09/03/2012 BBC Newsline

Good evening, this is BBC BBC Newsline.

Tom Elliott quits as Ulster Unionist leader. We will be talking

to him about his decision. A Belfast businessman who pride to

civil servants may have to hand over �1 million -- who bribed two

civil Stowe -- two civil servants. The spiralling cost of managing one

student area of Belfast. The local scientists boldly going

where no scientists have gone before. We want to know the origins

of life on Earth. We hear from snooker star Mark

Allen about the outspoken comments he made on the tournament he won in

the Far East. A mild weekend, but only the chosen

few will catch a few rays of sunshine.

The old cynic -- the Ulster Unionist leader is once again in

search of a new leader following Tom Elliott's dramatic announcement

that he is quitting after 18 months. He accused some members of his

party of briefing journalists against him. Today members of the

party paid tribute to him after an emergency meeting of the team and

said they were this shocked and surprised about his decision.

I am now do -- I am a new leader of the party. Leading the Ulster

Unionist Party is not for the faint-hearted, as Tom Elliott has

decided. He had a decisive win but was on the defensive from the start.

Attacked from inside his own party and beyond for refusing to attend

the GAA match each, and lashing out at Sinn Fein after it is a poll

think -- a disappointing Paul. see many people with flags today,

some of them with flags from a foreign nation. I will say... I

must say, I am also... Yes, I will. I will expect nothing better. I

would expect nothing better from the scum of Sinn Fein began to come

up with this. He did eventually apologise for his remark, but not

for attending the funeral of a Catholic policeman shot dead by

republican dissidents. Mr Elliott won plaudits for this and facing

down some critical voices in the Orange Order, but this controversy

continued. One Assembly member quit weeks ago and publicly criticised

Tom Elliott for trying to punish him. He made a mistake by choosing

to sack me. I know I have had tremendous support. When Tom

Elliott met his assembly team on Monday as usual, party sources he

said he had something on his mind. Danny Kennedy was coming under

pressure to stand for the leadership. This was discussed at a

party meeting and stories like these seem to have undermined Mr

Elliott's resolved to stay in the job. If there are briefings against

two, the media is running a campaign against you, it clearly

gets to the point where you have to make this judgment call. There is a

time to move on and allow someone to take over. He seemed relieved by

his decision, but members of his assembly team, who met this

afternoon, seemed genuinely shocked. I think to some extent, to some

extent I think, was frustrated with certain aspects. It is a shock that

he has gone, and a loss. There is great shock, surprise and

disappointment that he has taken this decision. We respect it and we

continue to respect him. He will still be a big force in Ulster

Unionist politics. All three of these members, along as -- along

with basil McRae, are seen as potential candidates. None of them

have ruled themselves in or out yet. There is a leadership contest set

by the end of the month. Tom Elliott has refused to be drawn

on who he thinks should succeed him. I asked him to name the party

colleagues he said had been undermining his leadership. I think

over the last number of weeks, some people in the party had been

discontented. What they have done is they have been briefing

journalists. The journalists have been going to other members of the

party, as well as myself, and causing quite considerable upset

within the party ranks. Obviously that left people uneasy. It meant

that people were obviously starting to question where we were going

forward. I took the decision, is it better for me to stay on as party

leader or is it more appropriate for the Ulster Unionist Party that

I leave? At all times in my decisions, the Ulster Unionist

Party has been foremost in my thoughts. Are you going to name

names of these Ceric -- senior members at Stormont? I am still a

member of the party and intend to be. Some of those in the past have

lambasted me personally, and had personal attacks on me, I am not

going down that long -- that road. I would make sure the party moves

forward, with a united front. I am not going to put a knife through

that. What was the final straw for you? Earlier this week, you

announced he would be standing for leadership again. There were a

number of issues, especially over the last 10 days. When you get

journalists continually coming back and saying, a member of a party has

told me this, and reports of private meetings were appearing in

newsprint. This is quite difficult to continue. I had to consider the

Ulster Unionist Party, the integrity of the party and consider

whatever I did was for the best of the party. You sat with me that

this -- in this very studio when he became Leader 18 months ago. Are

you saddened by what has happened? I do not take these decisions

lightly, but could do not apologise for taking on the leadership of the

party. I give the best job I could. -- I did the best job I could, a

reformed internal party structures, moved the party forward with

internal communication structures, and that I am hard of -- proud of.

