:00:13. > :00:20.More empty corridors and classrooms as another teaching union
:00:21. > :00:36.They have the result of the ballot in this afternoon. 77% of members
:00:37. > :00:38.are prepared to take strike action to claim a further pay award.
:00:39. > :00:40.Could we about to see more scenes like this
:00:41. > :00:45.as Storm Barbara makes her way towards Northern Ireland?
:00:46. > :00:52.Storm Barbara, it is due to throw gusts of up to 70 mph so we have
:00:53. > :00:55.staff on stand-by and if there is any damage to the electricity
:00:56. > :00:56.network from the storm, we will be ready.
:00:57. > :00:59.A new owner is checking in at Belfast City Airport as two
:01:00. > :01:08.And also on the programme tonight: on a sale.
:01:09. > :01:14.# We'd like to tell you a story # Would you like to hear it?
:01:15. > :01:17.of our school carol series, tonight it's Parkview
:01:18. > :01:28.An 11-year-old County Down School girl and her pet pony Magic steal
:01:29. > :01:34.Plenty of whether on the show, all of the details on Storm Barbara and
:01:35. > :01:35.a look ahead to some and seasonal weather for the Christmas week
:01:36. > :01:40.ahead... -- and seasonal. Schools are set to be
:01:41. > :01:44.affected by more teachers strikes in the new year -
:01:45. > :01:47.after a second teaching union voted Members of the Irish National
:01:48. > :01:50.Teachers Organisation will stage half-day walkouts in a dispute over
:01:51. > :02:04.pay, as our education correspondent Last month, some protested at school
:02:05. > :02:12.gates in their lunch hours. In the New Year, 7000 teachers will be
:02:13. > :02:15.walking out of them, on strike. 40% of members voted, which is a
:02:16. > :02:20.reasonable turnout for a ballot of this kind. Four out of five voted
:02:21. > :02:26.for strike action. It must be a wake-up call. The Minister must
:02:27. > :02:30.realise that he and authorities are out of touch with the wishes of
:02:31. > :02:34.teachers. They do not understand how angry teachers are. The education
:02:35. > :02:41.minister said the strikes are futile and there is no more money in the
:02:42. > :02:45.pot. How do you respond? Anyone would have heard that there appears
:02:46. > :02:48.to be a lot of money about, it's a question of priorities. We think
:02:49. > :02:53.that the Minister has his priorities wrong. All members of the union will
:02:54. > :02:55.stage the first of what could be a series of half day stoppages early
:02:56. > :03:00.next year. On the 18th of January. Making them
:03:01. > :03:04.the second teaching union to announce strike action.
:03:05. > :03:12.A walk-out by teachers from another union closed schools in Belfast just
:03:13. > :03:19.a few weeks ago... We are worth more than 0%. Unions Warren have yet a
:03:20. > :03:25.pay freeze last year and a 1% rise this year but there is a split in
:03:26. > :03:32.how they have responded. The ATL have decided action short of a
:03:33. > :03:35.strike. ATL is a modern and reflective union. They have said
:03:36. > :03:41.that there are different ways of skinning a cat. First,
:03:42. > :03:46.noncooperation with the education and training Inspectorate which
:03:47. > :03:51.would apply to us. And the second part of industrial action would be
:03:52. > :03:55.targeting needless accountability and administration and bureaucracy.
:03:56. > :03:59.The education minister said that the strikes were not in the interest of
:04:00. > :04:01.children or teachers. But schools are set for more empty classrooms in
:04:02. > :04:08.January. Warnings have been issued
:04:09. > :04:10.about possible travel and power-supply disruption
:04:11. > :04:11.as Storm Barbara is due NIE say they've escalated
:04:12. > :04:15.an emergency plan, just in case. It comes as airports
:04:16. > :04:17.prepare for their busiest BBC Newsline's Mark
:04:18. > :04:29.Simpson reports. The calm before the storm. The
:04:30. > :04:35.airports are busy but they are about to get even more busy. Just as the
:04:36. > :04:40.weather is about to change... There are no signs of high winds yet, but
:04:41. > :04:43.they are not far away... We have been in regular contact with the Met
:04:44. > :04:50.office during the week. Storm Barbara is due to throw up gusts of
:04:51. > :04:54.up to 70 mph so we have staff on stand-by and if there is damage to
:04:55. > :05:00.the electricity network, we will be ready. For many, timing could hardly
:05:01. > :05:03.be worse. The storm is due to hit Northern Ireland tomorrow morning.
