01/04/2016 BBC Newsline

We start with some news just in and a man has died in a house

It's thought it happened around six o'clock this evening

Nearly 100,000 low paid local workers got a pay rise today

with the introduction of a National Living Wage.

The new rate of ?7.20 an hour is for workers aged 25

and above and represents a 50p uplift on the minimum wage.

Its impact will be felt most in the hospitality,

Our business correspondent Julian O'Neill has more.

The pace week there will be felt in this small bakery in Newtownards and

in many, many other businesses. Good news on the shop floor but there is

concern, and this company isn't alone, in wondering how it will

afford in what is a compulsory rise. We may have to shorten the working

day. And we may need to lose staff, I hope it doesn't come to that. It

is very difficult. Where do we get the extra money from? This woman is

a clean and one of tens of thousands of workers benefiting from a hump in

the wage. She has two jobs and says this increase doesn't make up for

years of poor pay. You're already playing catch up anyway so it isn't

going to make a big impact. Somebody working 30 hours and getting ?15 a

week, what does ?15 get you? Not much. Look at the crisis of stuff in

the shops. The local hospitality sector will see the greatest impact.

One in every three employees in this labour force will move to the new

rate. This Belfast hotel is part of a larger operation with 600 staff on

its payroll. Living costs are going up so it's only appropriate that our

staff are rewarded appropriately. But it will have an impact on our

business and on our bottom line, and the financial impact for us is

?300,000 a year. The union organised event demanding an even higher

hourly wage was barely noticeable in Belfast at lunchtime. Pay levels

here are among the lowest in the UK and today will not alter that. Even

with this boost to so many wage packets.

A Dungannon woman serving time in jail in Peru for drug smuggling

Michaella McCollum was arrested with another woman at Lima airport

A court will now decide when she's allowed to return home.

What's your name? Michaella McCollum. What's your nationality?

Irish. Michaella McCollum was arrested trying to leave Peru with

?1.5 million worth of cocaine. The two women had said they were coerced

but later pleaded guilty to drug smuggling. In December 20 13th they

were jailed for six years and eight months. Yesterday evening, it of

over two years into their sentence, Michaella McCollum was released from

prison. It followed a successful application for parole. Her

solicitor had revisited described conditions in the jail as horrendous

and attempts were being made to transfer her to a prison in Northern

Ireland. This won't be necessary. One man with her in court this week

says she will be doing community work with his church and others

under the terms of her parole. She handled herself extremely well. She

wants her life to be different. And she gave evidence before the judge

of the seriousness of her intent. She did her time. It isn't a walk in

the park here. Michaella McCollum has been spending time with family.

It'll still be up to the Parisian court to decide when she might

return home. Those responsible for putting

the personal details of a serving police officer on social

media have been described The officer in question was on duty

during a junior Orange parade in South Belfast on Tuesday

where CS spray was used. Today, a 12-year-old boy affected

by the spray described Sitting beside his dad, this is the

child who says he was told he was lucky not to have lost his eyesight

after an incident involving the use of CS spray. He was appearing at a

news conference organised by the Progressive Unionist party. The 12

old was with his grandad taking part in the junior Orange parade.

Scuffles broke out join the return leg of the parade, involving some

police officer s and bandsmen. It started stinging and burning. It

really hurt. I had to go to the opticians the next day. What are

they say? They said I was lucky not to lose my side. The PSNI so they

don't accept their officer made a mistake. We really regret to young

people have been caught up with the effects of CS spray. That would

never, ever have been our intention but a set of circumstances unfolded,

officers believe they needed to defend themselves and CS spray was

used. It is now for the police ombudsman to determine whether this

was appropriate. The 12-year-old's dad would like him to continue with

the band despite what happened. Obviously, I am concerned. It's

never happened before. I've been in the band 23 years, and nothing has

ever happened like that before. As I say, I wouldn't want it to happen to

anyone else, no matter what faith. As for the policeman in the centre

of this, he has had to move house after his photograph, name and

address appeared on social media. I call on all people who identified

this policeman to take action on to them. That was irresponsible in the

extreme. It is unforgivable. On the day 49 new PSNI recruits graduated,

the police say it is their duty to protect everyone. Not everyone

agrees. In rugby, Ulster have beaten

Connaught 18-10 in the Pro-12 Ulster did enough against their

interprovincial rivals thanks to some experienced campaigners.

Ireland captain Best was back to lead the team and after two early

penalties, Best went over for the try. More of the same for the home

side after the break. This was the second try, Gilroy. Connacht refuse

to lie down and Blade touchdown as the visitors came back to within

eight points. The men in white held on for a significant win. Ulster

have three games remaining in the push for the play-offs, which starts

in two weeks' time away to Zebre. Glenavon are through to

the Irish Cup final after beating Crusaders in a high scoring

semifinal at Windsor Park tonight. Matthew Snoddy fired Crusaders

in front after 24 minutes. But Kevin Braniff had Glenavon back

on level terms after three minutes Straight from the kick-off Snoddy

made it 2-1 for the Crues, Braniff equalised for Glenavon

just before the break. And it was the man of the match

Kevin Braniff who scored the decisive goal and his fourth

of the night to make it four, Glenavon will meet either Linfield

or Lurgan Celtic in the final next And now with the weekend weather

forecast here's Geoff Maskell. It has been a different day. The

rain that moved in last night stayed with us through the daylight hours.

It is gradually sinking away overnight tonight, but it isn't

saying goodbye. It'll be back. Behind the rain, we have some

clearer, cooler air, meaning the temperatures will drop away tonight.

In some rural spots, temperatures down to two or three degrees, which

means there is the chance of mist book or fog. We stayed dry

overnight, which won't last because as the front makes its return, it

pushes up slowly north and west through the day so while we start

off dry, it won't take long for the skies to count over and for the rain

to return. You get a very good sense of what's going on in this wider

view. For London and the south-east, top temperatures are at 15. To the

north of that front, much cooler, which is where we find ourselves.

It'll be a cooler day on Saturday and with the rain spreading through

all parts, it would be pleasant. We won't see a sunset like that on

Saturday night. The good news is things improve on Sunday. A few

showers around early on, then it is going to be drier, bright and warm

as we go through the second half of the weekend with temperatures up to

11 or 12. So, pretty respectable for the time of year. Things continue to

improve as we head into the start of next week.

Our next BBC Newsline is at six o'clock tomorrow evening.

You can also keep updated with News Online.