Will the public cannot see these internal spats, this division, is

this not the final nail in the coffin for the Ulster Unionist

Party? Politics goes round in a circle. Some parties are on a high

point, and in government at times, and some are not. That is very

easily seen within the Republic of Ireland and the UK government, the

Conservative Party were back in government after being out of

favour. It will happen with the Ulster Unionist Party, we will be

back in government again. It is my intention to support the leader and

give he or she that the sport that they deserve and they will need --

the support they deserve and need. I ask and appeal that other members

of the party do the same. Belfast Crown Court has been told a

Belfast businessman at the centre of a corruption scandal who bribe

staff at the Ministry of Defence there may have to pay �1 million in

restitution. Jimmy McGeown received �16 million in contract with the

MoD, he paid �80,000 in bribes to two civil servants.

This is 73 year-old Jimmy McGeown. A successful businessman with all

the trappings of wealth. Today the Crown Court heard he is also a

crook, who bribed Ministry of Defence staff to help when multi-

million-pound contracts for his CCTV business. Between 1999 and

2004, his company, now under new management, one contract's 1 --

worth �60 million to provide security systems for army bases.

The contract process was rigged, Jimmy McGeown was bribing people on

the inside to help his company get the work. Ronnie Knox was the main

beneficiary, a contract manager for the MoD based at feed Field backs.

He took �66,500 in bribes. The other inside man was a quantum leap

so there based in Portadown. -- a quantity surveyor. Whilst Jimmy

McGeown's company carried out �60 million worth of work for the MoD,

the court was told the focus of the case was the extent of the bribery.

The prosecuting QC told the judge that in spite of the corrupt

payments main to buy it Jimmy McGeown, there was no cost to the

public purse. -- made by Jimmy McGeown. There is no evidence that

the MoD did not give value for money for the work that had been

carried out. The principle it defence, he said, was one of

corruption. All three appeared in court although sentencing was

delayed. The court was told they would all face financial penalties,

in Jimmy McGeown's case, after �1 million.

The first photographs of the former First Minister Ian Paisley

recovering after his recent illness have been published. They show the

85 year-old relaxing at home with his wife Eileen, just 10 days after

his release from hospital. Lord Bannside was rushed to the Ulster

Hospital at the Parc de start of last month suffering from heart

problems. The former Moderator of the Free Presbyterian Church fell

ill less than a fortnight after preaching his final sermon as a

minister. You are watching BBC Newsline.

Still to come, a find out why Belfast has to do with stars that

exploded billions of years ago. I am at the stadium where Ireland

are hoping for their first victory against Scotland on home soil since

2008. The captain of the cargo ship that

was in collision with a passenger ferry in Belfast Lough has appeared

in court. 55 year-old Miroslaw Pozniak from Poland is charged with

being over the alcohol limit whilst in charge of his ship last

Wednesday night. Today, through his lawyer, he pleaded guilty at Bangor

court. Miroslaw Pozniak, who has no links with Northern Ireland, will

remain in custody. The annual cost of providing

policing and other services in Belfast's Brit -- Holyland area has

risen to more than 3000 -- �3 million per year. It is very

popular with students, which often causes friction with those who live

there all year round the point It can be troubled and messy, but it

should be vibrant and diverse. Belfast's Holyland has often to

anti-social behaviour, and sometimes more serious trouble. The

cost of policing, wardens, CCTV, housing and other services have

spiralled. Day-to-day costs rose from �500,000 in 2006 to �2.7

million in 2010. There are extra costs associated with special

events like St Patrick's Day. In 2010, does cost �300,000. This adds

up to eight built in 2010 of more than �3 million. If we did not

prove the money in, life would be unbearable for people living there.

They need to have a quality of life. It is not for the ratepayer to pick

the tap up. For those of living here, the figures is no surprise.

