20/05/2016 BBC Newsline

Mediterranean in the search for the missing

And these are the headlines this Friday evening.

Why one of the youngest members of the Assembly could

be in the running to become Justice Minister.

Brendan Rodgers from Carnlough is the new manager of

The mother of a teenager killed by drugs is left distraught

75 years of tobacco production in Ballymena draws to an end,

as workers leave the factory for the last time.

It's a crunch night for Ulster rugby as they travel to take on Leinster

in the forecast this weekend, but it's not a complete washout.

An independent Unionist Assembly Member has said she would consider

taking the job of Justice Minister if offered it.

Claire Sugden, who's one of Stormont's youngest elected

members, met the First and Deputy First

Our political correspondent, Gareth Gordon, explains why

she is in the frame for this important post

This is Claire Sugden, with her fiance, on the day

she got elected as an MLA earlier this month.

So, how can you go from relative obscurity to potential Justice

It says a lot about Stormont where this sensitive post has

been held, up to now, by the cross-community

They look like turning it down, so, an alternative may

Claire Sugden was invited to a meeting

If she was to take the job, she knows already something

of the pressures faced by some of the people under

I remember once getting a telephone concession we would have to go to a

safe house. We didn't go, thankfully it wasn't necessary, but it was a

real threat. The worrying side was that was normality for family and

families across Northern Ireland. with whom she'd have to

work closely. This House of Cards is falling, and

the only good double come is if those at the top come crashing down

to do not up again. But, today, someone who's part

of the Stormont hierarchy She has the skills and ability, she

is someone we have been speaking to. We have had a good discussion with

her yesterday. It is a discussion we will continue one option we will

continue to do consider and discuss. The man who yesterday

announced his party is going into opposition believes the DUP

and Sinn Fein should take I think we are beyond the point

where these two parties need to get somebody from outside of the

executive to do that job. I think it is a disgrace, it is an issue of

their own making. Arlene Foster has ruled out

Sinn Fein taking the job. Would they have the same

problem with the DUP. I am not going to rise to these

suggestions or put downs. We have a job of work to do, that is what we

were elected to do. Stormont's credibility is once

more under scrutiny. Gareth Gordon, BBC

Newsline, Belfast. Brendan Rodgers is the new manager

of Celtic Football Club. The Carnlough man, who is a lifelong

Celtic fan, was in Scotland Chris McLaughlin, senior football

reporter from BBC Scotland, spoke was a good fit for the club,

and Rodgers himself. I suppose only time will tell but

Celtic fans were looking for a big-name after the experiment of

Ronny Deila which failed. They certainly have one, a man with

English premiership pedigree, he took Swansea to the top flight, he

led Liverpool to second in the table. It is certainly seen as

something of a coup for Celtic. Brendan Rodgers has said it is an

honour, he has followed Celtic all his life and wants to give fans a

team to be proud of, and bring exciting, entertaining and winning

football. The chief Executive said, we wanted to bring a man to the club

to match our own aspirations. Those aspirations will be to get Celtic

back into the Champions League. They have missed out in the past two

years. Celtic will be looking to get back into the top table. What

details have you got on his contract?

A 12 month rolling contract. Some may think that is a short contract.

It is fairly standard. Gordon Strachan, Gordon Lennon, were both

on 12 month rolling contracts. It remains to be seen how long Brendan

Rodgers will remain. Also, given Celtic do not have the millions and

millions that Liverpool have, he would need some assurance from the

board he will have the kind of money he would like to take Celtic back to

the Champions League. That remains to be seen over the summer.

The grieving mother of a teenager who died from drugs has spoken

of her great distress at seeing how his photo is being

Adam Owens was 17 when he passed away last year

His mother Adele released his picture to the media to warn other

young people of the dangers of such drugs.

She told our reporter Lisa McAlister what followed.

It's been a year of firsts for Adele Wallace.

And, just last month, the first anniversary of his death.

While trying to cope with that, she came across an article on a US

website which used a picture of Adam, and wrongly described him

as being from upstate New York, and dying as a result of a new drug

craze involving anti-diaorrhea medication.

To be honest, it really put me right down, seriously depressed. Everyday

is a tough day for me if I am honest. To come across an article

like that which was so unjustified and wrong, it has upset me so much.

