26/03/2012 BBC Newsline

Good evening. In is BBC Newsline. The headlines. 160 jobs are at risk

as the Game store groups hits insolvency. Following our

investigation into badger baiting we are with the police and the

USPCA as they carry out more raids. He was on the settee and I woke up

with a guy hold Meg down, wanting to know where the money was.

Belfast pensioner injured when he fought off a gang of robbers. 500

people a week being reassessed for incapacity benefit. Nearly a

quarter are told you are fit for work. The public inquiry into the

deaths of five children hears mounting criticism of hospitals.

Join me for the details. Success for the Belfast golfer in Morocco

and for our cricketers in Dubai. They celebrated qualification for

the World Cup and two of the players will be joining me live

here in the studio. And another glorious day, and it still is as

you can see from the live pictures from Helen's Bay. I will have the

latest and I will tell you what it was like on the day the BBC first

broadcast the weather on radio. Over 100 jobs are being lost with

the closure of most of the Game stores in Northern Ireland. Admin

stray twors called in to the chain today. Our business correspondent

is with me. So tell us more about this retail group, Game. The Game

group is a major high street retail chain and it trades under the name

Game. It sells computer games and the hard wear, things like

PlayStations, Xboxs, there are 609 branchs in the United Kingdom and

Ireland. Employing more than 5,000 people. What we were told this

afternoon is the 277 of those, so almost half, are to close. That

will affect more than 2,000 staff across the UK and Ireland.

specifically Northern Ireland, what is the picture there? A higher

proportion of stores will close here, we have 18 in Northern

Ireland, 18 branches, 13 will close, and that will mean a loss of 110

jobs, now of the five that will remain open and continue to trade.

Two of those are in wells -- Belfast, they fb in Londonderry the

Richard Monday centres Game store will remain open. The admin they

have fors have said they are doing whatever they can to assist staff

to help them and sort out what redundancy entitlements they might

be due. We have lost so many retail jobs, did this come as a surprise?

Not really. The company over extended many felt in 2007 when it

bought Game station. They told the Stock Exchange they intended

calling in the administrator, once they do that supply lines dry up.

Today's announcement there was an inevitability, what wasn't known

the extent it would affect stores here in Northern Ireland. For now

sh thank you. A pensioner from Belfast says he will never leave

his front door open again after three masked robbers came in

demanding money. The 73-year-old man and his elderly sister who has

learning difficulty were left traumatised. Brian him bg said he

was targeted because of a rumour that he had won 20,000 in the

bookies. I was lying having a doze. Next thing I woke one a guy holding

me down, wanting to know where the money was. He left go of me. He

went out an told the other guy, "You watch him" once I got the

opportunity of getting up, I pushed him out of the road, I have a

little coin box that I save, just for the kids, and I lifted it and I

threw it out the window, hoping to break the window. It didn't break

the window but it made a lot of noise. He panicked. Called his

friends to get out, they ran, I ran out behind him. Not knowing there

was one still to come, and when I turned round, outside on the

pathway, this other one came flying out my door, hit me in the chest

and knock me out into the street. Where I hurt myself, split the back

of my head open, hurt my back and elbow. If you can learn from me,

keep your door locked, because themselves these people don't care

Had been an agonising wait for each Five families. Several concerns

mismanagement of fluids and she was able to reveal that the consultant

paediatric anaesthetist in Adam's case hasn't admitted he did manage

the correct amount of fluid but it was put into Adam's body at a very

high rate, perhaps at rate his body couldn't cope with. It was reveal

had the kidney transplant procedure took something like 32 hours, the

recommended guidelines suggest 22 hours. On the issue of record

keeping, the records were so badly kept, the inquiry at this stage

can't establish who attended the kidney transplant operation. There

was a emotional evidence. His mother painted a very vivid picture

of her son. That is right. Speaking through senior counsel to the

inquiry, Deborah said her son was simply adorable. She said he was a

beautiful child, well-mannered who loved imitating his grandfather.

She said he was full of fun, used to walk behind him with his ars

shouldn't be lost. -- arms P Thank you. The police have arrested three

people involved in alleged badger baiting. As we vealed in our recent

series of reports the illegal persecution of badgers continues.

