29/05/2014 BBC Newsline

The First Minister Peter Robinson has apologised to a Muslim

delegation over remarks he made in defence of controversial Pastor

A spokesman for the Belfast Islamic Centre said they accepted the

First Ministers apology and they've invited him to visit the centre.

This afternoon, a Muslim delegation went to Stormont Castle to meet the

First Minister and Deputy first ministers separately over their

recent remarks about Muslims. When Martin McGuinness emerged from his

meeting, he said he was leaving the talking to Peter. Minutes later, he

came out to explain how the meeting had gone. We had a very useful,

valuable, friendly and relaxed meeting with the representatives

from the Islamic community, an excellent opportunity for me to put

into context my views on those matters and assure them that they

are a valued part of our society in Northern Ireland, and die have been

invited and have accepted an invitation to the Belfast Islamic

Centre. -- and I'd have been invited. None of my remarks were

meant to cause anyone any defence -- offence or distress, the last thing

I've would have on my mind would be to cause hurts to anyone. He

apologised to us in the meeting and I am personally satisfied with his

apology. Do you think this is the whole issue puts to bed? Are you

moving on? It is not the end of it. We discussed his visits to the

Islamic Centre, to the wider community, and he has accepted

enough -- and he has kindly accepted. What sort of place do we

live in? I feel vulnerable. I'd feel vulnerable, walking on the street,

because I know ethnic minorities... I know ethnic minorities have been

attacked, and I'd feel wonderful that when I walk on the street that

I've might be attacked. The First Minister and Deputy first ministers

have also accepted an invitation to visit the as Lomic centre here in

South bus passed -- the Islamic Centre here in south Belfast. This

has been seen as progress by those involved in working to repair

relations with Northern Ireland's Muslim community.

The new Chief Constable is to be George Hamilton, who is currently

The Policing Board made the announcement after interviews

Our Home Affairs Correspondent Vincent Kearney reports.

29 years after joining as a constable, George Hamilton was today

selected to lead the organisation that replaced his. He is expected to

take up in late July or August, in which point the current Chief

Constable will step down. He is regarded as highly capable and

popular with officers on the ground full top -- the ground.

The police have been dealing with a number of security alerts

Sloan Street is closed this evening as Army experts examine a suspicious

Earlier, controlled explosions were carried out on a stolen vehicle and

an object brought to the city's PSNI station by a member of the public

Two men jailed for murdering Constable Stephen Carroll five years

ago have lost their appeal against their convictions.

Three appeal court judges today said there was compelling evidence that

Brendan McConville and John Paul Wootton were guilty,

Our Home Affairs Correspondent Vincent Kearney reports.

Constable Stephen Carroll was responding to an emergency call when

he was shot dead in March of 2009. Brendan McConville was sentenced to

25 years in jail, and John Paul Wootton on a minimum of 14 years

before the murder. Lawyers for both men appealed the convictions,

claiming they were unsafe. Much of the original court case hinged on

evidence from a man referred to as witness Emma. He claimed he had been

out for a walk and assault Brendan McConville standing just yards from

where police say the fatal shots were fired to stop during the appeal

hearings, it defence lawyers tried to undermine the credibility of the

witness, this writing him as a Walter midi, who regularly made up

stories and told lies. Those claims were made up by his own father. He

cannot be named for legal reasons and has been referred to as a

witnesses said. The court heard that the evidence

did not render the convictions unsafe in any way. The judges also

touched on circumstantial evidence, saying that they believed there was

a compelling case that the two men were guilty.

Stephen Carroll's widow was in courts to hear the ruling. It has

been a long journey. I've have been here for a second time, and thank

God it is over. We can move on as a family and I want to thank everybody

who supported me. Members of the family of Brendan McConville and

John Paul Wootton left court shortly after without speaking to the media.

A senior lawyer has said The Historical Institutional Abuse

Inquiry will have to consider possible failings by state agencies

linked to two former residential homes run by nuns in Londonderry.

Public hearings into children's homes run by the

Sisters of Nazareth at Termonbacca and Bishop Street, have now ended.

The inquiry has heard evidence from dozens of witnesses. Sometimes

harrowing testimony from some of her residence claiming abuse at the

homes, and some defending the nuns in the care they provided. Today,

final submissions from legal representatives. Christine Smith QC

reminded the court that they would have to consider evidence by some

older boys and from visitors to the two homes, including some priests,

but she says that the issue of state responsibility for children placed

in the care of these homes, and to ensure that all institutions

maintained proper standards in the care of children. The counsellor for

the Sisters of Nazareth also offered a closing submission. This has

certainly divided opinions. The congregation does not shirk its

responsibility or run away from its culpability. There was also a

description of how former residence was spotted to criticism of nuns in

the early weeks of the inquiry, who came to write a terrible wrong. The

next phase of the inquiry will begin in September.

In football, the Republic's manager Martin O'Neill has confirmed that

his assistant Roy Keane has held informal talks with Celtic

But he said he didn't know how the situation would develop.

It is a very big job, obviously, and those kind of offers might not come

around, but as we speak now at this minute, I've am really unsure. Let's

get a look at the weather. Better things are on the way. We have a few

showers continuing overnight and it is quite a cloudy night.

Temperatures of staying reasonably mild in the towns and cities and a

little bit cooler in some rural areas. Going into tomorrow, better

things ahead. The cloudy but certainly it will be warmer as we go

through the day. Still a deal of cloud around to start with in

particular, but I think we will see much better temperatures through the

day, and the reason for that for that is that the low pressure that

has been given us all those -- all that rain will sink to the south and

we will have some more settled conditions, and that is reflected

right across the UK and Ireland, much better temperatures in the

light wind meaning it will be quite a pleasant day. If you catch a

brighter spell, it will be very nice. A few showers popping up

through the afternoon, but they will be few and far to dream, and the

temperatures are looking quite healthy, up into the middle teens.

The upward trend in the temperatures will carry on into the weekend.

Saturday is looking pretty good indeed, up to around 19 degrees, and

a good deal more brightness around as a good deal more brightness

around as we go through Saturday afternoon. It is definitely the

better day of gets a change coming in Saturday night into Sunday, so

make the most of what promises to be a pleasant couple of days.

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