:00:00. > :00:15.Good evening, the headlines on BBC Newsline.
:00:16. > :00:18.Warnings over further flooding as the waters continue
:00:19. > :00:30.I live in and the skill in where efforts are continuing to try and
:00:31. > :00:35.avert the disruption caused by the rising water.
:00:36. > :00:41.Arlene Foster says she can work with Sinn Fein.
:00:42. > :00:44.Oil prices plummet but will we feel the benefit at the pumps
:00:45. > :00:49.And thankfully rainfall amounts will be reduced over the next few
:00:50. > :00:52.days, but it's going to get much colder.
:00:53. > :01:03.20 roads in Fermanagh have been closed because of flooding.
:01:04. > :01:05.And the Rivers Agency has warned that there could be
:01:06. > :01:10.more because of heavy rain forecast tonight.
:01:11. > :01:12.The authorities have urged motorists and pedestrians not to attempt
:01:13. > :01:15.to drive or walk through flood water.
:01:16. > :01:24.Our reporter in the west, Julian Fowler is in Enniskillen.
:01:25. > :01:30.The flooding at the beginning of the week was caused by the torrential
:01:31. > :01:36.rain from storm Desmond. All that water is making its way into Lough
:01:37. > :01:40.Erne and the levels are slowly rising. I'm standing aside the
:01:41. > :01:44.shopping centre, an area that has badly affected by flooding six years
:01:45. > :01:48.ago but the road here was raised, flood defences were putting and the
:01:49. > :01:54.Rivers Agency are pumping the water and keeping the road open.
:01:55. > :02:01.Disruption elsewhere in the county is being caused by the rising water.
:02:02. > :02:06.Water is slowly rising around the Ark in this children's playground.
:02:07. > :02:12.You would think boats would come in useful but Marina businesses the
:02:13. > :02:21.lock shorts are the of flooding. Last night there was another inch at
:02:22. > :02:28.least. The shed is flooded again. Another eight inches, it will be as
:02:29. > :02:33.bad as 2009. These boats may look afloat but they are actually on
:02:34. > :02:41.trailers in the car park. For the workshop here, it is flooded again.
:02:42. > :02:47.The 2009 mark there. We left a lot of both out for the winter. The men
:02:48. > :02:53.are working towards the end of the season. There is nothing we can do.
:02:54. > :02:58.The lads have to be laid off. It is part of our income. It leads us into
:02:59. > :03:06.march again. Two rows that cross over the loss that Lough Erne were
:03:07. > :03:12.raised after the 2009 flood. But it has been closed to cars. A few days
:03:13. > :03:21.ago she'd bring these fields, now there are swans. The water had also
:03:22. > :03:24.risen at this activity centre. The fitness room was underwater on
:03:25. > :03:30.Monday, today the pumps were still doing their job. With warnings of
:03:31. > :03:36.further flooding the emergency services are preparing for the
:03:37. > :03:45.worst. The level has now stabilised, around
:03:46. > :03:49.20 centimetres or nine inches below the 2009 peak. With further heavy
:03:50. > :03:52.rain forecast, they are warning about the possibility of further
:03:53. > :03:58.flooding and safe while the water is being discharged through the
:03:59. > :04:04.hydroelectric dams as fast as possible, that can't necessarily
:04:05. > :04:13.prevent water in the Pearl -- Rivers from rising quickly.
:04:14. > :04:15.The 24-hour flooding incident line is on the screen.
:04:16. > :04:17.Meanwhile in county down an investigation has begun
:04:18. > :04:20.into a crash which saw a bus leave the road and end up in the sea.
:04:21. > :04:23.It happened this morning on the Ards Peninsula,
:04:24. > :04:25.as the bus was travelling from Newtownards along
:04:26. > :04:39.Only this morning on the shores of Strangford Lough, the bus was
:04:40. > :04:44.travelling on the main coastal road. It hit this war, careered across the
:04:45. > :04:50.road and went over. There was a big drop before it landed on its wheels.