I nearly lost the to live. It did take down Adam's picture

and any reference to him. The website did not respond when we

asked for a comment. But, by then, it had been shared

and viewed hundreds and hundreds of times by a number

of other sites and users. It also became a target

for so-called Some I would not repeat on, because

they are so sexually perverted and disgusting. They were horrific,

disgusting and filthy comments. Other people were like, if you take

drugs, you deserve to die, and insensitive.

Some people will say, some will be nasty. Some of the behaviour of the

individuals who have copied this image and shared it, is mirrored in

the comments they have made around issues to do with sexuality, gender,

closely linked with hate crime. Some could have committed criminal

offences. On one social networking site, the

original article is still available and has been shared by at least 24

users. Despite the distress, Adele says she will continue campaigning

to raise awareness about the dangers of all drugs.

How money from the Big Lottery is helping children with sight loss

For the last 75 years, workers have produced

cigarettes and other tobacco products in Ballymena.

The closure of the Gallahers JTI factory begins today,

with the last shift for the majority of the 870

Our reporter, David Maxwell, has spent the day in the town.

They have known this day was coming for over a year and a half, but that

did not make leaving for the last time any easier.

A lot of people are very sad. And some people are looking forward to a

new chapter in their lives. Basically, it is a sad thing for

Ballymena. You can understand with what it is

like at the moment. It is a tragedy for the local economy. And everybody

is very upset. So sad it is closing and with The

Young Ones coming up. I hope something takes the place to give

jobs to people. Between 500 and 600 people left the

plant this week, under 200 will remain as the factory is rundown. It

will close for good next spring. After decades of production,

cigarette manufacturing stopped at this factory at 9pm yesterday. Some

products will still be made for the next few months, but large-scale

tobacco manufacturing has now finished in Northern Ireland. Most

people still call this plant Gallahers JTI, but it was taken over

by JTI in 2007. JTI has been an excellent employer

in the area over the years of providing many jobs to generations

of families. When people got a job at JTI, it was considered a job for

life. The company says the illegal trade

in cigarettes, excise duty and the new plain packaging laws which came

into force today, all played a part in meaning it had to stop its County

Antrim operations. Ballymena has been no stranger to job losses in

recent times. It is going to be a huge blow, the

first of many. We have Michelin coming down the line. The physical

closure of JTI will be next year, 117 five until May next year.

-- 175. Some believe there could be good news ahead of this site.

It is my understanding that talks are well advanced for the sale of

the JTI factory site, there could be some good news on the horizon. JTI

was keen to retain a manufacturing legacy on that site.

There was no confirmation and other manufacturer will move here and it

will be sometime before the full impact of these job losses is known.

What is certain is that these lorries laden with cigarettes are

the last. Families who care for adults

with learning disabilities in the Western Trust area

are demanding an independent investigation into why millions

of pounds, that should have been spent providing them with care,

was instead spent on other services. Politicians met the trust today,

and were told that the underfunding Our south-west reporter,

Julian Fowler, has been speaking Caroline Wheeler is a full-time

carer for her 31-year-old son Lee Looking after him 24/7

has taken its toll. It is the hardest job, 24/7 care.

Having a newborn baby, you hold that child in your hands until somebody

responsible that you trust means you can let go.

But, getting that care has been a fight that even involved

taking judicial reviews against the Western Trust.

When he left school, that was the hardest point. I thought five years

with the trust Krachunov fought five years for a payment but it put me in

the grave. This battle of wills to get a

service that is supposed to be there on paper but on the ground it isn't.

It is he who shouts the loudest. For years, parents have been told

there wasn't enough funding. But a review of the Western Trust

by the Health And Social Care Board identified underfunding

of ?8 million in one year, money which should have been

spent in adult learning disability services,

but was allocated instead It doesn't come as a shock to me.

Any time we asked for any help, the trust had the same excuse, we have

no money. We have been asking for ages where is the money going? They

could never come up with any answers.

Carers say it has caused a decimation in services

We have missed out on things that have been happening in other trusts,

we have missed out on day care, direct payments, missed out

particularly on availability of social workers and community workers

and specialists behavioural people who can provide the services we

need. The Western Trust hasn't revealed

the total underfunding. But MLAs were briefed

at Altnagelvin today, and were told that a ?4.4 million

underspend was first I am surprised in 1996 when it was

clearly identified it wasn't actioned then. But we are aware of

it now and you can rest assured all the political parties are working in

unison to get it sorted. What we need to know and the public

need to ascertain is what happened, when it happened, and how it should

have been corrected, by who and when.

