tests at the

weekend. Police took the needles from a park off the Newtownards

Road on Friday after four boys, one as young as seven, had been found

playing with them. On Saturday a nine year-old girl found needles

lying on the pavement a short distance from the park and not far

from her home. It wasn't until we got to casualty

and the four boys who got together said, look where I stuck Mein! You

think you talk to your child about not talking to strangers but you

never think to say, don't pick up needles. They were still finding

needles last night in the area so how many more kids will be heard

before something is done about this?

Police are still trying to find a cause of the fatal house fire in

Dungannon at the weekend. Betty McGirr and her daughter, Deidre,

died when flames swept through a flat on the outskirts of the town.

Neighbours said it happened so quickly that no one was able to

help. Friends and neighbours have laid

flowers at near the scene of the fire. People you cannot believe how

quickly they lost to respected members of this small community. 71

year-old Betty Maghera had been visiting her daughter's flat on

Saturday night. They both died when fire broke out there some time

before 10pm. Neighbours described how the flames took hold quickly

and burned intensely. One woman told me she saw the flames coming

from the hallway at the front of the flats. People ran to help but

what everyone said was, when they got here, there was no sound coming

from inside the flat, no one crying out for help. The bodies of Deidre,

he was 38, and her mother, were taken on the scene last night. The

block of four flats has now been boarded up. Before that was done,

police spent much of yesterday examining the scene. There was a

detailed search of the property in an attempt to establish exactly

what caused the blaze. People are finding it hard to understand why

and higher and it just happened so quickly. People cannot get their

heads around it and are anxiously waiting on the outcome of the PSNI

and fire service investigation of. A man in his Thirties, understood

to be Deidre's partner, did manage to escape the flames. Police have

asked anyone who noticed any unusual activity are things they

may have any other information to contact detectives in Dungannon.

Still to come on the programme: I am live on the MS Balmoral which is

approaching Halifax in Nova Scotia, the place where many of the

Titanic's victims are buried. Riot police are called in after

crowd violence breaks out during a weekend boxing bout.

If you want to fight so much, joined a boxing club and fight in

the ring but don't spoil everyone else's fund.

The former UUP leader Lord Empey is to be the new chairman of the party,

but he wasn't the first choice of the leader Mike Nesbitt. Our

political correspondent joins us live from Stormont. Who turned it

down? The party confirmed Lord Empey was to be the new party

chairman this morning but what they didn't tell us is that he was not

the first choice. That was James Cooper, a former party chairman who

dates back to the era of David Trimble. The decision is Mike

Nesbitt's as leader. He can turn -- choose the chairman. He stopped

short of actually confirming this. I certainly had a conversation with

James Cooper, many conversations with different people and looked at

all sorts of premonitions. It is a jigsaw when you have only four

picks. I could have used six or seven. Are you saying you didn't

offer the job of chairman at a James Cooper? Any discussions I had

were private and we discussed many combinations because I only have

for perks. I am delighted that Lord Empey has agreed to be the chairman.

What have we heard from Mr Kerr? finally managed to get a word with

him this afternoon after I had interviewed a Mike Nesbitt. He

confirmed that he had turned the job down and said he had been too

busy to take it up. He said it was an important and challenging post

and that whoever to get should be close to Belfast and he is a

solicitor and is based in Enniskillen. What has Lord Empey

said? I spoke to him this afternoon and he said the post had not yet

been ratified although I think that is just a formality and and and it

was, he would not be commenting. The founder of the creamy layer

committee has died. He set up the organisation in 1965 to promote

Christian at reconciliation and peace building.

An inquiry into the hospital death of a four year-old boy has had an

expert witness say that the quantity of fluid given to him

during surgery was inappropriate and massive. Adam Strain died in

the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in November 1995 following

a kidney transplant. The inquiry is also looking into the deaths of

four other children. A barrister for the inquiry said another

medical expert found senior people involved in the operation had not

worked effectively as a team. After an emotional memorial weekend in

the Atlantic, the ship which has been tracing the route of the

Titanic is continuing on its journey to New York. Chris Buckler

joins us from the Balmoral. Where are you now, Chris? We are fast

approaching the Canadian coast. For the passengers on board, it has

been seven long days at sea. Where they are headed next is Halifax in

Nova Scotia, a place that is very important to many families because

it is where a lot of victims are buried.