:04:51. > :04:53.The driver suffered only minor injuries, there were no passengers
:04:54. > :04:59.on board. There were no other vehicles involved. The damage to the
:05:00. > :05:03.bus was extensive on the front and underneath. The beginning of the
:05:04. > :05:08.recovery operation was swift but not quick enough to beat the incoming
:05:09. > :05:12.tide. The rising waters submerging most of the vehicle. The best that
:05:13. > :05:16.should've been full of passengers by then filling up with water. That
:05:17. > :05:20.meant the onshore recovery services needed help from sea rescue experts.
:05:21. > :05:25.As the operation and folded the force of the tide becoming
:05:26. > :05:30.increasingly evident. A difficult recovery demanding a close
:05:31. > :05:36.inspection. The rugged shoreline proved to be challenging. Strength
:05:37. > :05:41.and power succeeded, hauling the bus onto the shore. Around one o'clock
:05:42. > :05:45.come over six and a half hours after the crash, the recovery operation
:05:46. > :05:46.was over and the investigation was beginning.
:05:47. > :05:50.Two award winning O'Neill men and what they think
:05:51. > :05:59.of a possible match between their teams.
:06:00. > :06:02.Arlene Foster, as expected, is to become the new leader
:06:03. > :06:06.Talk of a leadership contest all but evaporated this morning
:06:07. > :06:09.when one possible contender said he wouldn't be putting
:06:10. > :06:13.And no-one else did either by the time the five o'clock
:06:14. > :06:20.Our political editor Mark Devenport is at Stormont.
:06:21. > :06:24.On Monday night Peter Robinson used social media to reveal Arlene Foster
:06:25. > :06:29.had the backing of more than three quarters of the DUP politicians
:06:30. > :06:36.At five o'clock this evening he took to his Twitter account again
:06:37. > :06:41.to confirm Mrs Foster will face no competition and the leadership race
:06:42. > :06:48.My colleague Mark Simpson has this report on Arlene Foster's final
:06:49. > :07:09.engagements as today's DUP deadline loomed.
:07:10. > :07:23.Ali Foster will share control with Martin McGuinness. It is such a far
:07:24. > :07:27.cry from Good Friday 1988. Since then, she has changed parties and in
:07:28. > :07:31.the wake of subsequent agreements changed their attitude to Sinn Fein.
:07:32. > :07:36.How does she feel about working with Martin McGuinness?
:07:37. > :07:42.I've worked with scent fame, they have a mandate in terms of the
:07:43. > :07:46.numbers they have. I've worked there since 2007 as Minister for the
:07:47. > :07:50.environment and then for the enterprise. I will continue to work
:07:51. > :07:56.for what is right for Northern Ireland and what is good for the
:07:57. > :08:08.people of Northern Ireland. It is very welcome that a woman is leader.
:08:09. > :08:12.I am supportive of that. Sammy Wilson had been tempted to run
:08:13. > :08:17.for leader, very tempted to decide this morning not to put his name
:08:18. > :08:22.forward. Nigel Dodds made the same decision on Monday and so with none
:08:23. > :08:26.of the MPs wanting the top job, the outcome was a formality. This
:08:27. > :08:30.evening, Peter Robinson confirmed the news on social media. The period
:08:31. > :08:37.for nominations has now closed, only one nomination that of us is Arlene
:08:38. > :08:41.Foster, has been received. Here at party headquarters, they are
:08:42. > :08:45.preparing for change. Arlene Foster is expected to be confirmed by the
:08:46. > :08:50.party Executive as the new DUP they do next week but she won't take over
:08:51. > :08:56.as First Minister immediately. The full handover will take place on the
:08:57. > :08:59.11th of January. Then in May, that is the Assembly election. The first
:09:00. > :09:04.big test for the new leader isn't far-away.
:09:05. > :09:13.What can we expect from a foster leadership? Arlene Foster says it'll
:09:14. > :09:21.be more of the same. She is presenting herself as the continuity
:09:22. > :09:25.candidate. In terms of style committees were to
:09:26. > :09:29.be different quite obviously. She is going to be our first woman First
:09:30. > :09:34.Minister and she is also, as Mark was mentioning, got the history of
:09:35. > :09:36.having been a member of the Ulster Unionist Party. She's got an
:09:37. > :09:49.understanding of both the named parties. -- main parties. She might
:09:50. > :09:58.be appealing to traditional Ulster Unionists supporters.