Carers are demanding that the service they demanded is now fully

restored. This week, we've been looking

at Northern Ireland's Islamic community, from our young Muslims,

to Sunni and Shia In some countries, Islam is seen

as a male-dominated culture. In the final part of this series,

Rick Faragher has been to meet two women living here who are from very

different backgrounds. Successful. Female. And Muslim.

A professor of medicine in Cairo. After moving here 15 years ago, she

struggled to adapt. I spent some time at home, for the

children to settle in the school. After a few months, I started to

look, it wasn't me to sit at home and be satisfied by only looking

after the house and children. Some people believe Islam is

oppressive to women, what do you say to them?

I would say, you are wrong. Because you are trying to stereotype Muslim

women in one frame which is a woman behind a veil, voiceless, dependent

on other people, all she knows in life is marriage and children. This

is not reality. We are human beings, a mixture of things. Religion is a

big part but there are other parts of people which affects them.

Is it difficult being a Muslim woman in Northern Ireland?

There are very unusual occasions, in the street, people look at you as a

stranger. This is excused, because I look different. In my country, I

feel if I see a foreigner I would look at him.

The culture and appearance of Muslim women changes from country to

country. Some wear headscarves as a form of modesty. Somewhere full body

garments. While others don't observe any special dress rules.

I am happy to be identified and defined as a Muslim. I still love

fashion, picking out nice clothes, feeling feminine. But, for me, the

covering is something that keeps modesty will stop Brenda converted

to Islam 15 years ago. She is now secretary of a local

Muslim Association. When I find that Muslims actually

believed in the oneness of God, the stories of profits, Abraham, Noah, I

was drawn to it. One of my immediate reaction is was, that is ours,

whether Catholic or Protestant all Christians, that was my Association.

We remain as a family a close-knit family. But with different values

and beliefs. Even a Muslim family where one family is stricter than

another, that clash can happen. It is my preference for men and

women to pray separately, as a Muslim. And as a woman. Because we

pray in rows quite close to one another, there is a prescribed way.

We stand shoulder-to-shoulder, we bow, in frustration with our head on

the ground. If the room is packed, you can bang into the woman in front

of you behind. If that was then, it would become very difficult and

uncomfortable. Islam is seen by some as a man's

world, but not by these local Muslim women who say they are empowered,

and liberated by their faith. A project that helps blind children

who go to mainstream schools has got almost ?700,000 from the Big

Lottery. The scheme is called Family Insight,

and is run by the RNIB Our education correspondent, Robbie

Meredith, has been finding out. Like her P3 classmates

at Lisnasharragh Primary School in Belfast, Sala-Joy

is hard at work. First, we did spellings, and next we

did, we listened to a movie, and then we did group work on that.

But she is blind, which brings many challenges.

A very simple thing because she can't see, she can't read, can't see

the board, it has been important to have a one on one classroom

assistant. Her school has also

been taught a lot. Even in terms of after-school

activities, making sure she is comfortable in the playground, in

the canteen. Those are things we have had to address and consider.

There are over 2,000 blind and partially-sighted children

Many go to mainstream schools like this, and the inspectorate says

that provision for them is generally very good.

But an organisation which represents parents of blind children,

and will benefit from this grant, says that

there's still a need for more support.

They want their child to do their best educationally. What our job is,

we come in and tell them what services are available, for their

children. As a result of the funding,

they now employ a full-time And, though she's at the start

of her school journey, Sala-Joy already knows

where she wants it to end. What do you to be when you get

older, have you anything you would like to do or be?

I have longing to be a teacher. But, first, the big

rugby match tonight. Win or lose in Dublin, it will be an

evening which will define Ulster's season.

Yes, crunch time in under an hour at the RDS in Dublin.

Leinster versus Ulster in the first of the two Pro12

Gavin Andrews is there for BBC Newsline.

No waiting has ever won a Pro12 semifinal. Former Ulster back Ryan

Constable, they are up against it tonight?

Leinster, not their first, they are used to delivering in big games, it

is a final, they know what is at stake, it difficult is a

proposition. They are in good form.

