17/06/2014 BBC Newsline

following a breakthrough in relations. -- in Iran.

A police officer is among six people arrested as part of an investigation

A court is told that a CCTV operator spied on a woman in her home.

Is now the best time to book your holiday?

And an offshore wind farm is reduced in size after concerns from the

fishing industry. And this is the weather for a

kickabout in the park. Join me later for the complete forecast.

A police officer is among six people arrested by detectives who are

investigating the awarding of vehicle contracts in the PSNI.

The arrests were made in counties Antrim,

With more details here's our Home Affairs correspondent

The PSNI operates the largest fleet of vehicles in Northern Ireland. Six

men are being questioned. Four men were arrested in Northern Ireland

and two in England. All are being questioned at Antrim police station.

They have been arrested on suspicion of a range of offences including

bribery, misconduct. It is not clear whether the offences are in relation

of the purchasing of vehicles, the servicing of the vehicles, or both.

It is understood that computers have been removed from the homes of those

accused. The police now said it expects its officers and staff to

behave professionally and with integrity at all times.

A woman in her mid 20s has told Belfast crown court that she's still

receiving counselling two years after a civilian CCTV operator

allegedly trained a camera into her flat in North Belfast.

Fifty year old Ciaran McCreavie from Collinwood Gardens

in Newtownabbey denies misconduct in a public office, voyeurism and

The defendant was one of three civilian CCTV operators when the

alleged offences were committed. They worked in a CCTV suite similar

to this one. The accused denies directing a camera and zooming into

the living room of a flat for his justification.

The prosecution said that in November the defendant sought the

woman in a state of undress. He wilfully abused his position by

watching their woman. Giving evidence CCTV operator said

he had checked various cameras, and he sought an image on one of the

camera as with a person in underwear. He said, he had not seen

anything so intrusive. He claims that the defendant smiled and walked

off. The woman told the court that since being told about the alleged

offences she had lived behind closed curtains.

A pipe bomb has partially exploded outside a house in Holywood

Police were called after a woman reported hearing a loud bang

outside her home shortly after midnight last night.

The woman and her partner were in the house at the time

Attacks by teenagers on horses are threatening to disrupt

riding lessons for children with learning difficulties.

The animals are at the Fort Centre Riding school in Maghera.

This is one of the fields that the horses grazing. Many of the people

who come for horse riding lessons have learning disabilities. The

horses have been attacked. They have been chasing them around the fields.

It is an settling them. No injuries as of yet. But there is potential

for that to happen. Local youths have been blamed for annoying the

horses. The people that come to this school, young people should think

seriously about what they are doing. Volunteers have said lessons may be

cancelled if the attacks continue. If they become any here and give us

some help, and we could show them what we do, instead of what they are

doing. The police say they have spoken to a number of 15-year-olds

about their behaviour. Staff at the centre did not want to make a formal

complaint. easyJet has apologised to passengers

who suffered a delay of more than 12 hours yesterday

on the London Gatwick to They eventually landed this morning,

having spent part of the night The plane couldn't land at Belfast

because of a combination of maintenance work

on the runway and foggy conditions. The Premiership footballer Joey

Barton was among the passengers. They described the journey

as a shambles. This was the first time I have done

it, and probably the last time I will be doing it. I have been flying

for 25 years. This is the worst ever experience.

Many people will be heading off on holiday over the next few months.

For those looking to change money to euros or dollars

today's currency markets will have brought welcome news.

A stronger sterling means you get more for your pound.

That's not necessarily good for local businesses.

More on that in a moment, but as Julie McCullough reports it's come

Booking a holiday might be the furthest thing from your mind, but

with currency rates in our favour has there been a better time to

think about getting away? People flying to the United States are

getting the best rates that they have seen in five years. If you look

at eurozone. We are getting a better rate this year. The rates that is

usually quoted in the financial news are not necessarily the rates that

you will get. Bear that in mind when you are figuring out how much

spending money you will need. Different providers have different

rates. It is up to you to shop around.

You wrote destinations have become strong. The destination makes a lot

of difference because of the departure point. There is a

favourable rate for the euro. Some believe the strongly against the

euro will be around for a while and that the pound may be strong against

the dollar for the future. Only time will tell.

Let's see how the exchange rates are affecting business.