:09:59. > :10:05.She will face that early talent in May but Mike Assembly elections. She
:10:06. > :10:09.will have her work in fact replicating the DUP's success at the
:10:10. > :10:13.last Assembly elections where they got 38 seats. What she has to do
:10:14. > :10:17.during May is to retain the position of the DUP being the biggest party
:10:18. > :10:23.in Northern Ireland if that doesn't happen, if Sinn Fein was to take
:10:24. > :10:28.that position, Martin McGuinness will be First Minister. That will
:10:29. > :10:32.pose some difficulty for DUP members. In order to keep the DUP
:10:33. > :10:35.top of the pile she has to the the challenge to the Ulster Unionists
:10:36. > :10:41.who have showing -- are showing signs of as agents. But the parties
:10:42. > :10:43.like TUV who hope to make gains and build on the sense of
:10:44. > :10:49.disillusionment there has been about the whole Stormont set up during
:10:50. > :10:56.those days of ministers breakdowns at Stormont.
:10:57. > :10:57.We will be looking at the rise of Arlene Foster from student activist
:10:58. > :11:00.party leader. The price of petrol could
:11:01. > :11:02.fall before Christmas because of a worldwide drop
:11:03. > :11:04.in the price of oil. It could mean hundreds of pounds
:11:05. > :11:07.worth of savings for the consumers if the price is
:11:08. > :11:09.reflected at the pump. But it's not good news for everyone
:11:10. > :11:23.as our reporter Helen Jones has This is a graph on the face of it it
:11:24. > :11:30.is good news for consumers. The price of oil has plummeted, falling
:11:31. > :11:34.off a cliff edge. In 2011 the price of a barrel of oil was 120 US
:11:35. > :11:37.dollars. Today, it is 40 US dollars. If the retailers pass on the savings
:11:38. > :11:40.it could mean a drop of three Good news for people
:11:41. > :11:56.who drive for a living. How much will you save? Over a year?
:11:57. > :12:00.A few hundred pounds. 380 litres every two days. That is a big
:12:01. > :12:02.saving, around ?1800 a year. Oil is shipped and stored
:12:03. > :12:04.here at Belfast port. Globally there's too
:12:05. > :12:06.much oil being produced. That's why the price
:12:07. > :12:07.has been slashed. You can expect a cut
:12:08. > :12:19.to home heating oil too. We have seen a 30% drop from last
:12:20. > :12:23.year. If it continues to fall and these places continue to be passed
:12:24. > :12:29.on the Cubans -- consumer they could make savings. The oil producers are
:12:30. > :12:37.struggling to maintain profit margins as they have to compete and
:12:38. > :12:38.prices. The could be job cuts in oil producers.
:12:39. > :12:41.Back at the pump and news of a potential pre-Christmas
:12:42. > :12:53.Probably another ?20 a month. It should be good. All helps. I could
:12:54. > :12:58.think of plenty of things to do without! A reduction in anything
:12:59. > :13:06.helps everyone. More children's presents. Will the drop in price of
:13:07. > :13:17.oil be reflected on the forecourts? That is in the hands of the
:13:18. > :13:22.retailers. Smoking in cars in Northern Ireland could be banned. It
:13:23. > :13:25.will be illegal to smoke when children are present. A similar ban
:13:26. > :13:33.came into force in England and Wales in October. Behaviour like this
:13:34. > :13:36.could soon be outlawed. Smoking in a car carrying children is already an
:13:37. > :13:42.offence in England and Wales. They're adults face penalties of
:13:43. > :13:47.?50. The health minister think we should follow suit. Anybody who
:13:48. > :13:55.smokes in a confined space like a car with children in that car is an
:13:56. > :14:01.idiot. Given the multiplicity of evidence there is about the damage
:14:02. > :14:05.that smoking does to individuals themselves, in particular the impact
:14:06. > :14:09.it can have on young children. Scotland plans to legislate on the
:14:10. > :14:13.issue next year and the Republic is due to bring a banner to force soon.