:05:04. > :05:08.It will be one of the busiest days of the year. There are a few empty
:05:09. > :05:11.seats inbound from anywhere. People are coming home for Christmas and we
:05:12. > :05:19.think it will certainly be the busiest day of the winter. We are
:05:20. > :05:26.currently estimating 20,000 people on the day. What are the chances of
:05:27. > :05:30.disruption tomorrow? There's a whizzy charts but we have two plan
:05:31. > :05:34.for the worst and hope for the best. -- always a chance. The mood of
:05:35. > :05:39.people today was of huge relief. We are glad to go back before the
:05:40. > :05:44.storm, going back to Bristol and not a moment too soon. I don't think the
:05:45. > :05:50.storm is due to hit until tomorrow? I was meant to travel tomorrow but I
:05:51. > :05:54.am travelling today instead. You changed your plans? Yes. At this
:05:55. > :05:57.time of year it is not easy or cheap. The truth is for anyone
:05:58. > :06:00.travelling this weekend, there is nothing they can do about the
:06:01. > :06:06.weather. It is simply a case of all eyes on
:06:07. > :06:07.the skies. Mark since and, at Belfast International Airport. --
:06:08. > :06:07.Moxham said. So what can we expect
:06:08. > :06:09.from Storm Barbara? Here's Geoff with
:06:10. > :06:15.a quick look ahead. Good evening. Storm Barbara, we've
:06:16. > :06:21.been speaking about her all week, not exceptional but she will be with
:06:22. > :06:26.us from 7am tomorrow morning, bringing rain and strong winds. It
:06:27. > :06:30.is an exceptional travel day, one of the busiest days of the holiday
:06:31. > :06:34.period, and that is one of the reasons for the warning.
:06:35. > :06:38.Downgraded to 70 mph, 30 millimetres of rain through the day, that's
:06:39. > :06:42.enough to cause damage. As the rain comes in from Western
:06:43. > :06:47.Ireland, bringing rain and strong gusts with it, even ones that rain
:06:48. > :06:51.clears out, we hold onto strong winds and then it is colder
:06:52. > :06:57.temperatures too. The chance of wintry conditions by the time we get
:06:58. > :07:04.overnight into Christmas Eve. Thank you. We will see you later on.
:07:05. > :07:06.Belfast City Airport has been agreed for sale.
:07:07. > :07:09.The deal is between two UK private investment companies and is likely
:07:10. > :07:11.Here's our business correspondent Julian O'Neill.
:07:12. > :07:21.The airport has had a good year. Passenger numbers and profits are
:07:22. > :07:26.both up and this has been on the horizons for the last few months.
:07:27. > :07:30.Investment companies, with prospective new owners, looking to
:07:31. > :07:36.complete the purchase early next year. No price has been disclosed.
:07:37. > :07:40.The reason for that is partly due to the airport being sold as part of a
:07:41. > :07:46.bundle of assets. My understanding there was that it would be valued in
:07:47. > :07:53.and around ?100 million. Belfast City Airport did not comment on its
:07:54. > :07:59.in pen sale but it is hoped that going forward that new owners would
:08:00. > :08:03.bring investment and there would be improvements in car park facilities
:08:04. > :08:05.and shops inside of the terminal building.
:08:06. > :08:12.It last changed hands eight years ago. The new owner is coming into a
:08:13. > :08:14.competitive environment with the city and Belfast international
:08:15. > :08:23.rivalling one another for airlines and flights to similar destinations.
:08:24. > :08:25.A pipebomb has exploded after it was thrown
:08:26. > :08:29.A window at the property on Colin Brook Park was smashed
:08:30. > :08:33.And in Coalisland, the police say a device was thrown at a house
:08:34. > :08:41.No one was injured in either incident.
:08:42. > :08:44.Solicitors representing the family of a Real IRA man say they're
:08:45. > :08:48."deeply concerned" as his inquest hit another stumbling block.
:08:49. > :08:50.Kieran Doherty was murdered by the dissident group in 2010.