Words that people never had a chance to say now a form part of

the tribute to the victims of the Titanic. Only official rates could

be thrown into the water to protect the wreck of the Titanic so this

room has become a memorial. All showing their respect to the dead.

This ship is now a many miles from where the Titanic sank. Some bodies

were never recovered from the sea but many of those that where are

buried in Halifax in Nova Scotia. For some families, it is their

first chance to visit those graveyards. Something they are

doing for other generations. My great-grandfather and never even

knew where he was buried so it was too late for him to travel when we

found out. At they will be nice for us to go there and represent the

family and knowing that somebody has been there. And it is

originally from County Antrim but but for six months, Halifax was a

home and she says the cemeteries are incredibly important.

people themselves were very concerned about everything that

happened and would like to, not so much celebrate the Titanic, but

commiserate. Vessels from Halifax helped recover many bodies. Now the

ship is selling towards that city and for some families, it is a

chance to give their banks. It has been a very emotional

weekend here. Passengers lining these very decks in order to pay

tribute but going to Halifax is incredibly important to so many of

those relatives and they will have that chance. They would have the

chance to remember those loved ones who were lost so long ago and it

might be a generation apart but nonetheless, they feel it is

important to go and see the graves and lay tributes.

One lesser known story relating to the Titanic is that of the role of

the ship, the SS Californian, on the night of the sinking. It was en

route from Boston to London and it was believed to be close enough to

go to the Titanic's aid. But it didn't and tonight on BBC One, a

courtroom drama centres on whether she could have assisted in the

rescue, possibly saving some of the 1500 passengers and crew who

perished. The programme called SOS - a Titanic Inquiry, is set in

Westminster in 1912 and is written by the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang.

100 years ago when things went wrong, they did exactly what they

do today, they had an inquiry and this inquiry found as fact that the

Californian was close enough to have gone and saved everyone. They

would have been there in getting minutes. The reason why they didn't

go remains a mystery and that is the fascinating thing about this,

we will never know why they didn't go to the rescue.

You can see that drama here on BBC One tonight at 9pm. A special

programme marking the day of the sinking called Titanic Centenary is

available to view on the BBC iPlayer. In it, there is extended

coverage of yesterday's memorial services in the Atlantic and in

Belfast and coverage from Southampton and Cobh. Our website

is packed with pictures, articles and interviews as well as a link to

the iPlayer. You can keep across all things Titanic on Twitter.

What is future for horse racing's most famous jumps race? Does the

Grand National have one? These are the questions being asked after

Saturday's race in which two horses died. Austin O'Callaghan is here.

Opinion seems to be divided. Saturday's race certainly took its

toll on some local racing connections. Tony McCoy's Gold Cup

winning mount, Synchronised, was one of the animals put down.

Another horse, Killyglen, which was trained in Larne, unseated its

rider during the race. The trainer is a contented man this

afternoon because back in his county and unstable is a fit and

healthy Killyglen, one of 25 horses he failed to finish this year's

Grand National. Tony McCoy, his horse spooked here, was not as

fortunate. He broke a leg and was later put down, leaving some to

question the future of the sport. Like any sport, you always have to

be looking at the safety angle and make it as safe as you can. I think

banning it would be out of the question. I think everyone has to

be careful that it isn't and knee- jerk reaction and think that we

must make change for change's sake. We must have a hard thing about it

and make the right changes if any. It is a debate that will run and

run. What about Killyglen's immediate future? Killyglen, we get

him back 100% sound and fighting fit again. Whether he had won the

Grand National or finish to the way he did, he was always going to be

going for a summer break after this so we have a couple of months off.

He is likely that! Get some other than sunshine on his back and

hopefully we will get 10 back and plan a campaign for him. Success at

the 2013 Grand National, the ultimate aim.

