:00:11. > :00:13.Good evening. The top stories: In court - two men in Jersey are
:00:13. > :00:17.charged in connection with a million pound drug smuggling ring.
:00:17. > :00:20.Plus, as Jersey's same sex couples celebrate the right to a civil
:00:20. > :00:24.partnership, why is Guernsey lagging behind?
:00:24. > :00:34.And voters put the candidates on the spot as Guernsey gets into
:00:34. > :00:40.
:00:40. > :00:43.Good evening. Two men, charged in connection with an investigation
:00:43. > :00:46.into a million pound drug trafficking ring in Jersey and the
:00:47. > :00:49.UK, have today been denied bail. Liam Norris and Benjamin Bishop
:00:49. > :00:53.appeared in Jersey Magistrate's court following the seizure of six
:00:53. > :00:58.thousand pounds worth of cannabis and thousands of pounds in cash in
:00:58. > :01:01.the island. Edward Sault was there. Drugs officers from Jersey have
:01:01. > :01:04.been working with a UK force carrying out simultaneous raids,
:01:04. > :01:09.with the combined operation seizing cannabis with a street total value
:01:09. > :01:11.of a million pounds. Raids were co- ordinated with police officers in
:01:11. > :01:16.Staffordshire after an investigation into suspected drug
:01:16. > :01:20.trafficking. 31-year-old Liam Norris from St Saviour is charged
:01:20. > :01:22.with possession and intent to supply and with supplying drugs.
:01:22. > :01:30.Meanwhile, 22-year-old Benjamin Bishop, originally from
:01:31. > :01:34.Northallerton, is charged with possession with intent to supply.
:01:34. > :01:37.This morning, in court number two behind me, Relief Magistrate Peter
:01:37. > :01:41.Harris was also told of a further charge in connection with Bishop -
:01:41. > :01:45.that he was found to be in possession of cannabis at his home
:01:45. > :01:47.address in Jersey on the 16th of February this year. In court, both
:01:47. > :01:50.prosecution and defence lawyers made pleas for and against bail
:01:50. > :01:54.being granted to Norris and Bishop. The defence claiming both had
:01:54. > :01:57.families and the risk of them interfering with witnesses was low.
:01:57. > :02:00.But, after an adjournment, the magistrate said that risk was too
:02:00. > :02:03.high. Both - standing in suits, shirts and ties with their hands
:02:03. > :02:06.around their backs - were told they would be remanded in custody.
:02:06. > :02:10.They'll appear again here on the third of May.
:02:10. > :02:16.A bank that has operated in Jersey for 30 years is pulling out of the
:02:16. > :02:18.island. More than 50 jobs are at risk at the Allied Irish Bank in
:02:19. > :02:22.Jersey. Staff were told this morning that it's winding down
:02:22. > :02:25.operations here and in the Isle of Man. It says it's because of
:02:25. > :02:31.ongoing uncertainty for the industry. It will cease trading
:02:31. > :02:37.from Jersey at the end of 2013. is disappointing and concerning to
:02:37. > :02:46.the staff involved but not entirely unexpected. Allied Irish Bank is
:02:46. > :02:49.there nationalised bank and is going to be an Irish League
:02:49. > :02:53.domestically focused bank again. Gay couples in Jersey now have the
:02:53. > :02:56.right to a civil partnership. It means they have the same legal
:02:56. > :03:00.rights as married couples. But there are concerns that Guernsey is
:03:00. > :03:08.still lagging behind when it comes to updating its laws. Nafisa Sayani
:03:08. > :03:14.reports. As a symbol of my love...
:03:14. > :03:18.momentous occasion that all couples on Jersey can now enjoy. The law on
:03:18. > :03:22.the island changed this month to allow same-sex couples have their
:03:22. > :03:28.relationship legally recognised. Steven Edwards has spent years
:03:28. > :03:35.campaigning for this and is delighted at Jenai is finally over
:03:35. > :03:40.-- the journey is over. We are a very fair Ireland and the quality
:03:40. > :03:46.is important to most people. I am pleased Jersey has stood by what I
:03:46. > :03:54.thought it was. But it is still early days and there has been no
:03:54. > :04:00.mad rush at the register office. have had people inquire who are
:04:00. > :04:05.waiting for the Law to come in and they make contact or send an e-mail.
:04:06. > :04:09.It is gradually building. But it is an opportunity that couples in
:04:09. > :04:15.Guernsey still do not have and with the government lagging behind, some
:04:15. > :04:21.say now is the time for action. is another rights issue and it is
:04:21. > :04:25.something they need to address and direct their resources that because
:04:25. > :04:30.I believe, in this day and age, that the right of the individual to
:04:30. > :04:34.be able to conduct they affairs - might their affairs in whatever
:04:34. > :04:39.manner they choose should be right up there on the agenda. Steven is
:04:39. > :04:43.now looking forward to tying the knot with his partner of 16 years.