:08:51. > :08:55.It's almost seven years since Kieran Doherty was shot
:08:56. > :09:00.The 31-year-old's body was found naked and bound
:09:01. > :09:05.Before his death, he'd claimed that MI5 had tried
:09:06. > :09:16.And Belfast Coroner's Court heard today that finding out more
:09:17. > :09:18.about how he died isn't going to be straightforward.
:09:19. > :09:20.A barrister for the coroner revealed that already heavily blacked out
:09:21. > :09:25.Along with the PSNI's legal representatives,
:09:26. > :09:28.they say that airing these documents in open court could pose a risk
:09:29. > :09:34.They want them to be seen only in a closed court.
:09:35. > :09:37.But a barrister for the Doherty family says it's not fair
:09:38. > :09:40.that they haven't seen these documents - and the court shouldn't
:09:41. > :09:42.be seen as going into closed session "willy nilly".
:09:43. > :09:45.In a statement, the Doherty family's lawyer Paul Pierce said
:09:46. > :09:48.they were told moments before the hearing was due to start
:09:49. > :09:56.that the Crown Solicitor's Office wanted to go into a closed hearing.
:09:57. > :09:58.There were three hours of discussion back and forward,
:09:59. > :10:01.much of which we were not involved in at all, but it was only
:10:02. > :10:04.on the basis of our objections to those closed hearings taking
:10:05. > :10:06.place that the matter has resolved itself.
:10:07. > :10:08."We are deeply concerned about the way in which the state
:10:09. > :10:11.is approaching these cases by attempting to have closed session
:10:12. > :10:18.hearings and exclude the next of kin and their legal representatives."
:10:19. > :10:24.Coroner Brian Sherrard adjourned the case.
:10:25. > :10:26.He expressed disappointment at the lack of concrete progress made
:10:27. > :10:28.today. It's to be heard again
:10:29. > :10:35.at the end of next month. By then he'll hope to have received
:10:36. > :10:38.more redacted information - which Mr Doherty's family will also
:10:39. > :10:41.have had the chance to see. # Didn't know today would be our
:10:42. > :10:52.last... We meet the woman from Omagh whose
:10:53. > :10:56.version of this song has been watched online more than 60 million
:10:57. > :11:07.times. After a meeting of its board
:11:08. > :11:09.last night, the Irish has decided to seek an urgent
:11:10. > :11:14.meeting with the president of FIFA. The World Governing body fined
:11:15. > :11:16.the local organisation nearly Under FIFA's rules,
:11:17. > :11:21.the sanction cannot be appealed. Northern Ireland against Azerbijan
:11:22. > :11:26.at Windsor Park last November the 11th -
:11:27. > :11:29.Armsitice Day. Before kick off, a minute's silence
:11:30. > :11:33.was held, wreath was laid. Fans held a poppy
:11:34. > :11:39.display in the stands. But these acts of remebrance broke
:11:40. > :11:41.Fifa's rules banning the display So footballs' governing body fined
:11:42. > :11:50.the IFA just under ?12,000. Officials from the IFA
:11:51. > :12:03.met last night. Afterwards, they released a
:12:04. > :12:06.statement. They said they're disappointed
:12:07. > :12:08.with the decision but wouldnt be They are, however seeking a meeting
:12:09. > :12:12.with the President of Fifa seeking They said they did seek guidance
:12:13. > :12:16.from Fifa about what was allowed to be displayed within the laws
:12:17. > :12:18.of the game. Fans are urging the IFA not
:12:19. > :12:29.to let the matter drop. We think that people are very
:12:30. > :12:34.frustrated, because he saw that the IFA did all that they could. They
:12:35. > :12:43.felt that the act of remembrance was very dignified. And it came as a bit
:12:44. > :12:45.of a surprise that we were punished by Fifa. There is a lot of anger and
:12:46. > :12:48.frustration. This issue will no doubt arise again
:12:49. > :12:52.- so there needs to be clarity The City Centre manager
:12:53. > :12:58.in Londonderry says he hopes new taxi ranks on the main
:12:59. > :13:01.thoroughfares will help deal with the high demand
:13:02. > :13:05.for cabs at peak times. There've been complaints
:13:06. > :13:07.from the public that there simply aren't enough taxis to meet demand,
:13:08. > :13:10.especially when the pubs close. Here's our North-West
:13:11. > :13:22.reporter, Keiron Tourish. In the run-up to Christmas, it seems
:13:23. > :13:26.demand for a taxi has never been greater. This extremely busy period
:13:27. > :13:30.extends into the evening and weekends too, as people gathered to
:13:31. > :13:33.celebrate together and have their annual Christmas parties. It can
:13:34. > :13:41.make the task of getting a taxi very frustrating. If you go to William
:13:42. > :13:46.Street, you could queue in weather like this here. There is no point.