The animals are killed by dogs who are seriously injured themselves. I

must warn you there are distressing images from the start of our next

report. Our reporter joined the police and UPCA officers as they

carried out the raids. BBC Newsline's investigation into

badger baiting revealed the sickening cruelty of this blood

sport. Badgers are torn to death by dogs, who are themselves often

badly injured. Today was the culmination of a two-year operation

by the USPCA against people suspected of being involved. It

marked the end of an operation run by police officers and animal

welfare groups. Here police officers were briefed. They were

shown graphic footage of badger baiting. The silence shoebg of

their shock at what they were seeing. Raids took place in Belfast,

At this farm officers found several dogs in cages. The police seized

two of the animals. Lakeland terrier and Patterdale terrier. The

dogs were taken to be examined by vets. Three people were detained

during raids in Belfast. The USPCA says it has received plenty of

information since the issue was highlighted. We are amazed at the

feedback there has been. The helpline has been ringing literally

off the hook since we did this work. And I understand the BBC have had a

massive impact as well, so that is what this is about. This is to

highlight and expose and show this activity for what it is.

organisations say it thought badger baiting mite have been a myth

before it started looking into the problem. Now there is no doubt

Despite the complaints the minister says the system is fine. The

appeals system is working, and the main reason why you get changes,

from the cases that we have seen so far and it is a limited number. The

main reason is that additional medical evidence is provided by the

customer. So far out of 67,000 claimant, just over 9 thousand have

been reassessed. A quarter have been told they are no longer

entitle to the benefit. Almost half were found to be fit for some form

of work, they will be helped to find a job. And almost a third were

found to be unfit for work. They will stay on benefits and be

reassessed every year. If it continues like this, 18,000 people

could find they are expected to start applying for jobs. The system

has its critics. You can be in the middle of cancer treatment and be

found fit for work, fluctuating conditions for example, not

properly taken into account in this test. Progressive condition, one we

know are going to get worse, the test is not sensitive enough to

that. It is flawed in that there are a number of people who for

example could barely get into a workplace and can still be found

fit for work, even though their disability prevents them from

getting to work. One woman knows what he means. Currently undergoing

treatment for cancer, and reassessed as fit for work, she

contacted BBC Newsline. Today, she says the minister's comments

haven't helped. I have been let down, I worked all my life. I am

entitled to be sick. I am entitled basically to go through any

treatment, to get my head together, try to get back to work, when I'm

ready. Not when they are telling me that I'm ready. I do think it has

let a lot of people down. Personally it has let me down.

you have lost incapacity benefit fitted you can appeal. 40% of the

appeals have been sunk successful so far. Critics say that means the

system is flawed. The minister says it means it is mostly working.

Years of antagonism between prison officers and management could be

coming to an end. The union that represents officers has reached ap

agreement with the Department of Justice on new working practises,

our Home Affairs correspondent reports. Over staffed, but under

performing. Is how the prison service had been described in

recent years. The union that represents Prison Officers, the POA

has been characterised as an obstacle to change. But that now

appears to have changed. After several months of negotiation, the

prison service and the POA have agreed in prince a way forward.

khruends changes to shift patterns The reforms will mean new faces as

well as new working practices. 151 experienced prison officers will

leave this Friday as part of a voluntary redundancy scheme. They

will be replaced later this year by new recruits on lower salaries.

An independent study of problems in Belfast's Holyland says there needs

to be a city-wide student housing strategy. The report by Belfast

City Council said that a long-term plan to reclaim the area by

encouraging a better mix of housing. It has cost up to �3 million a year

to retain the Holyland in south Belfast and things like day-to-day

policing, cleaning and other services. To save money and improve

community relations, the report says there are too many privately

rented houses with far too many occupants. The universities want to

come up with an list of accredited land thought that goes beyond basic

legal requirements. Landlords whose houses meet that standard can't

sign up for the scheme, it is almost like a brokerage. We would

encourage all students to go through that skin. There are some

serious issues in Belfast. As long as we can make it work, we will all

be looking at every option. residents' group welcomes this

report. They would like a couple of the access roads closed. At long

last, we have something in black and white in that we have been

signed for a decade but hopefully we also have a plan that someone at

ministerial level will take on board. With ever expanding campuses,

it is hoped lessons from the Holyland will be applied to other

areas. It has been a beautiful day with

temperatures getting as high as 19 Celsius at Malin Head. We'll hear

from Belfasts Michael Hoey on his success in Morocco yesterday in

just a moment but first Irelands cricketers have returned home from

the World Twenty Twenty qualifying tournament with the winners trophy

and a place in the World Cup secure. Joining me two Gary Wilson and

Andrew Whyte. What does it mean to Ireland to qualify for another

World Cup? It is massive. Since 2007, we have really set world

cricket alight. With her efforts in India, beating England was a big

publicised victory and we want more cricket against the top nations.

You brought the trophy home after 10 winds in a row but you lost the

opening game, how worried are you? There was a bit of panic but we

were pretty confident that we are pretty good side. It was just a

matter of going out and winning the next 10 games. We are happy to get

three in the end. One of your team- mates created a storm across the

world, everybody seems to be talking about Mr Stirling? Yes, he

is only 21. His innings on Saturday night to help us win this trophy

was simply world class. There is no doubt that the world is that his

feet in terms of cricket. Should you have been even playing in the

tournament at all and having to qualify for this after all the big

scalps you have taken? We can only play what is in front of us, that

is up to the chief Executive. We were just happy to get through the

tournament. What does this do for the ongoing credibility of Irish

cricket? It is just a massive. We can only beat what is put in front

of us but to beat teams like Afghanistan, it is used for the

sport in Ireland. Some great scenes over the last couple of weeks. Test

status is where you want to be, playing the big teams on a regular

basis. Do you think that will not be possible? It is very difficult

to know. Our chief Executive and others are doing their very best to

make it possible. We as players are concentrating on what is in front

of us on the faint and if we keep putting in performances like the

last couple of weeks, hopefully we will not be far away.