Form and momentum, they inflicted a heavy defeat on Leinster. They will

take that confidence into this game. And that series of games where they

have delivered where they needed. They will need to perform on the

night. What are the key areas, can Ulster

do it? It is up fright, tight five,

delivering a stable platform, the set piece, the strike power is out

wide. It will be confrontational, physical. It is a semifinal,

bragging rights at stake. One step closer to that trophy -- closer.

Live coverage on BBC Two from 7:30pm. I will be watching!

Rory McIlroy, who's never won his home tournament,

remains in contention during the second round

of the Irish Open at the K Club in County Kildare.

The man to beat right now is the current Masters

It was a day when Rory McIlroy saved his best till last.

COMMENTATOR: What a way to finish. In front of adoring fans. What had

gone before wasn't too bad either, five birdies in total. Within one

shot of the leaders, Danny Willett and Marc Warren, going into the

weekend, perfect progression ahead of a big night out.

Tonight, Ulster, a big game. I am going to go. It will be tough

playing Leinster at home. They have been on a nice run of form over the

past couple of months. It will be great to see Ulster beat Leinster in

the own backyard. All Graeme McDowell would like to

see is the ball drop into the hole. A frustrating day. Seven shots

adrift but it could be worse. I was thinking I would get a couple

of days off if I kept playing that way. I managed to dig deep. The 18th

hole was the kick I needed. And started to scramble well.

Not the day overnight leader Danny Willett wanted either. The Masters

champion firmly in the sights of the tournament host.

This Sunday, Derry and Tyrone meet for the fifth time this season.

Up for grabs is a place in the semi-final of

the Ulster Senior Football Championship.

The previous four encounters have all resulted in wins for Tyrone,

COMMENTATOR: Barton is in there. He pushes him. A rivalry which used

to define the Ulster championships and on the evidence of the Cup final

the edge is still there. Tyrone won that day. Sunday is a different ball

game. I have learned with age perhaps and

experience, the Ulster championships is about more than Derry and Tyrone.

We have to look at ourselves, our systems, and try and get them to

focus not on the event of playing Tyrone, or anyone else for that

matter, but certainly what we think are going to be the things that will

give us victory. From the opposing camp comes a

similar outlook. Well, rivalry to me is the

difference between Tyrone and Derry, Tyrone and any of our neighbours. We

are a county with lots of neighbours, and with neighbours who

live close to you, rivalry increases, intensity increases. To

me it is no different than any of the derby matches at any time.

A decade ago, Derry overcame them in their own backyard. Should history

repeat itself, it will be an upset. Sunday's game is live

on BBC Two, from 1:50pm. Belfast has won the bid to host

the World Ice Hockey Championships, after a vote at the sport's

international congress in Moscow. The SSE Arena will host

the Division 1B tournament, which will see six countries compete

next April, including Team Great Britain,

and Northern Ireland. Finally, this evening,

Paddy Barnes has been His corner stool collapsed,

and poor Paddy hit the canvas. It has ended up wet today with more

rain this weekend. The rain has affected the K Club, the open, and

it will be damp for the Ulster match this evening. Not a bad evening to

sit in and watch it. More rain for another few hours. It will ease away

briefly because, towards the end of the night, there will be heavy and

potentially boundary rain from the south. Not a cold night but if you

are at early there could be some thundery showers. Some mini

downpours in places. A lot of water on the roads, possibly some

localised flooding. That area of rain will move away by the end of

the morning. Much time is looking drier and brighter. In the sun, it

will warm up, temperatures around lunchtime in many places up to 15

degrees. The afternoon will be the drier half

of the day. Not completely dry. Once temperatures rise, we will see

another fresh spring thing of showers breaking out, which could be

sharp. Compared to the early morning, it won't be as wet. By the

end of the day, many cases will be dry with warm sunshine, tempters up

to 17 degrees. Warm in County Kildare tomorrow,

temperatures hitting 18. And the risk of thundery showers.

The weather will be cooler, fresher and drier on Sunday. Still a few

showers but not heavy. A fresh afternoon in Celtic Park for

the match with the risk of one or two showers but hopefully more drier

weather. More dry weather is on the cards in

the new week, high-pressure arriving. Driver the beginning of

next week. Heavy showers all especially tomorrow.

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