We welcome the report, an independent report which has been

put -- which has put what we have been saying on to paper for the

first time. The main thing coming out of the report is the huge short

ball in university provided accommodation for students. Queen's

University is providing more official housing. The University of

Ulster has no plans. The report suggests that is not enough. If you

take comparable cities like Nottingham, Cardiff -- Cardiff or

lead, -- Leeds, there are five students per bed space. The figure

in Belfast is worse, 16 students. have an outstanding private rented

sector, and I think out of all the places in the UK, we have no

regulation of the rented sector, no landlord registration, we need to

sort that out as soon as possible. Neither university would comment on

the report and will the full The chairman of a Dublin tribunal

investigating allegations of collusion has expressed

disappointment at the lack of co- operation from some former RUC

officers. In his report, Judge Peter Smithwick said a small number

of potentially important witnesses had refused to give evidence. It is

investigating the murders of two officers in 1989. They were the two

most senior men killed during the Troubles. Murdered by M I are a hit

squad in 1989 on the way home from a meeting. -- the IRA. Rumours

abounded that a Garda Moll had been informed of the officer's movement

but that was dismissed by the of parities. I reject any suggestion

of that kind. -- authorities. We reject that firmly and clearly.

Investigations found no evidence of collusion but suspicion persisted

and in 2005, the tribunal was set up to investigate. Getting to the

truth of what happened is not easy. The tribunal has heard from 170

witnesses so far, including a bomb maker, former Garda officers, a DUP

MP and an IRA spite. There has been much to eliminate but there has

been claim and counter-claim, confusion and contradiction. A

former British agent claimed he was present when a Garda officer passed

information to the Provisionals and he thought he was implicated in the

murders. This was denied by others and the agent has been described as

an intelligence nuisance. Judge Peter Smithwick will have to decide

who two believed it. But in today's report he said he was disappointed

that some officers were refusing to help with inquiries. He said the

British authorities in Northern Ireland had Heidi relevant

intelligence information regarding pollution but so far no agreement

could be released to put that into evidence. Whether that agreement

could be reached or not, the trial is almost finished, with a small

number of witnesses yet to appear, including free officers under the

spotlight. They might hear from an IRA man directly involved and a

former agent from the British Army. The dying days of the tribunal

Just a look ahead to what is coming up on Newsline next week and we

reveal the extent of shocking animal cruelty in the countryside.

We have had access to a USPCA operation targeting badger-baiting.

These men are in the countryside intending to kill badgers. Country

been -- USPCA has tracked them and we are showing images of badgers

been attacked. We are looking at the affect on animals involved and

the extraordinary lengths at USPCA is going to to stop the activity

and we are asking if more can be done to bring these gangs to

justice. That is all next week. A Queen's University scientist has

been chosen to lead a search to discover the first chemical

elements and how they were created. The team has got funding of almost

�2 million to look deep into space for the first exploding stars. Here

To boldly go where few other scientists have gone before, to the

edge of the universe. They are looking for the first supernova.

Stars that exploded billions of years before and build the universe

today. Be team are planning to use substantial funding to search deep

into space. They are looking for the light from the first exploding

stars. But East Belfast the best place to start? It would be a

terrible place if we had inferior equipment but we have got the best

telescopes on Earth and we are frequent users of them. We have got

internet connectivity and eat is easy to do top level astronomy from

Belfast and any university. They have discovered that they can strip

away identical images by computers, taking different times and leaving

just the very start they are looking for. We want to understand

the origins of the solar system and life on her and the fundamental

building blocks like carbon, silicon and oxygen. These were

formed in explosions. We want to push that back to the earliest

stages when chemical elements were formed. It could take many years to

find the first exploding star but after billions of years, it is

probably worth the wait. You will hear it first on Newsline if they

discover these stars. We have heard from the Irish Olympians of 1948

but first, the rest of the sport. Mark Allen has come back home with

the coveted World Snooker Open title which he got last weekend.

But it has been eclipsed by comments he made about China on

Twitter. He has told BBC Newsline he expects to be disciplined by the

governing body but said he would continue to speak his mind.

home club in Antrim is a far cry from China but Mark Allen is not

far from controversy. He described the venue hosting the event as

horrendous and ski arena rubbish and toilet inadequate. There is a

lot of truth in what I said. It is a different culture as I talked

about before. I had to adapt but the facilities and the venue, in

Marks out of 10, it was definitely nothing. It was that bad. It was

not very nice for us to come over and they are trying to encourage us

to participate in these events but the standards were not good enough.

