:00:11. > :00:14.The police are trying to trace a 33-year-old man in connection
:00:15. > :00:18.with an attack which has left a young mother critically
:00:19. > :00:20.The 26-year-old woman was attacked in her home in Carnmoney
:00:21. > :00:21.on the outskirts of north Belfast last night.
:00:22. > :00:27.There was a significant police presence at this home
:00:28. > :00:30.Forensic teams investigate following the attack which has left
:00:31. > :00:36.a 26-year-old woman in a critical condition.
:00:37. > :00:36.The attack happened at this address where neighbours say the woman lives
:00:37. > :00:42.It is understood to have happened at around 8pm last night,
:00:43. > :00:46.leaving this small, close-knit community in shock.
:00:47. > :00:50.It's not known if her children were at home during the attack.
:00:51. > :00:56.The police say they want to speak to this man.
:00:57. > :00:59.Police advise not to approach him directly.
:01:00. > :01:02.They'd also like information on the movements of a white Audi A6
:01:03. > :01:12.The residents told me that a young mum was attacked in her own home.
:01:13. > :01:17.A very vicious attack and obviously there is great concern
:01:18. > :01:20.We have heard that the young woman is critical in hospital.
:01:21. > :01:26.So all of us hope that she will make a very speedy recovery,
:01:27. > :01:29.It has just shocked the whole community.
:01:30. > :01:30.We're reeling from what has happened.
:01:31. > :01:45.Relatives and friends of James Mc-Donna who died
:01:46. > :01:45.after he was assaulted in Toome at the weekend have held a vigil
:01:46. > :01:51.Hundreds of people gathered outside the bar where he was attacked
:01:52. > :01:56.in the early hours of Sunday morning.
:01:57. > :01:56.It's understood the 28-year-old victim's partner and children
:01:57. > :01:58.Earlier today a man appeared in court in Londonderry accused
:01:59. > :02:05.Our North-West reporter Keiron Tourish was there.
:02:06. > :02:06.There was a heavy police presence in and around
:02:07. > :02:07.Londonderry Magistrates' Court for this hearing.
:02:08. > :02:15.Before the court was Finbar McCoy, who is 24, and from Loughbeg Road in
:02:16. > :02:18.He is accused of the murder of 28-year-old James McDonagh,
:02:19. > :02:23.the father of two young children from Castledawson.
:02:24. > :02:23.He died after being assaulted outside a bar and nightclub,
:02:24. > :02:25.the Elk Inn on the Hillhead Road near Toomebridge in the early hours
:02:26. > :02:32.A detective told the court that the victim, James McDonagh,
:02:33. > :02:36.was punched one in the head and fell backwards and that,
:02:37. > :02:39.he said, brought on the tragedy of his death.
:02:40. > :02:41.Finbar McCoy stood quietly in the dock wearing
:02:42. > :02:47.He confirmed his name and he understood the charge.
:02:48. > :02:55.A detective giving evidence confirmed for a defence lawyer
:02:56. > :02:56.what the accused had told police during interview.
:02:57. > :02:58.When cautioned and charged with murder, Finbar McCoy told
:02:59. > :03:04.police, "I can't bring words together to say how sorry I am.
:03:05. > :03:05.I feel so sad for the family, but I did not murder James
:03:06. > :03:12.The detective confirmed the accused had co-operated with police.
:03:13. > :03:13.He also said that tensions were currently high
:03:14. > :03:15.in the Toomebridge area and the PSNI had other outstanding
:03:16. > :03:30.Finbar McCoy was remanded in custody until next month.
:03:31. > :03:33.The first big snowfall of the winter is on its way.
:03:34. > :03:39.The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow and ice right
:03:40. > :03:39.Barra Best reports from the Glenshane Pass.
:03:40. > :03:49.It is areas like this high up in the Sperrins that we are likely to see
:03:50. > :03:57.the biggest impact of any snow fall. Hills and mountains could see five
:03:58. > :03:57.to ten centimetres of snow. Low lying areas could see between one
:03:58. > :04:01.and five September meters of snow. That may not sound like a lot, but
:04:02. > :04:06.it is enough to cause travel disruption 689 that said, not
:04:07. > :04:08.everywhere is going to be affected. On top of that, we have a weather
:04:09. > :04:14.warning for ice and that will apply across Northern Ireland, right
:04:15. > :04:15.through until noon tomorrow. The message is if you're travelling
:04:16. > :04:17.tonight or tomorrow morning, you may want to give yourself extra time for
:04:18. > :04:23.your travel. The First Minister says she will be
:04:24. > :04:26.using the St Patrick's Day visit to the United States
:04:27. > :04:31.to sell Northern Ireland. Arlene Foster will be accompanied
:04:32. > :04:31.by Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness for the now traditional
:04:32. > :04:33.engagement at the White House. She told The View programme
:04:34. > :04:42.the visit in March is an opportunity It's traditional now for the First
:04:43. > :04:49.and Deputy First Minister to go out to the White House for the St
:04:50. > :04:51.Patrick's Day celebrationsment I believe there is a need to do more
:04:52. > :04:58.than that traditional celebration. We should use it to talk about the
:04:59. > :04:59.economy of Northern Ireland and the fact that we are going to lower
:05:00. > :05:01.corporation tax in April 2018 because that gives us a great
:05:02. > :05:08.opportunity to talk about a fresh start.