:14:14. > :14:21.But the problem is enforcing it. It is a bit like like smoking in pubs
:14:22. > :14:27.and restaurants. There had to be enforcements but now we have levels
:14:28. > :14:31.of enforcements. The Department of Health and campaigners say that is
:14:32. > :14:36.strong evidence, second-hand smoke affects children's health. Some say
:14:37. > :14:38.the ban is a step too far curtailing people's personal freedom, some
:14:39. > :14:43.smokers on the streets of Belfast agree with the move. At the end of
:14:44. > :14:49.the day, it really doesn't take that want to stop for a quick cigarette
:14:50. > :14:56.break. Just to save a child with all sorts of problems. If kids inhaling
:14:57. > :14:59.it, what'll happen to the kids. If we're getting it bad, the kids are
:15:00. > :15:03.getting it bad. The legislation going through the Assembly still has
:15:04. > :15:05.a long way to go but if it is approved the ban could come into
:15:06. > :15:12.effect this time next year. The family of Sinn Fein official
:15:13. > :15:14.and republican informer Denis Donaldson is to take legal
:15:15. > :15:16.action against the Gardai They accuse the Irish police
:15:17. > :15:26.of failing to properly investigate his killing in a remote
:15:27. > :15:29.cottage in County Donegal in April 2006, and allegations that PSNI
:15:30. > :15:40.officers may have This is the remote cottage where
:15:41. > :15:45.Denis Donaldson was shot dead. It was revealed he'd been working as a
:15:46. > :15:49.spy for the police and MI5 for 25 years. Three years earlier he'd been
:15:50. > :15:53.accused of running and IRA spy ring at the heart of the local government
:15:54. > :15:57.after the police raided Sinn Fein's offices at Stormont. The charges
:15:58. > :16:04.against the wealth that whilst Belfast man was dropped. But his
:16:05. > :16:07.secret life was exposed. His family alleges offices may have contributed
:16:08. > :16:13.to his death by blowing his cover. There are many questions remaining
:16:14. > :16:18.and answered. Nearly ten years later, this afternoon the inquest
:16:19. > :16:23.into his death was adjourned for the 17th time. The gardai ask for more
:16:24. > :16:28.time to complete their investigation. The coriander
:16:29. > :16:34.described the Germans as unprecedented. The family is now
:16:35. > :16:42.going to take the case to Strasberg. They claim the gardai has broken...
:16:43. > :16:50.They said there should be an independent investigation into
:16:51. > :16:56.killings by the state. They wanted to large proceedings with the
:16:57. > :16:59.European Court in Strasborg, challenging the fact they haven't
:17:00. > :17:05.had an article to compliant inquest or investigation into Denis
:17:06. > :17:09.Donaldson's death to stop police ombudsman is investigating the
:17:10. > :17:13.allegation that the officers may have contributed to Denis
:17:14. > :17:14.Donaldson's death. His report is expected to be
:17:15. > :17:20.published early next year. A student has been cleared
:17:21. > :17:23.of causing the death of a baby in a car crash in Fermanagh
:17:24. > :17:25.nearly three years ago. 25-year-old John Fahy from Sligo
:17:26. > :17:28.denied that he was to blame for a collision in which
:17:29. > :17:30.19-month-old Ryan Cox was killed. His mother who was driving
:17:31. > :17:32.was seriously injured. Lisa McAlister reports
:17:33. > :17:44.from Dungannon Crown Court. 25-year-old John Fahy was in his
:17:45. > :17:49.final year at Ulster University at the time of the crash. Today he was
:17:50. > :17:52.acquitted of two charges of causing death and grievous bodily injury by
:17:53. > :18:00.careless driving. 19-month-old Ryan Cox died in the crash in January 20
:18:01. > :18:05.13. His parents cried as the jury's unanimous verdict was delivered
:18:06. > :18:11.today. Both John Fahy and Ryan's mother were also badly injured in
:18:12. > :18:13.the crash. During the trial, prosecutors had argued either
:18:14. > :18:18.through inexperience of the steering, John Fahy had lost control
:18:19. > :18:21.of his car. He told the court he remembered he drove around the bend
:18:22. > :18:27.before the crash, you noticed the car in his lane and he remembered
:18:28. > :18:29.flashing his lights. The architecture students plans to
:18:30. > :18:38.return to university. Back now to the future of the DUP,
:18:39. > :18:42.and she was the young Ulster Unionist who's now set,
:18:43. > :18:43.unopposed, to become Arlene Foster joined the DUP
:18:44. > :18:47.when she parted ways over Now she'll lead in government
:18:48. > :18:51.with Sinn Fein and as our political correspondent Chris Page reports,
:18:52. > :18:53.she and her family had direct experience of the Troubles
:18:54. > :19:07.as she grew up. When she was eight, her father,
:19:08. > :19:12.a part-time police officer, Ten years later, she
:19:13. > :19:24.was on this school bus. The IRA risked dozens of young lives
:19:25. > :19:25.as they attempted to kill the driver.