Michael Hoey was a winner in Morocco. He received a cheque for

over �200,000. Graeme McDowell from Portrush earned a double that

amount even though he finished second behind Tiger Woods at the

Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament in Florida. It was

Michael Hoey's for career on the European tour and he added a unique

tribute to his growing collection. Presented with this ceremonial

dagger after his win, Michael Hoey put his opponents, producing a

flawless display. The 33 year-old shot two consecutive rounds of 65.

This victory lignites his hopes of making the European Ryder Cup team.

I played well in the back nine, which was key. I putted well and

got lucky. The luck was with me all week. In Florida, this long eagle

putt was a highlight of Graeme McDowell's round. But the Portrush

player was not able to topple the leader, Tiger Woods, who won his

first Tour event in 2.5 years. Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke

will both play at the Houston Open next week before the first major of

the year, the US Masters in Augusta. There was Olympic heartbreak for

the Ireland women's hockey team at the weekend. They were beaten 4-1

by Belgium and the qualifying final in Antwerp. So, just like the men,

they missed out on a place at the London Games at the very last

hurdle. Linfield could be within just one

game from winning of the local football's Irish League. They

maintain their 12 point lead at the top of the Irish Premiership table

wines to a 3-0 win against Lisburn Distillery. There are just five

matches left. Portadown and Cliftonville are battling it out

for second place. This goal helped Cliftonville beat Donegal Celtic.

Glentoran lost again, beaten at home by Ballymena. This goal sealed

a 3-1 win for Crusaders and next up for them is an Irish Cup semi-final

against Dungannon who were thrashed 5-1 by Glenavon at the weekend.

Dungannon it also had their goalkeeper sent off. It appeared

that he attempted to bite another player. He was then a red carded

and his is a hefty suspension and he will miss the Cup game this

weekend. In Gaelic football, there was a

thrilling Ulster Division One match at the at letter grounds. Armagh

had a one-point win over County Down. It was Michael Stevenson's

first league start for Armagh and it resulted in him scoring six

freeze, the last one winning a thrilling derby against Down. The

contest remained close throughout, the only goal coming from this

penalty. However, it was a mixed night for a PJ Caraher. Back on the

team that recovering from a leg break last year, the comeback was

cut short when he sustained a serious injury. He broke his leg in

two places and will be out for the rest of the season. The victory

means Armagh take a massive step towards staying in Division One

next season. A win in their final game against Donegal will secure

top-flight football in 2013. Ulster's rugby players won a 27-23

a way to Treviso on Saturday. Unfortunately, we have not been

able to bring you pictures of the game but we promise we will bring

you them as soon as we can. Stop torturing me on Twitter about it!

It may be 26th March but the weather today it was something we

would be delighted with indigenous. This is what it is like right now

in Helen's Bay in County Down. The sun will be going down after a day

at his ease sunshine and warm temperatures. Isn't that lovely?

Look at that blue sea. You would think it was the Mediterranean ex

Mark here is Angie Phillips with It is looking pretty good. First,

it was on this day back in 1923 that the BBC first broadcast a

weather forecast on the radio so I was wondering what the weather was

like on that day. I did some research and got my hands on a

chart from that very day, and thanks to the Met Office archives.

All the usual lines here, they were packed across Ireland that day.

Things were very different in those days, the forecasters had to decode

information and plot these charts by hand so very time-consuming. Is

all very different today with computers doing that and we can

animate the charts on screen as you see all the time. Even the you can

take part by letting us know what it is doing where you are. Big

changes since Britain 23 but this is today's chart. High pressure

very much in charge. It is going to stay fairly settled for a good part

of the week. Especially the first half of the week, more warm spells

of sunshine but it will turn cooler later. Even then, the emphasis on

mainly dry weather. A clear and wetter evening now that the clocks

have changed. Quite cool with the odd patch of ground frost and

missed but tomorrow, another of find a date with lots of sunshine

to come. It won't be long before the sun gets to work and as

temperatures but if you are on the County Down coast, there is that

onshore breeze so if you are on an exposed beach, the temperatures

only 12 or 13 degrees. Inland towards the north and north-west,

we see a highs of 19 or 20 Celsius. Then my head into tomorrow night,

another Clear and chilly night. Maybe a little bit warmer on the