Northern Ireland's big trading partner is the Republic in the Euro

zone - so for trade what does that mean if we're getting more euros

The dollar rate - it's been a while since it lifted

If you have your rules and you want to do business year Your Money does

not go as far. # -- if you have euros. If the euro

is weak it no longer makes sense to make the trip. One of the problems

for the tourism industry is it cannot attract people from the

Republic. If this is now a more. I there are many businesses that

should keep an eye on the rate? Aside from the Republic are biggest

destination for exports is the US. You do not want the pound to be too

strong against the dollar for too long. One good thing about a week

dollar is that oil is paid for in dollars. That can keep a lid on fuel

prices. As The Sun shines on the warmest day

of the year we will be looking at the damaging effects it can have on

your skin. Changes have been made to a plan

for Northern Ireland's first major The scale of the ?1 billion project

has been reduced in response to concerns from the

fishing and shipping industries. Here's our business

correspondent Julian O'Neill. This fishing fleet has been made

nervous by the prospect of a wind farm five miles out to sea. Huge

wind turbines like these can be a navigational hazard. The industry

argues it can displace fish stocks. The energy Consortium has been

assessing this area for two years. It is outlined in red. It has now

been narrowed down further. The turbines will be confined to the

zone marked in Green. These will be bigger turbines. Bigger turbines

have two be spaced further apart. It is a step in the right direction.

The consortium says it also wants to minimise disruption to shipping

lanes. The idea behind the project is to reduce our dependency on

outmoded fuel and make us less prone to price fluctuations. Reducing the

size of this wind farm will reduce its clout.

Initially the giant turbines were going to produce 20% of the power in

Northern Ireland. That has now been reduced to 10%.

A number of issues were taken into account, including those from the

fishing industry. What we are aiming to do now is carry on the

investigation so that we can design a project that meets the needs of

the project and the fishing industry.

Getting this project operational is still many years away. Planning and

other approvals are yet to be granted. The target date is

Twenty20. Some police officers in the

North West today started wearing video cameras to record what they

see on their day to day patrols. The police believe the footage could

help witnesses and victims of crime. A routine patrol getting ready. This

small camera, about the size of a standard smartphone, will be used in

the fight against crime. Some officers today you started using it

for the first time. After a six months trial, it value will then be

assessed by the College of policing and Cambridge University. We welcome

it as an opportunity to provide a better service to the public, to

support victims and witnesses, by being in a position to provide

evidence to the courts and speed up the justice process. The police say

the cameras will also gather a wide range of material from disputes

where there is one person's word against another. Or if there is an

investigation into police behaviour. There was a mixed response from the

public. If they tell people what they are doing, it will make a

difference, I think. On the one hand, it will be a very useful tool

for would-be crimes being prevented. But on the other hand, it is an

invasion of privacy. Women's aid, which has been campaigning for such

cameras, supported the move, and said anything which improves the

collection and quality of evidence for the prosecution of domestic

violence was to be welcomed. The police say the public should be

reassured because on each and every occasion they tend to use the camera

they will inform people beforehand. The video footage captured for only

be held for 30 days, unless the intention is to use it in legal

proceedings. Many schools have closed

in recent years because they have But now an over-subscribed girls?

grammar school The Western Education and

Library Board wants to amalgamate It's a plan that is dividing

the local community. Here's our South West

reporter Julian Fowler. When these schools closed locally, a

new one was promised. Ten years on, this is the sight of that new

school. While there is agreement that a new build for this college is

needed, there is no agreement on how to ensure it will be sustainable.

The Western education and library board's plan is to amalgamate the

collegiate and Portora, and to build a new grammar school. But that has

provoked strong opposition. A petition against the plan was

delivered to Stormont. Eileen Foster is a former collegiate people. What

is happening is they are tying in the new build for Devenish college

for the closure of collegiate and Portora, and that is unacceptable.

The collegiate said it achieves excellent results and is

oversubscribed. Its principal says there are alternatives to pleasure.

We do not want of the entry of other schools diminish. We want to see

them flourish. We want to see Portora flourish, and also Devenish

college gets its site. We believe one model should be a model of three

schools. Those who support the amalgamation is offers increased

opportunities for all pupils. It is about educating the best young

people in Enniskillen together, not separating them, but educating them

together so they grow and bounce off each other. Fermanagh has not seen

that yet. Fermanagh has not yet seen the potential of its young people.

The present situation with one school pitched against another is

the result of years of failing to find a local solution. There is now

another public consultation. When it ends next month, the education

minister will then make a final decision.

The Blackford Dolphin oil rig which has become part of the East Belfast

skyline in the past six months has left the Harland and Wolff shipyard.

The rig initially came in for a 60 day refit last November

but it was found to need much more extensive repair work.

About 600 workers have been employed on the project -

with around two thirds brought in from outside Northern Ireland due

This afternoon it began its slow journey to the North Sea

where owners Dolphin Drilling will put it back into service.

You are watching BBC Newsline. Still to come: It has been far too nice to

be cooped up in the office all day. Is this lovely weather going to

continue? I will have the forecast just before 7pm.

Next to the story of an Armagh who escaped, not one

Last week on the programme we marked the anniversary of Ireland's worst

Joe Foster was on that train but, as Gordon Adair reports,

he was to survive many treacherous journeys in his life.