:19:26. > :19:27.The future DUP leader spoke to the BBC about the bombing
:19:28. > :19:41.There was two or three seconds silence and everybody started to
:19:42. > :19:42.scream. I got up and said, don't panic, don't panic. Everybody get
:19:43. > :19:43.out. There were more signs
:19:44. > :19:45.of leadership a few years later. Having been prominent in student
:19:46. > :19:47.politics at Queen's, she chaired the youth
:19:48. > :19:49.branch of the UUP. As Mrs Foster's work
:19:50. > :19:51.as a solicitor developed, She was one of a number of young UUP
:19:52. > :19:56.members who became opposed to She explained why to the political
:19:57. > :20:13.programme Hearts and Minds. I've been called an extremist, a
:20:14. > :20:16.hardliner when all I've wanted to see is stable governments brought to
:20:17. > :20:17.Northern Ireland and real politics and real change.
:20:18. > :20:19.Mrs Foster and Jeffrey Donaldson were leading critics
:20:20. > :20:32.It was a few weeks after Mrs Foster had been elected to the Assembly.
:20:33. > :20:45.I was faced with a decision. I ever remain we'd been the Ulster
:20:46. > :20:51.Unionists or IDE. I left. That led me to another decision. I believe
:20:52. > :20:52.that Democratic Unionist party is that the mainstream Unionist party
:20:53. > :20:54.in Northern Ireland. And the DUP continued to grow,
:20:55. > :20:56.along with the reputation When devolution was restored
:20:57. > :20:59.Mrs Foster was made Environment Minister,
:21:00. > :21:02.then Enterprise Minister. The job of selling Northern Ireland
:21:03. > :21:05.to investors brought with it countless photocalls
:21:06. > :21:13.and a high profile. We did it! On-time and on budget and
:21:14. > :21:17.I'm absolutely delighted. And earlier this year,
:21:18. > :21:19.she was appointed Finance Minister. But there's been another
:21:20. > :21:21.hint about her destiny. Peter Robinson has twice put
:21:22. > :21:23.Mrs Foster temporarily The second occasion was this autumn,
:21:24. > :21:28.when most DUP ministers resigned But she was criticised
:21:29. > :21:42.by nationalists for this remark. I'm not a debate at risk people of
:21:43. > :21:47.Northern Ireland the possibility that rogue Sinn Fein as a renegade
:21:48. > :21:53.Minister will take decisions that will harm the community in Northern
:21:54. > :21:55.Ireland. I am gatekeeper, that is my role and I take it seriously.
:21:56. > :21:57.However, at the recent DUP conference, Mrs Foster was received
:21:58. > :22:05.With humility and hardware, we will prevail. Thank you.
:22:06. > :22:07.There'll be more applause and adulation in the next few weeks.