:04:43. > :04:49.It might have been a long time coming but he says it is definitely
:04:49. > :04:52.Two people arrested in connection with a serious assault on a man in
:04:52. > :04:56.Guernsey have been released without charge. It follows an attack on a
:04:56. > :05:00.man in a house on Mount Durand in the early hours of Tuesday. Another
:05:00. > :05:03.man, who's 28, was arrested yesterday. The victim who had to be
:05:03. > :05:05.rushed to hospital is recovering well according to the police. No-
:05:05. > :05:10.one has been charged in relation to the incident.
:05:10. > :05:12.Education, unemployment and housing. Just some of the big issues that
:05:12. > :05:16.came up at Guernsey's first hustings meetings ahead of the
:05:16. > :05:20.election in two weeks' time. And last night candidates in the West
:05:20. > :05:25.and St Sampsons were put on the spot. Penny Elderfield reports.
:05:25. > :05:33.They came, they listened, they questioned. A room of voters, a
:05:33. > :05:36.panel of potential deputies wanting to represent their parish. And it
:05:36. > :05:41.was the same out in the Western district as the candidates there
:05:41. > :05:51.faced the public too. But back in St Sampsons, what were the big
:05:51. > :05:53.
:05:53. > :05:58.issues for voters? Parking and social security. They have to sort
:05:58. > :06:04.out this kerbside recycling for us. I would like to see the deputies do
:06:04. > :06:09.more for the ordinary man on the street and less for finance.
:06:09. > :06:15.then there were more of these. desperately-needed housing. What
:06:15. > :06:23.would you be prepared to do to get something done about it? What
:06:23. > :06:30.initiatives would you introduce...? A lot of the issues where issues
:06:30. > :06:36.that were met on the doorstep. I think it achieved its objective.
:06:36. > :06:42.But did the public agree? I am not going to vote for some people. I
:06:42. > :06:48.think I have changed my mind. has opened up my mind to even more
:06:48. > :06:53.and we can only vote for six. will ensure that young people use
:06:53. > :06:57.their votes more. Out where stand- up north, these were the first of
:06:57. > :07:07.many hustings across the island as the public is ready to pick
:07:07. > :07:12.Guernsey's next government. The Jersey People's Choir was only
:07:12. > :07:22.formed a few months ago but it is taking on a big event, the town
:07:22. > :07:56.
:07:56. > :08:00.If it sounds professional that is because they have been practising
:08:00. > :08:05.for the performance of their lives. The choir only formed a few months
:08:05. > :08:09.ago but have had to learn a complex choral piece commissioned by the
:08:09. > :08:16.BBC. It is called the passion and will be performed at this year's
:08:16. > :08:19.Easter Mass. It involves the community as opposed to either
:08:19. > :08:28.auditioned folk or people who have been in something for quite a while.
:08:28. > :08:36.I think it is tremendous, basically, because the theme of the whole work
:08:36. > :08:41.was for everyone. And it is for everyone. Require say they feel
:08:41. > :08:48.confident and have a range of tactics to cope with nerves. We are
:08:48. > :08:58.a big group and can hide a bit. Just practising a lot. A large,
:08:58. > :09:02.
:09:02. > :09:07.deep breaths, I think! That is all The performance will be on Good
:09:07. > :09:17.Friday. They hope it will be a mixture of raising their hearts to
:09:17. > :09:24.
:09:24. > :09:31.And now I look at the Bank Holiday Did evening. I think we have dry
:09:31. > :09:36.weather to look forward to and some sunshine. -- good evening. We see
:09:36. > :09:42.some rain arriving on Easter Sunday and a change in wind direction over
:09:42. > :09:52.the next three days. At the moment, we still have those north-east wins.
:09:52. > :09:54.
:09:55. > :10:04.Some players died tonight for a while before we see more cloud from
:10:05. > :10:21.
:10:21. > :10:31.By late morning and early afternoon, the son will be back out. Lighter
:10:31. > :10:48.
:10:48. > :10:58.winds also say feeling quite a bit Any beach exposed to the north will
:10:58. > :11:02.
:11:02. > :11:07.Not too bad for Saturday but it will cloud over on Sunday and maybe
:11:07. > :11:17.a little light drizzle, especially late in the day. On Monday, we see
:11:17. > :11:18.
:11:18. > :11:21.south-west wins and outbreaks of And finally, a wartime mine has
:11:21. > :11:25.been detonated in Jersey. It was destroyed this afternoon after
:11:25. > :11:28.being moved to Seymour Tower in Grouville Bay. The live shell was a
:11:28. > :11:35.type used by the Germans during the Occupation. Bomb disposal experts