This is Joe Foster and, for our purposes, his story begins here on

12th of June 1889. He was 12 years old, and he and his brother had gone

on the excursion that day. His friend asked him to change seats, he

agreed, and sadly his friend did not survive the disaster. 23 years

later, Joe decided to go to America. A decision which, once again,

brought him face-to-face with disaster. He had heard about this

new shipbuilding, the Titanic, and he thought he would go to America on

the Titanic. Well, his mother was ill, and Joe's plans changed, so he

did not go on the Titanic. His incredible story, however, does not

end there. He was in the 36th Ulster division fighting at the Battle of

the song, and he was one of the few from Armagh that actually survived

and came back to Armagh. Joe talked little about all that had happened.

As children, my mother used to ask him questions about various things.

He talks about the railway disaster, but he never talked about his

experiences in France. He found it too painful. He died at 55, leaving

six children and a remarkable story of destiny and determination.

Many of golf?s big names have made the trip

from North Carolina to County Cork - those chasing the US Open last week

are now focusing on the Irish Open, which tees off on Thursday.

From Fota Island, Stephen Watson reports.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to flock to Fota Island

this week. These, of course, are exciting times for Irish golf. This

tournament will be played in Northern Ireland in 2015 before the

open is staged in 2019. Ireland's most successful golfer is Patrick

Harrington. He is thrilled about the open return. It is unbelievable, the

open coming to Ireland. It was such a long shot. After the Irish open

when two Portrush and they saw the success, it did move on the chances

of the Open Championship coming to Ireland. I'm sure when it does come,

it will be one of the greatest ones ever. One of the greatest open

champions ever is Seve Ballesteros, who won the cup three times. This

week, his son is playing at Royal Portrush in the British amateur

championship. He did not go very straight with the driver, but I am

sure I will manage here, it is really nice to be here. As well as

the amateur and professional tournaments being played north and

south, it is also a big week for one of Northern Ireland's top golfers in

America. Stephanie Meadow plays in the US open. Originally from

Belfast, Stephanie moved to the States 12 years ago with her family

to further her golfing education. After a glittering amateur career,

she is making her professional debut. I have waited a long time. I

have got my degree, and now is the time to turn professional. I am just

hoping I can draw from this experience. I am in the professional

world and I must prove myself. I am excited. Can you be Northern

Ireland's next major champion? Yes, absolutely, I hope so. If you don't

believe in yourself, you will never do it. I believe that I can and I

will try my best. Stephanie has another reason to smile. Her home

club is Royal Portrush. It's officially been

the warmest day of the year so far. Anyone who could has tried

to get outdoors today But, in doing so,

it's easy to forget the damage Our weather presenter Barra

Best can tell us more. It is not often that we get to enjoy

warm days with clear blue skies. So, it is understandable that most of us

take advantage while we can. But, while everything looks nice and

summary, there are hidden dangers. One of which is UV damage from the

sun. So, along with cancer focus Northern Ireland, we got a few

volunteers to come along to Belfast City Hall to have their skin

checked. Within a few minutes, they found out how much they have been

affected. The scammer lets you see beneath the surface layer of the

skin. You can see some signs of sun damage. Index you see how hard your

skin has to work to protect yourself from the sun. I saw white dots and

freckles. Are you covered up today? Yes, I am. I have got make-up on

with SPF, so I am covered up. A little bit shocked. The sun tends to

come very suddenly here. We don't always protect ourselves, especially

the young and elderly. UV rays help us produce vitamins E, but too much

does damage our skins. The world health organisation recommends the

use a factor 15 sunscreen and above. It says that no sunscreen

gives us 100% protection, which is why we should reapply throughout the

day. Over a period of time, the damage can accumulate and you get

premature ageing of the skin, and long-term it could increase the risk

of skin cancer. It does not have to be hot for the UV index to be high

at this time of year, so the advice is to enjoy the sun with care.

Let's get the facts and figures about today's sunshine with Jeff.

A top ten mature of 25 degrees in the manner, and we are set for

something similar over the next few days. It is a lovely, warm evening,

and as we go through this evening we will have temperatures rising to a

warm temperature. We have some clout coming in overnight tonight, so it

will be a bit of a misty start to the day. Overnight lows of 11 or 12

degrees. This was a scene on the coast this morning, and it could be

the same tomorrow morning as the mist and sea fog start the morning.

Inland, we will get some really nice spells of bright sunshine. Lovely as

we go through the day. Because the day has started warm, they just go

up through the day. Up to 23 degrees quite possible, maybe even warmer.

But it could be cooler than that along the coast with those sea

breezes through the afternoon. Generally, it will be a very nice

picture as they go through the day on Wednesday. A little bit of a

change coming in as we get to Thursday as the front moves

through. Things could be a little cloudy from Thursday onwards. High

pressure is still in charge, keeping us nicely protected from both

Atlantic weather systems, but on Thursday we get this weather front

working its way through, said the conditions are a bit cloudier with

some light rain, but temperatures are still quite decent for the time

of year. 15, 16, maybe 17 degrees, which is what we would expect for

this time of year. More cloud on Friday, but temperatures remaining

decent. You can also keep in contact with

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continues on BBC Sport NI...