30/12/2013 BBC Newsline

industry. We are back with

Good evening. A woman and a man have been seriously injured in a stabbing

in Newtownabbey. Others were also hurt. Our reporter, Eunan

McConville, has been to the scene. Six people were injured in this

incident here this evening. It happened shortly before 4pm, when

the emergency services got the call. It is understood that a woman was

stabbed and as other people try to get the knife away from her

assailant, they suffered cuts as well. That woman has been taken to

hospital. She is described as being in a serious condition. There is

also another man in a serious condition. Other people were treated

at the scene by a ambulance personnel. At the moment, police are

not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident.

The main Stormont parties are still locked in talks to come to an

agreement on parades, flags and the past. The Chairman, Dr Richard

Haass, has made it clear that this is the final day of discussions. In

a moment, we'll go live to the talks venue in east Belfast. First, with

some flash photography in his report, our Political Reporter,

Stephen Walker, has details of today's developments.

Decision time and all eyes were on the Stormont Hotel. This was billed

as the final day but, as ever with this process, the timing has

slipped. Discussions were meant to begin at 6am. It was mid-morning

before the talking finally got underway. When he arrived, Richard

Haass was giving little away. Earlier, she had tweeted -- he had

tweeted that the last day was the most important day. Early

indications suggested that a deal was possible. Are you optimistic? I

don't see why not. Those sentiments were shared by Sinn Fein's

negotiating team. I think we can sort them out if the political will

is there. Agreements are always the first step. Honouring those

agreements is the next step. A separate commission would be a

established to examine flags. There could be fresh investigations into

the troubles, something that Unionists have concerns about. If

the biggest strength is dealing with the past and if that can win

confidence of victims and survivors, what ever any Unionist

party may or may not have to say about it, that should guide us.

Tonight, the talking is continuing but as yet the champagne is still on

ice. Mark Devenport is at the talks for

us. What is the latest? We have seen a red carpet rolled out here at the

front of the Stormont Hotel Buddha not for any kind of celebration of a

political agreement was it is for a school for more that is going on

inside the hotel. There is rather more humble food for the negotiators

who have gone back in after their tea. I'm not sure whether we will

have a result by the late news was the what is left to be agreed? We

understand there were several areas of disagreement. We need do not yet

know whether they have been resolved. The first is flags and a

code of conduct for those who are taking part in parades. Another area

considers the history of the troubles and what the new

information retrieval commission would do in terms of investigating

what has been termed broad beans about the troubles. At eight -- at

one time, there was talk of a collusion between the two sides and

allegations of ethnic cleansing around the border. That list is not

in the latest document that Unionists say they wanted in and

delivered is not in, the new body should not get into investigating

those broad beans at all. After listening to the politicians there,

how optimistic should we be that they can come to an agreement? The

pressure is definitely on. Richard Haass has made it clear that this is

the final day. He also said that the politicians had seen -- should see

the moment. There will be a major embarrassment if they go home Andy

Haddad. -- go home empty-handed. We will have more later this evening on

BBC One. Police officers investigating a gun

attack on Lisnaskea police station last week have found a car that may

have been used by the gunmen. Shots were fired at the back of the base

last Monday in an attack blamed on dissident republicans. A Volkswagen

Passat car similar to the grey or green coloured one believed to have

been used by the attackers was later found on fire near Kinawley.

It's believed a car was deliberately set on fire this morning close to

houses in west Belfast. The incident happened shortly before 9am at

Norglen Court in the Turf Lodge area. The Fire and Rescue Service

put out the fire. The police are investigating what happened and have

appealed for information. The Police say they are awaiting

postmortem examination results following the unexplained death of a

42-year-old man at a house party in west Belfast on Friday. Four men

were hospitalised. The police are urging people to heed warnings about

the dangers of taking illegal drugs. Martin Cassidy reports.

The man who died following the house party here in west Belfast has been

named locally as 42-year-old Gerald Mulholland. There were hundreds of

people on the road at in the aftermath of the party and others

were said to be drenched in sweat. Others went to hospital for some a

postmortem has been carried out and the police say they are not in a

position to confirm that the death was caused by drugs misuse. They

have warned the dangers of taking illegal drugs. Drugs, particularly

is so-called recreational ecstasy type drugs are becoming much more a

part of people's social life, more people are using them recreationally

and I think because the number of people using these drugs is

increasing, then you are getting more and more of these incidents of

overdoses, where people are ill or fatalities. The minister says that

drug dealers are operating on a regular basis. Police have issued a

warning about a type of yellow ecstasy known as speckled Rolex.

The former First minister, Ian Paisley, remains in hospital after

undergoing treatment at the weekend. Lord Bannside's family released a

statement confirming he had been admitted for necessary tests and is

in good spirits. A number of homes were evacuated in

east Belfast this afternoon during a security alert. A suspicious object

found in Parkgate Avenue was later declared to be an elaborate hoax.The

area between Connsbrook Avenue and Mersey Street was closed while bomb

disposal experts examined the object.

The weather is next with Angie Phillips.

Good evening. Things have settled down a little bit for the second

half of today. Through the rest of the week, we have more unsettled wet

and windy spells coming our way. Thankfully, it will not be

particularly cold for the most part. Having said that, with the clear

skies come tonight will be chilly in a few spots, especially in the

countryside. It will get close enough to freezing to get a touch of

ground frost. Only temporarily, Tebbit is all rise through the night

as the next batch of wet and windy weather moves in and some of that

rain will be fairly heavy. Given that the ground is saturated in

places, particularly in the eastern counties, the Met office has issued

another rain warning. There is a risk of further localised flooding.

That is something to be aware of into tomorrow morning. Into New

Year's Eve. Eventually, things will improve slowly. It will not get off

to a great start. It will be windy, wet in places as well, particularly

in the East. Through the morning, we will see something drier and

brighter developing. In the meantime, the brain heads across

Wales into Scotland and England with the windy conditions as well. There

will be some hill slowly over the Scottish mountains was brighter

conditions follow into Wales and the south-west and the south-west of

Scotland. In the Republic and Northern Ireland, you'll get a few

more showers during the afternoon. If you're thinking of heading out

for the celebrations tomorrow evening, most of those will be

fading away, so more fine and dry weather. Another weather system is

moving in for New Year's Day with more wet and windy weather.

Our late summary is at 10:35pm. You can also keep in contact with us via

Facebook and twitter. From BBC Newsline, good night.