15/02/2014 BBC Newsline

That's it for now we'll be back at 6pm. Stay with us on BBC One. It's

Good afternoon and welcome to BBC time for the news where

Good afternoon and welcome to BBC Newsline. A number of restaurants

and shops were evacuated last night after a fire in the Riverside

Regional Centre in Coleraine. It started in the kitchen at the Yoko

Bistro and Noodle Bar. The restaurant was busy for Valentines

night. No-one was injured. It took 40 firefighters three hours to bring

the blaze under control. Police say they don't believe the fire was

started deliberately. The owner of the Indian restaurant next door says

the high winds made the situation worse. I have to tell my customers

to leave, because the wind was blowing this way. All the smoke was

blowing into my restaurant, it was difficult to work into my

restaurant, it happened so quickly. Because of the strong winds, all the

smoke was coming this way. Around 60,000 homes in the Republic

are still without power after the storm there on Wednesday. It's

understood some customers may not have their electricity restored

until Monday or Tuesday. Up to 70 NIE engineers are helping to restore

supply. The Republic's phone operator, Eircom, says around 40,000

faults have been reported in the phone network.

The former Director of Communications and Marketing for

Londonderry's Culture Company has lost an industrial tribunal for

unfair dismissal. Garwin Downey was sacked by the company for gross

misconduct after speaking to the press about a shift of budget to

Derry City Council. It's understood he's considering an appeal.

More than 30 local residents have held a demonstration against plans

by Queens University to build new student accommodation in South

Belfast. Queens say it needs to knock down this mansion on

Lennoxvale to house flats for international students studying at

the university. They also say they've modified their proposal

which is before planners, due to the local concerns. But residents

believe modern buildings to house over 150 students will spoil the

area. One, to make sure that this wonderful conservation area is

preserved. Not only for myself, my own family and for our community

here are but also for future generations. If this development

goes ahead, it would ruin forever. There would be no chance of getting

it back to what it was, and this part is totally unique, quiet

backwater in a busy area. The controversial subject of

euthanasia is the hard hitting topic of the debut play of writer Donal

O'Hagan. The production premieres in the Baby Grand at the Opera House in

Belfast later this month as Patricia Robie reports. Assisted suicide, a

subject of great debate at home and abroad. The thorny issue is brought

home to Northern Ireland when a young journalist returns from London

to Belfast to find his father Tom is terminally ill and wants to end his

life. His family have other I is. It is and must the riveted raises the

questions, if that ever happens to me, put something in my tea. With

Tom, it is a situation where something does happen to him so he

has two face the reality of how he deals with that. The writer drew

upon personal experience and developed the play with others. It

is looking at assisted suicide, it is a really difficult topic but the

way he does it is incredibly accessible, which is what attracted

me to it. Fantastic stage action and also film and interviews we have

recorded and performed during the production. I think the playwright

has written a very compassionate, intelligent play. And it is a

serious subject. Yes, it has every right to be on the stage. The play

opens on February 25. Well it's a brighter day today,

Barra Best has the weather forecast. Not a bad start to the weekend,

plenty of dry and sunny weather, the odd shower coming in on a strong

northerly wind but in between, plenty of bright and sunny weather

to enjoy. Across Ireland, a pretty decent day, plenty of sunny weather

towards the south-west but a much more settled weather across Britain.

We still have weather warnings in force, little bit right towards the

North of England. Scotland, a windy day. For us, as we go towards this

evening, a few showers continue to linger towards the north coast. This

evening and overnight, most of those will die away. Towns and cities fall

into freezing and below so as a result, some frost and ice as well.

The Met office had issued a warning for ice, something to bear in mind.

Otherwise, a fine day on Sunday with plenty of outdoor weather to enjoy.

One or two pockets of mist and fog, that lifting quite quickly. 20 of

trying right weather throughout the day. -- plenty of dry and right

weather. Eventually as we go through the day, it is going to cloud over

from the South, bringing some unsettled weather as we go into

Monday. For Monday, a much more unsettled picture. We can expect our

breaks of rain especially in the east and South-East. -- outbreaks.

The winds at least are changing direction for a while. They will

help lift the temperatures for a bit. With the cloud and the rain, it

will feel cooler than that. Between now and Monday, plenty of dry and

sunny weather. We will keep you updated.