The body has described his remarks as extremely disappointing. I was

expressing my opinion. It gets me into trouble now and again and I am

sure I will get reprimanded but it is just an opinion at the end of

Ballymena United Football Club will contest the Irish Cup semi-final

after role. It was expected they would be expelled from the

competition after fielding an ineligible player, Alan Davison,

who got the winner against Newry. But the authority said a opinion

indicated that he had been eligible to play. Steven Davis is one of a

number of Rangers players that might accept it's a 75 % pay cut in

an attempt to avoid redundancy as the club fights for survival. In

view of the doom and gloom surrounding Rangers, Scottish

Sports needs a lift and the rugby team is hoping to spring a surprise

against Ireland in the Six Nations. But Ireland, led by an Ulsterman

tomorrow, need a victory to get Tomorrow, he will be walking out as

the captain but today, alongside Declan Kidney, it was all about

perfecting the structure as Ireland try to salvage pride from the

remaining matches. Too much is left. Four points are available and that

is the great thing about the Six Nations against other countries. It

is a different challenge and every game will throw up different

scenarios and that is what makes it a fantastic competition and long

may that continue and tomorrow will be another one of these games.

last time, they prevented Ireland from getting the Triple Crown. But

this time round, Scotland are hoping to avoid picking up the

wooden spoon. There is pressure on you and from your friends, your

family and your fellow Scottish people and people watching the game.

There will always be pressure. You do not feel it more. It is always

going to be there. The stadium will host Scotland for the first time

tomorrow and Scotland will be hoping to end a run of five

successive defeats. Ireland will be hoping to start Rory Best's ten-

year with victory. -- career. They have never qualified for the

Olympics but the men and women's hockey teams have got a chance for

2012. The Irish hockey teams are not familiar with this attention

but it all goes according to plan, the men and women's teams could

qualify for the Olympic Games for the very first time. That is if

they win a qualification tournament, starting with the men tomorrow in

Dublin. I think the last few years of qualification have seen Ireland

finish six, 4th, third and the natural progression would be into

the finals. That would be delightful. The way we are training,

it is another tournament. As much as we have got the glory of

qualification, we have got it ends after this tournament and the

Olympics. We have got life after 2012. It is important but we have

got the big picture. That is to stop the trickle of Irish players

playing for Great Britain instead of Ireland. We hope every player in

Ireland will play for asked. We have struggled financially and we

cannot offer what other countries camp. Team GB is one of them. But

we can create a mind set and attitude and expectation and I

think the players recognise that. Qualification would certainly help

The second round of the Gulf world championship event is underway in

Miami and Rory MacIlroy has started seven behind the leader. -- golf.

He had an eagle on the first hole and followed that with an

impressive approach for a birdie on the second but dropped shots on the

third and is just one under par. Graeme McDowell is on the same. He

has been in fantastic form before, four under on the first four holes.

But not good Paul Darren Clarke, three Labour. The hockey players

are trying to qualify. -- freak over par. The Olympic Council of

Ireland on the surviving members of The 14th Olympiad of the modern era.

The athletes of the nations gather to pit their strength and skill. 4

B team of 1948, the category was bureaucratic. -- for the Irish team

of 1948. They were parading under this banner instead of Ireland and

some athletes refused to co-operate. Other athletes were denied the

right to compete because some team members were from Northern Ireland.

We had team members from Northern Ireland on the team and we were

told that we had to have an Irish Free State. People were getting

rejected. People from the south could take part and the North were

getting ignored and we said, no way. We are the same team and we get

together or not at all. Were you devastated because you could not

compete? The standards were so poor. Do not beat last anyway! Given the

widespread rationing, the Olympics became known as the austerity Games.

When they were released at the opening, we had thousands of

pigeons cooped up. They were flying everywhere. We were disappearing.

But it was great. Some 64 years after the London Games, the former

Olympians were presented with a What a lovely day. Now the weather.

Mild weather is here and will stay for a few days and not just for the

weekend. Dry weather to come. Sunshine will be in pretty short

supply and a lot of cloud, much as we had today. Cloud across Northern

Ireland. This system brought rain. Not heavy but quite persistent at

times and that reduced visibility and left puddles. Overcast tonight

and a bit disappointing if you were hoping to get better conditions. In

the centre and the south, it will fragment tonight. But we will get a

bit of rain. Fog and mist but it is mild with temperatures and 10

degrees. That stays this weekend. Cloudy and dry, apart from these

places tomorrow morning in the north. But rain and that will be

edging north and by the time we get to the after being, dry. -- after

lunch time. We have got a chance that we might get a bit of rain in

the east but it will be mild and at about 14 degrees. A chance of

bright conditions for the islands- Scotland match. Pretty mild at 13

degrees. -- Island-Scotland. More cloud but still mild at 12 degrees.