:05:09. > :05:09.And you can see more of that interview on The View,
:05:10. > :05:16.The number of GCSE courses in schools here is being cut.
:05:17. > :05:16.The two biggest English exam boards have decided they'll no longer offer
:05:17. > :05:18.Our Education Correspondent Robbie Meredith reports.
:05:19. > :05:21.These pupils at Our Lady and St Patrick's College in Belfast
:05:22. > :05:29.But they will be at the last at the school able to study
:05:30. > :05:34.the course set by the English OCR exam board.
:05:35. > :05:34.We have been teaching the course very successfully over
:05:35. > :05:37.We've developed quite a lot of materials and resources
:05:38. > :05:43.All of that effort seems to have gone for nothing.
:05:44. > :05:50.When we find out that the course has been pulled from Northern Ireland.
:05:51. > :05:52.The Education Minister John O'Dowd has decided to keep A star to G
:05:53. > :05:59.But in England from next year, pupils will be get grades
:06:00. > :06:02.Nine is the highest and one is the lowest.
:06:03. > :06:05.The fact we're not following the English change has led the AQA
:06:06. > :06:09.and OCR exam boards who set and mark a quarter of all GCSEs taken
:06:10. > :06:11.by pupils here, to pull out of Northern Ireland and that's given
:06:12. > :06:18.We have almost a quarter of our GCSEs with English
:06:19. > :06:28.So we're going to have to find an alternative provider,
:06:29. > :06:32.examination board and then that means for staff that
:06:33. > :06:36.new specifications will have to be assimilated, resourced
:06:37. > :06:37.This isn't like the transfer procedure where some schools
:06:38. > :06:39.could just ignore the Department of Education and run
:06:40. > :06:45.Schools like this will have to change GCSE courses to the local
:06:46. > :06:45.exam board, CCEA, which now has a virtual monopoly.
:06:46. > :06:55.The open market which existed for GCSEs is now effectively closed.
:06:56. > :06:57.The Education Minister will talking about those changes to GCSEs
:06:58. > :07:04.Newly qualified drivers face new rules to try
:07:05. > :07:13.Newly qualified drivers face new rules to try
:07:14. > :07:17.Among them night-time restrictions on the number of teenage passengers
:07:18. > :07:21.BBC Newsline's Mark Simpson has more.
:07:22. > :07:22.If you're learning to drive, you could soon have to learn a whole
:07:23. > :07:29.They won't come into force immediately, but here's what's
:07:30. > :07:32.The proposed new rules of the road would mean learners being allowed
:07:33. > :07:38.on motorways as long as they're with an approved driving instructor
:07:39. > :07:39.The minimum age for a driving licence is set to go up
:07:40. > :07:41.to 17-and-a-half, it is currently 17.
:07:42. > :07:47.But the 45mph limit for L-plate and R-plate drivers is set
:07:48. > :07:50.There are a number of other changes planned too.
:07:51. > :07:54.New drivers, if they're aged under 24, and for the first six months
:07:55. > :07:59.after they pass their test, they'll be restricted to carrying
:08:00. > :08:07.Exemptions will apply for family members and also exemptions
:08:08. > :08:09.for emergency services and if you have caring responsibilities.
:08:10. > :08:12.The move is aimed at stopping large groups of teenagers driving around
:08:13. > :08:17.late at night in cars with inexperienced drivers.
:08:18. > :08:20.But how will the authorities stop it happening?
:08:21. > :08:22.I think that will work from the insurance companies.
:08:23. > :08:27.They'll police it because when the claim goes in,
:08:28. > :08:27.they will look at the details and say who was in the car?
:08:28. > :08:30.How long have you been driving etcetera, etcetera.
:08:31. > :08:35.These teenagers are hoping to take their driving test soon.
:08:36. > :08:39.They think the minimum age should stay at 17.
