17/04/2014 BBC Newsline

Good evening, and welcome to BBC Newsline.

A 30-year-old woman has appeared in court in Belfast, accused of

murdering her baby son. The charges are linked to an incident in the

city last month. Louise Cullen reports. The woman appeared in court

today, charged with murder. She had been arrested by detectives and

detained under the Mental Health Act following the incident in Belfast

last month, in which the child was critically injured. He later died.

At short notice today the woman was brought before the Magistrates'

Court. Reporting etrickions have been imposed to protect the

defendant's identity. An order bans the press from identifying her was

granted today, under the terms of the Human Rights Act. The case was

ageneraled until next month and she was remanded back in to medical

care. Sinn Fein has apologised

unreservedly to the Catholic Bishop of Dromore, over a letter issued by

the party in West Belfast, which they admit misrepresented his

position on abortion. The apology has been accepted by Bishop John

McAreavey, who says he was appalled at the claims. Our political

correspondent Gareth Gordon reports. Like others in the Catholic

hierarchy the bishop holds strong anti-abortion views so when Sue

Ramsey and the party councillor issued a letter to people in West

Belfast claiming that the cleric shared their position on the

termination of human life, he was angry. The claim, he said, was

untrue and damaging, and that he was appalled, adding "I cannot emphasise

enough the seriousness of this action, which has misused my good

name, and impugned the teaching reputation of my ministry. They were

very strong words, the Sinn Fein MP for West Belfast has issued a

statement, admitting the letter's seriously misquoted and

misrepresented the bishop's position on abortion, saying he apologised

and accepting the references to the bishop were unaccurate and the

letters should not have gone out. The bishop has thanked the Deputy

First Minister for intervening on his behalf, in this highly unusual

dispute, Sinn Fein have held up their hands, and admitted they got

it badly wrong, but whether it is damaging or not for the party, it

certainly very embarrassing. The women, aged 57 and 60 were

arrested earlier today. The Health Minister has been urged

to clarify if theed admissions policy on NHS care homes will be

changed. It follows the announcement of a reprieve for 18 homes, that had

been earmarked for closure. Pensioner jean could afford a smile

after celebrating her part in the action. These flowers are beautiful.

A year ago the Health Minister chose her care home at Westlands to

announce that older people should not be forced to move. His visit

followed an interview given by the 92-year-old on the Nolan television

show. She described her feelings over Government plans to close 18

care homes across Northern Ireland, including hers. Just thing things,

and the staff are and the resident. About 280 older men and women live

in local NHS care homes. Now it has been announced the 18 homes

earmarkeded for closure have been granted a reprieve. Those people, it

is not about the building, those people in the care homes will be

there, that is their home, while they want it to be their home and as

long as they live. So that is the key thing that people were asking

for, and that has been something that has been delivered.

The minister's intentions are set out in a letter to the health

committee, seen by the BBC. In it Mr Boots says that he is clear that

existing residents will be allowed to repain in their home for as long

thads wish, and so long their needs continue to be met there. He adds

that will is an onus on the health service to demonstrate to older

people new alternatives to statutory homes are a better option for them.

Those campaigning on behalf of care homes say the minister needs to

spell out why homes aren't currently taking in new residents. I asked Mr

Pots why that wasn't happening. He said there was some work do in line

with that, he had given it back to the board to look at. The outcome

would be round June time. In my opinion there is no field of work to

be done, it has left the policy and left it now. For Jean she is happy

that for now, she has her home to live in. That is the future ensured

for us here, and staff were elated. The health and social care board

review continues. Two former directors of Anglo-Irish

Bank have been found guilty of illegally supporting the bank's

share price, months before its collapse. Pat Whelan, the bank's

former head of lending, and its ex-finance director William McAteer,

had denied providing unlawful financial assistance to a select

group of clients to buy Anglo shares. But the pair were found

guilty by unanimous decision on ten counts of providing loans of 450

million euro. Yesterday, former chairman Sean Fitzpatrick was

cleared of all charges. The police are investigating a

serious sexual assault on a woman in Armagh. She was attacked after

midnight. Detectives are appealing for witnesses.

An arson attack on a community centre in the Rathcoole Estate in

Newtownabbey has threatened to close the complex for weeks. Staff at the

Dunanny Centre say they've no idea why they were targetted. Andy West

reports. Three o'clock in the morning and in in CCTV footage three

grainy figures can be seen in the top right of the frame.

They run to the back doors of the boiler room and begin pouring fuel

inside. Seconds later, a ball of fire. The

attack destroyed the complex's gas and water supply. Just means we have

no heat, we have no water, and it is imhas implication for the run of the

centre. We have a Citizen's Advice Bureau, the staff or the people

count use the loos or wash their hand, the boiler house is totally

destroyed. Firefighters were able to put the

blaze out, 20 minutes after it started. With flames licking round

pipes, filled with gas, the damage could so easily have been much, much

worse. Centre manager Vicky Moore can't understand why they have been

targeted. We have absolutely no idea. We don't know. This is a

church's organisation, we are a centre that relies very much on the

support of the community and the community relies on the service we

provide. Police are investigating the attack but are yet to establish

a motive. The first 33 athletes who will

represent Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow have

been named tonight. They include boxers Paddy Barnes and Michael

Conlon. The games start in July. And now for a look ahead to our

programmes tomorrow. We will be reporting on an up surge on dog

attacks on sheep that are costing farmers thousands. That is on our

bulletins starting at 6.30. Now the weather.

Is hello things are now improving and it looks promising for the

Easter weekend. A good part of it any way but it is going to be cold

tonight, with the clearing skies and easing winds, think widely we will

see temperatures dipping towards freezing, so that will give us grass

frost by tomorrow an one or two rural spots could get an air frost,

maybe some patches of mist and fog as well. So it's a cold start on

goof but it is is a fine day coming up, with dry with sunshine, in fact

sunny from the word go. That will help to clear any frost and fog

patches. Away from the far west of Ireland and Scotland where it is

cloudy. Damp and dinned windy in the north-west I it is otherwise fine,

dry and sunny across many parts of Britain and Irelandroom to.

Temperature, 13-15. But it could feel pleasant and warm, except on

some parts of the North Sea coast, where they will have an onshore

breeze. And for the County Down coast, there is a chance you could

have an onshore breeze, pegging temperatures back tomorrow, but away

from there, and inland towards the west, temperatures getting up to

round 14, possibly 15 grow, so here, too, a me Sanday. Into Saturday,

again, we get a repeat performance, a chilly start, sunshine, highs of

14 or 15. Easter Sunday brings low pressure, wet and windy conditions

into England and Wales, it may be bring cloud towards us on Easter

Monday, but Easter Sunday looks fine.

That is it for now you can follow this programme on Facebook and

Twitter. Good night.