The Celtic manager Neil Lennon has found himself in the middle of a

Twitter row following the club's Scottish Cup defeat to Hearts.

Lennon, seen here confronting referee at the end of the match,

posted a message on the social networking site claiming, it is

personal, after a number of decisions went against his team.

Locally, Linfield remain on course for the domestic double. The league

champions strolled into the final of the Irish Cup with a 7-0 win

over championship side Newry City. Peter Thomson continued his

remarkable scoring run of four goals, including a first half hat-

trick. No prizes as to where the match ball ended up. Michael

Carville was also on target to set up a cup final meeting with

Crusaders next month. A review is underway into how crowd

trouble marred the end of a sports event at Belfast's Odyssey Arena.

Fighting erupted amongst spectators near the end of the Irish

heavyweight title bout between Tyson Fury and Martin Rogan.

Several fans and security personnel were injured.

The trouble started near the end of round five. We have highlighted the

crowd in the background and you can see many are becoming distracted by

something happening off-camera. There are no television pictures of

the disturbance but several eyewitnesses have told us that at

least 40 people were involved in the fighting. It lasted just three

minutes but several security staff and spectators sustained blood

injuries. At the time, the boxers were unaware of what was happening

outside the ring. If they really want to fight so much, joined a

boxing club and come and fight but don't be doing it and spawning

everyone else's fund. There are young kids out there. This is

boxing and I won't let it bother me. Riot police was caused -- call to

the arena but the trouble had already subsided. No arrests were

made but a review has now started enter higher arrangements might be

improved for any future fight nights at the Belfast venue.

Ulster scrum half Paul Marshall remains a doubt for the Heineken

Cup semi-final against Edinburgh on Saturday week. He injured his elbow

while scoring this try in the 26-21 defeat to Connacht in the pro 12.

Although Ulster picked up a losing bonus point in Galway, the result

is a huge setback to their hopes of reaching the play-offs. They finish

of the campaign with matches against Leinster and Munster.

Down's gaelic footballers missed out on a place in the Division One

final of the Allianz League. James McCartan's side lost their semi-

final against Cork by eight points at Croke Park. The holders now go

on to meet Mayo in the decider. In motorsport, after 56 attempts,

Moira's Ian Lowry is celebrating his first British Superbike win. It

came in convincing style at Thruxton. He now leads the

championship by two points. Belfast boxer Tommy McCarthy has

just won his opening bout at the Olympic qualifier tournament in

Turkey, the last chance to qualify for London 2012. Finally, despite

not lifting a golf club at the weekend, Rory McIlroy has regained

the number one spot in golf's world rankings. As he tweeted himself, if

only it were that easy all the time!

To be there at all, is not a bad thing!

You may see behind us, it is starting to rain and I left my

washing out! He the rain is going to be with us

for a good part of the rain. We have been waiting on at all

afternoon. It has gradually moved in from the West. What we can see

on the satellite picture is the first watch of cloud setting out to

the west Ireland and that will bring some heavy rain in the early

hours. We also have a strong and ghastly south-easterly wind and

they will be increasing as the night goes on. The worst of the

rain clearing by 3am. It will be drier in the morning. There was

some sunshine around over the weekend but I suspect this coming

week with the unsettled conditions, they will not be too much farming

work going on it. Tomorrow, Adair of blustery showers. There will be

some sunshine around in the morning. The rain gradually develops quite

widely before the end of the morning and around lunchtime and

early afternoon, one or two of the shires could be heavy with heel and

thunder possible, too. Temperatures of just nine or ten degrees and it

will continue to feel cool. At typical April date with that

mixture of sunshine and showers. As we move into Wednesday,

unfortunately, the winds are back in the know it so that means cool

air flooding down through Northern Ireland. With temperatures of eight

or nine degrees, it will feel quite cold at times. We could have so

little mites over the next few nights. Overall, and unsettled week.

A reminder of the stories making the headlines: A pipe bomb has been

diffused that had slept at the home of the elderly parents are a police

officer in Derry. Neighbours in the nationalist Shantallow estate have