:08:40. > :08:45.There is loads of people out there that want to learn promptly
:08:46. > :08:45.and want to get their test and if they are goodenough, why not?
:08:46. > :08:49.I think some of the proposed ideas are good.
:08:50. > :08:55.For example the motorway, I think, it is a reasonable thing to say
:08:56. > :08:56.because it allows people to practise rather than once
:08:57. > :08:59.they get their tests have to go through this new experience.
:09:00. > :09:06.There is now a period of consultation, but the new rules
:09:07. > :09:15.Should the Northern Ireland football team have a new anthem?
:09:16. > :09:15.The First Minister joined the debate today saying it shouldn't.
:09:16. > :09:24.Here's our political correspondent Gareth Gordon.
:09:25. > :09:25.The fortunes of the Northern Ireland team go up and down,
:09:26. > :09:29.but one thing never changes - each game begins with
:09:30. > :09:34.Unlike the Scots and the Welsh who use their own anthems,
:09:35. > :09:37.but like the English, although this MP wants
:09:38. > :09:42.I recognise that matters of the constitution are particularly
:09:43. > :09:45.keenly felt in Northern Ireland and this Bill only refers
:09:46. > :09:51.Nevertheless, the football authorities here would come under
:09:52. > :09:52.pressure if England dropped the anthem too.
:09:53. > :09:59.Already a different anthem is used for the Commonwealth Games.
:10:00. > :10:00.And for the third time in the boxing tournament in Delhi 2010,
:10:01. > :10:09.we'll hear the Londonderry Air known as Danny Boy.
:10:10. > :10:12.The football authorities are keen to broaden the team's support base,
:10:13. > :10:16.but the Irish Football Association say the question of a Northern
:10:17. > :10:20.Ireland anthem is a matter for our politicians.
:10:21. > :10:24.But tonight, the office of the First and Deputy First Minister told
:10:25. > :10:27.the BBC that the playing of a National Anthem or any song
:10:28. > :10:32.at football matches is a matter for the organisation involved.
:10:33. > :10:41.I understand the ten minute rule bill is in relation to the English
:10:42. > :10:42.football team, it is not really relation to the Northern Ireland
:10:43. > :10:48.I don't want to get into want to get into politicising sport
:10:49. > :10:48.because it is something that unites everybody.
:10:49. > :10:55.On its own, it's not going to make a massive amount of difference,
:10:56. > :11:02.but there are a range of options the IFA could put in place
:11:03. > :11:26.They have changed enough about here to suit certain people.
:11:27. > :11:32.Another example of noteveryone singing from the same hymn sheet.
:11:33. > :11:32.Antrim's Mark Allen has lost his battle to stay
:11:33. > :11:34.in Snooker's Masters Tournament in London.
:11:35. > :11:38.Allen who is currently 11th in the world rankings went out
:11:39. > :11:40.at the quarter-final stage after losing by 6-2
:11:41. > :11:52.Hello. Good evening. It is a cold and wintry night with some
:11:53. > :11:56.potentially difficult driving conditions as those wintry showers
:11:57. > :12:04.continue. They'll bring sleet and snow down to low levels as
:12:05. > :12:11.temperatures drop away to below freezing. We could get down to minus
:12:12. > :12:15.four in parts of Fermanagh. So Friday starts off with wintry
:12:16. > :12:20.showers, but as we go through the day, gradually, those showers will
:12:21. > :12:23.start to fizzle out and we'll get late afternoon brightness. Now, that
:12:24. > :12:27.will be quite pleasant for a time, but it will bring its own problems.
:12:28. > :12:32.What is happening at the moment is we're really starting to draw in the
:12:33. > :12:37.cold you cans Arctic air and that's having an impact on the temperatures
:12:38. > :12:38.particularly on the East Coast of England and for Northern Ireland
:12:39. > :12:42.too. As the high pressure system builds in through Friday, we have
:12:43. > :12:52.turned off the large scale showers, but the clearing skies mean the
:12:53. > :12:57.temperatures will drop away marred kedly. As we head into the weekend,
:12:58. > :13:01.what's in store for us? It will be staying reasonably dry. There will
:13:02. > :13:07.be some wintry showers, but not as widespread and it is a very cold
:13:08. > :13:10.day. A still day too. Very little in the way of breeze. So pretty chilly.
:13:11. > :13:14.Some of those showers will become wintry for a time, but the clear
:13:15. > :13:21.skies mean that if everything lines up come Saturday night, temperatures
:13:22. > :13:24.might be down to minus eight Celsius.
:13:25. > :13:29.Our next BBC Newsline is at 6.25am in the morning during Breakfast
:13:30. > :13:31.You can also keep updated with News Online.