:13:47. > :13:52.At this time of year, it's really busy. It is very hard, very hard.
:13:53. > :13:57.You wait for a long time. That's why I'm only walking. The Department for
:13:58. > :14:03.infrastructure says that there are 1244 licensed taxis in the city with
:14:04. > :14:07.four taxi ranks. One umbrella taxi organisation which represents up to
:14:08. > :14:16.600 drivers in cysts that there are enough to service the city. --
:14:17. > :14:22.insists. People travel all night, and that a given time, all pubs
:14:23. > :14:27.empty at one time. Staggered closing would help. Their plans to create
:14:28. > :14:31.seven new taxi ranks in and around the city centre. We would to create
:14:32. > :14:35.new taxi right and have them in designated areas which are well lit
:14:36. > :14:40.and they are high profile so people go there at the end of the night.
:14:41. > :14:44.The city centre initiative believes that change in the current licensing
:14:45. > :14:50.laws could help the situation. It believes that the laws are out of
:14:51. > :14:54.date and not fit to meet the challenges of the 21st century. They
:14:55. > :14:58.believe staggered closing times would stop people all spilling out
:14:59. > :15:03.onto the streets and looking for a taxi at the same time. The problem
:15:04. > :15:07.with getting a taxi, especially late at night, is not unique to this
:15:08. > :15:08.city. But those in the industry hope that new measures will ease
:15:09. > :15:31.pressures at peak times. It's been revealed that 19.8 million
:15:32. > :15:34.pounds in fines have still to be paid by people who were penalised
:15:35. > :15:37.by the courts, the police or the The figure is a rise of more
:15:38. > :15:42.than eight million pounds on last year and has been described
:15:43. > :15:44.as exceptionally high. About half the fines
:15:45. > :15:49.won't be recovered. We all got excited when Magic the
:15:50. > :15:52.pony came to meet us here at the BBC. We will soon meet his owner who
:15:53. > :15:54.stole the show at the London Olympia Arena.
:15:55. > :15:59.A woman from Omagh has taken the music industry by storm
:16:00. > :16:03.Donna Taggart's version of the song 'Jealous of the Angels' has become
:16:04. > :16:07.The young singer has also caught the attention of one of Ireland's
:16:08. > :16:08.best known songwriters, Phil Coulter.
:16:09. > :16:15.Our reporter, Aileen Moynagh, met the duo on tour together.
:16:16. > :16:19.# Didn't know today would be our last...
:16:20. > :16:25.The song that changed Donna Taggart's life.
:16:26. > :16:34.I have a very busy life outside of music. I am a mother. Alongside
:16:35. > :16:45.being a singer, I work in the health service. So life was very busy. It's
:16:46. > :16:48.become even more busy since! Since Jealous of the Angels took off.
:16:49. > :16:50.It was during Donna's maternity leave that she put her recording
:16:51. > :16:53.No one could have predicted what happened next.
:16:54. > :16:56.So far it's had more than 65 million hits online
:16:57. > :16:58.and brought her to the attention of a world famous
:16:59. > :17:12.I was blown away by the phenomenal success. It's overused in the music
:17:13. > :17:16.business but the only way to describe what has happened to Donna
:17:17. > :17:22.is phenomenal. Donna was on my radar because I was sent a CD, she sent me
:17:23. > :17:26.her first CD where she did a really good cover. I thought it was the
:17:27. > :17:32.perfect opportunity to invite her along to my shows in the North, to
:17:33. > :17:33.let her do her thing for my audiences. They have lapped it up,
:17:34. > :17:43.of course they have. The lyrics are honest and they are
:17:44. > :17:47.raw. It puts into words how a lot of people feel when they lose someone
:17:48. > :17:52.close to them. It struck a chord with a lot of people and grief is
:17:53. > :17:57.something which touches us all. The power of music is universal. I think
:17:58. > :18:00.when the two come together, you have something which is very powerful.