:22:08. > :22:09.But after the congratulations, will come the contest,
:22:10. > :22:14.not for the DUP leadership, but for votes in the Assembly
:22:15. > :22:23.Both Martin and Michael O'Neill have welcomed the idea of a friendly
:22:24. > :22:29.between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland before
:22:30. > :22:36.The two managers were honoured today as Philips Irish Sports managers
:22:37. > :22:40.It's the first time in the award's history that a Northern Ireland
:22:41. > :22:44.football manager has been recognised by the judging panel comprising
:22:45. > :22:56.Something unique are put in Dublin today and that is both these
:22:57. > :23:00.gentlemen were awarded joint Philips Irish Sports Manager of the Year
:23:01. > :23:05.Award. No Northern Ireland manager has been honoured before. How big a
:23:06. > :23:10.day is this for you? It is great, I am so honoured to be here today. The
:23:11. > :23:14.number of sports that have been represented throughout the year. It
:23:15. > :23:20.is nice to come back year after a four-year absence and get the annual
:23:21. > :23:29.award. Martin, a good deal -- Dave Foley O'Neills. I am going to check
:23:30. > :23:34.if we are related in some way. Michael's achievement is fantastic,
:23:35. > :23:40.genuinely fantastic. A great effort to get through that group. It is
:23:41. > :23:47.very rewarding. I sat there about an hour ago, I was very envious. We
:23:48. > :23:56.still have play-off matches to go through. If both FA 's were to come
:23:57. > :24:01.together and you have both qualified to go in front of a crowd foreign
:24:02. > :24:10.international warm up. Is there potential for that? I wouldn't have
:24:11. > :24:14.a problem with that. As a player, I played in five of the six games and
:24:15. > :24:20.qualifications. They were special games to be involved with. It aids
:24:21. > :24:27.are of preparation and why not? There you have it, both managers and
:24:28. > :24:32.up for it. We wish you well. Thank you very much. That is is from
:24:33. > :24:35.Dublin. Seen Logan insists this site will
:24:36. > :24:39.weather the current injury crisis. More than half a dozen key players
:24:40. > :24:46.and rides including five International. Among them, Iain
:24:47. > :24:52.Henderson. We went into last Friday's game with
:24:53. > :24:58.93% of our players available. You plan on an injury rate of about 75,
:24:59. > :25:05.80%. We have to cope. We have either injuries before. Players have to
:25:06. > :25:09.play 100% maximum. We have a deep squad. Some of these injuries and an
:25:10. > :25:11.opportunity for somebody else. Sullivan Upper won school hockey's
:25:12. > :25:13.McCullough Cup today with a dramatic 4-3 win over Wallace,
:25:14. > :25:15.the winner coming 20 Time for the weather
:25:16. > :25:32.forecast now with Cecilia. We've had some rough weather today.
:25:33. > :25:38.Brain has been moving in from the west across parts of Fermanagh. That
:25:39. > :25:42.is the last thing they need. It looks as though things will be dry
:25:43. > :25:47.and over the next few days. Cold as well. This is today's weather system
:25:48. > :25:51.making its way from the West. A short time ago, said intense
:25:52. > :26:00.rainfall over Belfast. That will slide away. For the rest of the
:26:01. > :26:07.night, the wind will drop. The servers will be short lived. It is
:26:08. > :26:12.going to be quite cold, temperatures dropping down to single figures. We
:26:13. > :26:16.will have some nice first thing tomorrow. That is the theme of the
:26:17. > :26:22.next couple of days. Called berths with some showers around. The
:26:23. > :26:29.showers will be coming in from the west. First thing tomorrow morning,
:26:30. > :26:34.it is likely it will be dry over Belfast. You will need a big coat
:26:35. > :26:40.because it will be chilly tomorrow. The wind making it feel cold. Those
:26:41. > :26:47.sharp showers won't last long but they can still soak you. Today we
:26:48. > :26:54.saw temperatures up to 12 degrees. Tomorrow they will be at 6 degrees.
:26:55. > :27:00.Some frost, some ice and a little bit of snow lying on the hill tops.
:27:01. > :27:05.On Friday, a similar day. Quite chilly, blustery but moving through
:27:06. > :27:09.quickly. Some decent gaps in between. It isn't completely dry but
:27:10. > :27:13.it is a break from the rain for parts of the West in particular. As
:27:14. > :27:17.you move forward to the weekend, it starts drying but this is the area
:27:18. > :27:22.of low pressure we were need to keep an eye on because a slow me think
:27:23. > :27:27.area of rain will come northwards through Saturday night, into Sunday.
:27:28. > :27:30.That will start as snow over the higher ground. That'll give us
:27:31. > :27:31.flooding problems particularly on Sunday.
:27:32. > :27:34.Our late summary is at 10.25pm.You can also keep in contact with us
:27:35. > :27:36.via Facebook and Twitter. From BBC Newsline, goodnight.