13/05/2016 BBC Newsline

The Ulster Unionist leader, Mike Nesbitt, has called

for new seating arrangements in the Assembly chamber

to reflect his party's decision to go into opposition.

The DUP and Sinn Fein have both rejected the idea.

Our political correspondent Gareth Gordon begins his report

with Mr Nesbitt's challenge yesterday to other parties.

Let battle commence. Battle number one. Seating arrangements. And

Stormont, Sinn Fein and the DUP face each other across the chamber even

though they are a government together but at Westminster, the

government sits on one side of the chamber, the opposition on the

other. That is the model Mike Nesbitt once in the future. If they

don't want to sit side-by-side, why are they sitting side-by-side as

partners in government? If they don't change the seating

arrangements, if they have embarrassed and or reluctance to sit

together, we're not in for a very progressive five years. What is the

DUP think? We asked the First Minister as she spent the afternoon

at the Balmoral show. It is not Westminster, this is a devolved

administration in Northern Ireland and I will sit where I sit and Sinn

Fein will continue to sit where they sit. There will be no change and I

won the election and unionism is with me on these matters. John

McCallister lost his assembly seat last week. But he believes if the

SDLP Johnny Ulster Unionist Party in opposition, they have to work

closely together. I think strength is in numbers, and on certain

issues, you come together over the course of a five year term, they

might eventually look more like an alternative Executive. Talks on the

programme for government resume here on Monday, including the SDLP and

the Alliance Party. For now at least, Gareth Gordon, BBC News Lang,

Stormont. A 28-year-old man who died in a car

crash in County Down this morning The crash happened on Newcastle Road

near Castlewellan at Mr Shaw's car was the only

vehicle involved. A 51-year-old man has been charged

with attempted murder in connection with a shooting in north Belfast

earlier this week. He's to appear in court tomorrow

morning, where he will also face It follows a gun attack on a man

in his 20s in an alley between Sheridan Street

and Donore Court on Monday morning. The motorbike racer Ryan Farquhar is

still seriously ill after crashing The Dungannon rider was airlifted

to hospital last night. Stephen Watson is at the racing

event for BBC Newsline. Ryan Fox what is one of Northern

Ireland's biggest road racing stars. He had previously retired but made a

comeback last year. He remains in a serious condition after last week's

crash. The hospital says news is more positive and its three other

riders will ride tomorrow. This report starts with footage of the

crash. The incident happened just after the bridge on the coast road

as Ryan Farquhar battled with Cooper for the lead. The race was red

flagged and paramedics attended the scene. Ryan Farquhar was airlifted

to the royal Victoria hospital in Belfast and underwent surgery.

Cooper was taken to the Causeway hospital and discharged overnight.

The thoughts of the competitors here are with Ryan and his family. We

were sitting on the pit lane. I heard a big roar, like a gas from

everybody and I went over and asked one of my friends and he was

distraught. I thought, that is not good, our thoughts are with Ryan and

down came off as well and hopefully he is all right, get well soon to

him. There are six races tomorrow and one interested spectator. As a

four time world Superbike winner and a world quest winner in 1993. Should

be some great racing. It is hard to say who is going to win. Several

guys could win the big race tomorrow, really looking forward to

it. The man they will all be chasing is the most successful rider in the

history of the event. Thousands of people are flocking to the north

coast for tomorrow, roads closed at 9:30am and you can see all the

racing live on the BBC sport website.

Stephen Watson at the North West 200.

The famous landmark of Malin Head in County Donegal is welcoming some

The latest instalment of the Star Wars series is due

It's prompted huge excitement in the area,

Actor Mark Hamill who plays Luke Skywalker at Belfast International

Airport this morning. He and other actors were arriving to film a scene

for the next blockbuster in Malin Head head -- Malin Head in county

Donegal. A massive construction has been taking place on the edge of the

Atlantic but is it the famous millennium Falk and spaceship? Yes,

for sure, but people might be disappointed if they are expecting

to see the full-sized Falcon, it is only the underbelly of it. We have a

feeling they are either shooting from underneath or they will CGI the

rest of it later on. The roads were closed off earlier this morning and

local people were given special passes to allow them to move around

freely. There is no doubt the fourth is in Malin Head. It has been a

dream. I missed out in Kerry last year, they were filming there and I

was going to take a trip but it was a seven Hour Drive. Here they were

coming here, it is unreal, I had to get up. It is fabulous, a dream come

true. And to be filmed in this little corner of the country, we

don't really get much up here. Hollywood a list Mark Hamill has

been known to drop in on the locals. He certainly feels right at home.

Plenty of star spotters, we haven't seen many stars as yet. But the

camera s rolling today and all over this weekend, the roads are closed.

So we are nearly not allowed to get a shot of them but plenty of people

are trying. This Week in the WWE. Some flight restrictions are now

believed to be in place, the only thing in the air today, a

transatlantic jet, no sign of any spaceships.

Golf, and Rory McIlroy, after an indifferent start

yesterday, has had a sensational second round at the Players'

The World No three began the day on level par,

In a whirlwind start, he picked up seven shots

in the opening seven holes and ended his round at 8-under -

which is now just four shots off the lead and back in contention

I felt the greens getting a little firmer, the wind gets up a little

bit. So you have to take advantage of your tea-time in the morning and

thankfully I was able to do that. -- tee on. It could have been a couple

no but it is a great round and moves me up the leaderboard and hopefully

I am not too far away going into the weekend.

Onto the weekend weather outlook now, with Barra Best.

Hello there, we have a pretty good forecast.

So tonight, it is going to be dry, temperatures typically staying

at about 5 or 6 degrees although things getting a little bit

chillier by morning in some areas where the sky does clear.

As for tomorrow, it will be a cooler feeling day but it will be dry.

There will be plenty of sunshine from the beginning of the day.

Now elsewhere, it is going to be pretty good, but if you are heading

towards the North West 200 tomorrow, wrap up warm, a northerly wind

But across the board, Ireland and Britain,

largely dry and plenty of sunshine, maybe one or two showers dotted

along the east coast of Britain, driven in by a wind,

So for Northern Ireland for the second part of the day,

plenty of sunshine out there and away from the winds,

in sun-trapped areas, it will feel quite nice.

A bit of a chilly night to come tomorrow night,

We may see a slight grass frost in a few places but Sunday,

like Saturday, will be fairly decent, plenty of dry weather.

Always cooler towards the north coast, 10 or 11 degrees.

But inland, we should get around 14 or maybe even 15.

There is good news as we look ahead towards Monday, more dry

weather in the forecast, and it is not until Tuesday that

things begin to turn a little bit more grey and wet.

That's it from BBC Newsline until 5.20pm tomorrow evening.

In the meantime you can keep updated with News online and

From all of us here on the programme,

Goodnight and have a great weekend.