:18:01. > :18:02.But Jealous of the Angels is just the first step
:18:03. > :18:04.up the musical ladder, now Phil Coulter, having written
:18:05. > :18:07.for just about everyone from Elvis to the Bay City Rollers,
:18:08. > :18:15.is planning to write for this young up and coming artist.
:18:16. > :18:23.With a new song in the new year and guidance from a musical maestro,
:18:24. > :18:26.in 2017 Donna Taggart could be saying goodbye to her job
:18:27. > :18:34.as a health worker and hello to a whole new career.
:18:35. > :18:47.And a local schoolgirl has stolen the show in London, Stephen?
:18:48. > :18:51.Certainly did. Not often do we have a pony in the car park at the BBC
:18:52. > :18:54.but we did today! Christmas has come a few days
:18:55. > :19:01.early for Annie Gibson The 11-year-old Down High school
:19:02. > :19:05.student dramatically upset the odds at this week's National Horse Show
:19:06. > :19:07.in the Olympia Arena, to land the prestigious Pony Club
:19:08. > :19:14."mini-majors" pairs event - For a brief time this afternoon, the
:19:15. > :19:18.backyard at Broadcasting House in Belfast became a stable yard, as
:19:19. > :19:28.Annie Gibson proudly paraded her prize pony Magic. It's a warm
:19:29. > :19:33.welcome to Annie Gibson! Just a few days earlier, she sat astride Magic
:19:34. > :19:38.in front of a capacity London crowd. The 11-year-old had never competed
:19:39. > :19:42.in the arena before and needed a fast and clear round to stand a
:19:43. > :19:47.chance of winning. Representing the local ID club and with 7000 willing
:19:48. > :19:57.her on, she delivered on the biggest stage of all. Everyone was standing
:19:58. > :20:04.very still, then they announced that I won. Everybody shouted out and
:20:05. > :20:10.cheered! How magic was Magic? A lot! She was definitely magic! Annie
:20:11. > :20:14.Gibson! The atmosphere was unreal. What does it mean to you? It's
:20:15. > :20:23.probably been the best Christmas that I have ever had! It was very
:20:24. > :20:28.close! It was not .1 seconds, but she did deliver. So we are
:20:29. > :20:37.delighted. When we got there. My friend pointed out the odds on Annie
:20:38. > :20:40.were 8-1. We did not expect to win that we are absolutely delighted she
:20:41. > :20:50.did. It is a lovely way to complete the year. The mini majors is a pairs
:20:51. > :20:55.event where Annie competed alongside her senior partner and power. As
:20:56. > :21:01.they embarked on their joint victory parade, the year rate people said
:21:02. > :21:03.that it was a magical memory. -- the year eight.
:21:04. > :21:06.Ireland rugby international Andrew Trimble has been ruled out
:21:07. > :21:08.of Ulster's Guinness Pro 12 clash with Connacht tomorrow night.
:21:09. > :21:11.He failed to take a full part in training.
:21:12. > :21:13.Rory Best will captain the Ulster side, which shows 6
:21:14. > :21:15.changes from the team which lost to Clermont.
:21:16. > :21:17.Best says winning the sold out inter-provincial game
:21:18. > :21:32.I think that now, in the league, the whole game has to be massive for us
:21:33. > :21:36.-- home game. We cannot afford to lose another game at home. We must
:21:37. > :21:41.keep pushing, we are just outside the top four. We have that game in
:21:42. > :21:45.hand but we need to keep making sure that we push. It has to be the next
:21:46. > :21:50.goal, to get in there and then we can talk about moving further up the
:21:51. > :21:52.table. We need to get these home games and pick up as many away wins
:21:53. > :22:04.as possible. The awarding of the 2017 women's
:22:05. > :22:06.Rugby World Cup to Ireland has prompted a growth of interest
:22:07. > :22:09.in the sport here, where several young girls sides have
:22:10. > :22:11.begun to spring up. Nikki Gregg reports from one such
:22:12. > :22:14.club that started in Belfast this year which is hoping other local
:22:15. > :22:29.teams will follow suit. Who are we? Malone! Not so much
:22:30. > :22:33.Ireland's call but Malone's. They started their club for girls this
:22:34. > :22:39.year and it has proved a big hit. It's getting the sport out across
:22:40. > :22:42.the province. There is so much sport out there at the moment.
:22:43. > :22:47.Judo, ballet, drama on Saturday mornings. It is difficult to have
:22:48. > :22:51.goals here who are not committed to something else. But rugby is
:22:52. > :22:54.inclusive and shoots everyone of all shapes and sizes.
:22:55. > :23:00.There is something on the pitch for you, no matter what you do. Nice and
:23:01. > :23:03.low, Poppy! Well done. This generation have role models as the
:23:04. > :23:09.senior women's game flourishes. They are all going mad for it. It is good
:23:10. > :23:13.to see. At the end of games, when they come up to you, you can tell
:23:14. > :23:16.that they look up to you as a player. They want to be able to play
:23:17. > :23:19.and put on the green jersey which is great to see. Are you ready, show
:23:20. > :23:29.me! That is all -- awesome. The other challenge is
:23:30. > :23:36.finding other girls teams to play. There are not many teams for this
:23:37. > :23:40.group. In the years gone by, kids have come down and played mini
:23:41. > :23:44.rugby. If a girl came and she was P five, she would be with the boys.
:23:45. > :23:50.They did not enjoy that. They come down here now on a Saturday. Play
:23:51. > :23:53.the fundamentals of the game. You can see their confidence going
:23:54. > :23:57.through the roof. Ireland hosting the women's World Cup next year
:23:58. > :24:03.should help James find more budding local players.
:24:04. > :24:08.Kingspasn will be one of the venues for the Women's World Cup -
:24:09. > :24:11.and we're live there tomorrow night ahead of the big Ulster
:24:12. > :24:17.We are battening down the hatches with the weather coming in!
:24:18. > :24:23.Let's find out if the rugby is going to go on ahead!
:24:24. > :24:27.He might need his thermals! All week we have been talking about Storm
:24:28. > :24:31.Barbara. She is with us tomorrow. She's not all that is going on. It
:24:32. > :24:35.is a busy time for weather. Overnight tonight, this westerly
:24:36. > :24:41.breeze will come around from the south. Introducing mild air ahead of
:24:42. > :24:46.the arrival of the lady herself! When Barbara gets here tomorrow
:24:47. > :24:51.morning, she brings gusts of 70 mph, less than we initially thought. She
:24:52. > :24:57.is not an exceptional storm but it is an exceptional travel day with a
:24:58. > :25:04.lot of people on the road. As we go through the morning, strong gusts
:25:05. > :25:09.coming. 30 millimetres. It is unpleasant for driving. As this rain
:25:10. > :25:14.comes through, we have strong, westerly breezes driving in. It is
:25:15. > :25:19.really going to be a rough end to the day. Cooler air moves in through
:25:20. > :25:23.the evening. Temperatures fall away overnight, some turned wintry over
:25:24. > :25:28.the hills. If you are heading to the big match, wrap-up! It could be
:25:29. > :25:33.chilly, 4 degrees at kick-off and a chance of showers there as well. It
:25:34. > :25:38.could be pretty miserable for some time. Once Storm Barbara is out of
:25:39. > :25:43.the way, it's not calming down yet! Another storm coming in towards
:25:44. > :25:48.Christmas Day. This line here is a warm weather front and behind it, we
:25:49. > :25:53.have milder air which will be with us on Christmas morning. You could
:25:54. > :25:57.wake up to temperatures of 12-13 . It cooler day on Christmas Eve. Rain
:25:58. > :26:02.comes through, this warm front behind it, and more mild air. The
:26:03. > :26:05.good news is that we have this weather warning in place on
:26:06. > :26:11.Christmas Day and the good news is that on Boxing Day, things will calm
:26:12. > :26:15.down. Then you can take a lie down in a darkened room!
:26:16. > :26:19.Now, we're going to leave you with another Christmas carol.
:26:20. > :26:22.Tonight it's the turn of the junior choir from Parkhall Special School
:26:23. > :26:24.in Lisburn with "we'd like to tell you a story."
:26:25. > :26:31.# A wonderful story that happened long ago
:26:32. > :26:47.# A wonderful story that happened long ago
:26:48. > :27:09.# A wonderful story that happened long ago
:27:10. > :27:34.# A wonderful story that happened long ago