:00:00. > :00:16.and on BBC One we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.
:00:17. > :00:20.This is BBC Newsline and these are the headlines this Tuesday
:00:21. > :00:33.Nine people are being questioned about arson attacks on serving
:00:34. > :00:33.police officers. I will have the latest.
:00:34. > :00:40.A report from a policy group set up and run
:00:41. > :00:42.by the Department of Education criticises the impact
:00:43. > :00:57.Sit back and it is all over the place at the moment, it needs
:00:58. > :00:59.sorted. We need an Assembly. Best themed hotel in Belfast -
:01:00. > :01:05.Could it look like this? And wind and rain is the them
:01:06. > :01:08.in the coming days, with Storm Doris I'll have your weather
:01:09. > :01:14.details shortly. Nine people have been arrested
:01:15. > :01:17.by detectives who are investigating a spate of arson attacks
:01:18. > :01:19.on the homes and cars The group is being questioned
:01:20. > :01:27.at Musgrave police station in Belfast, from where our reporter
:01:28. > :01:33.Catherine Morrison has this report. This all began with a series
:01:34. > :01:36.of early morning raids in Larne, Lisburn,
:01:37. > :01:38.Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon. Six men and three
:01:39. > :01:41.women were arrested. They were brought here
:01:42. > :01:44.to Musgrave Street police station for questioning
:01:45. > :01:46.on a number of offences including arson,
:01:47. > :01:49.arson with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to
:01:50. > :01:53.cause an explosion. The PSNI has told us the operation
:01:54. > :01:56.is in connection with targeting serving police
:01:57. > :02:01.officers in arson attacks. We do not have many details
:02:02. > :02:06.on this but what we do know is that between April and July
:02:07. > :02:10.of last year, in the Banbridge, Portadown and Gilford areas,
:02:11. > :02:12.a number of officers had their vehicles and homes set on fire
:02:13. > :02:15.and in some cases destroyed. This morning, at
:02:16. > :02:19.the same time as the arrests were made, searches
:02:20. > :02:21.were carried out and a number of items taken away
:02:22. > :02:24.for further examination. The police haven't done any
:02:25. > :02:28.interviews about this but in a statement, DI Keith Gawley
:02:29. > :02:31.described these as serious, life endangering attacks on officers
:02:32. > :02:35.and appealed for anyone with any information about the attacks
:02:36. > :02:38.to contact detectives. He also revealed there
:02:39. > :02:49.is a drugs links to the case and these 9 people are also
:02:50. > :02:51.being questioned about possessing class A, B and C drugs
:02:52. > :02:56.and intending to supply them. Five pipe bomb devices
:02:57. > :02:59.and a quantity of ammunition have been found during a security
:03:00. > :03:01.alert in West Belfast. They were removed
:03:02. > :03:03.by bomb disposal teams after the search of a house
:03:04. > :03:17.in Conway Street. Police say their research was part
:03:18. > :03:20.of an investigation into organised criminality by the INLA.
:03:21. > :03:22.A teenager accused of the manslaughter of a County Fermanagh
:03:23. > :03:26.Thirteen year old Oisin McGrath from Belcoo died following a playground
:03:27. > :03:30.Here's our South-West reporter Julian Fowler.
:03:31. > :03:41.19-year-old Francis McDermott is accused of unlawfully killing Oisin
:03:42. > :03:48.McGrath in February 2015. When that charge was put to him today he
:03:49. > :03:56.replied not guilty. The family were court and heard the defence
:03:57. > :04:04.solicitors the case would be conducted in a way to minimise their
:04:05. > :04:08.pain. Oisin McGrath Was taken to hospital following an incident in
:04:09. > :04:13.the playground at Saint Michaels College. At the time of the incident
:04:14. > :04:17.Francis McDermott was on the sixth form. It was said that an unusual
:04:18. > :04:24.set of circumstances Oisin McGrath led to the collapse and death of. He
:04:25. > :04:33.said further information was required. The case is said to last
:04:34. > :04:36.three weeks. Francis McDermott is now a university student and was
:04:37. > :04:41.The Police have arrested a 26-year-old man in connection
:04:42. > :04:43.with the murder of a man who was injured during
:04:44. > :04:47.22-year-old Conan Anderson from the Short Strand area
:04:48. > :04:50.of the city, suffered a head injury in the early hours of
:04:51. > :04:53.He was admitted to hospital later that day and died
:04:54. > :05:01.The police are treating a petrol bomb attack on a car belonging
:05:02. > :05:03.to a Sinn Fein election agent as a hate crime.
:05:04. > :05:05.The vehicle was set on fire during the attack
:05:06. > :05:10.County Down shortly after half past ten last night.
:05:11. > :05:13.The car, which was parked in the driveway of the family home,
:05:14. > :05:17.Two masked men were seen in the area at the time.
:05:18. > :05:19.Sinn Fein has described it as an attack on the democratic process.
:05:20. > :05:23.The DUP in the area has asked anyone with information about the attack
:05:24. > :05:28.The widow of the murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane has lost
:05:29. > :05:33.the latest stage in her campaign for a public inquiry
:05:34. > :05:36.Mr Finucane was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries
:05:37. > :05:45.His widow Geraldine Finucane challenged the former
:05:46. > :05:47.Prime Minister David Cameron over his refusal to order such
:05:48. > :05:50.an inquiry, but today the Court of Appeal dismissed her appeal.
:05:51. > :05:52.It also emerged the police are examining new information
:05:53. > :06:06.There is definitely unfinished business which the court highlighted
:06:07. > :06:11.today. It is a lengthy judgment which we will have to take into
:06:12. > :06:17.consideration. But one thing which we will have to follow is the fact
:06:18. > :06:21.that the police are now investigating all the new evidence
:06:22. > :06:27.A man in his 60s has died following a crash in Bangor.
:06:28. > :06:30.His car was involved in a collision with another vehicle at Cotton Road
:06:31. > :06:39.The Alliance Party Leader Naomi Long has admitted that she called two
:06:40. > :06:43.after her party's election manifesto launch Naomi Long also talked
:06:44. > :06:48.about a Belfast Telegraph story which reported
:06:49. > :06:51.that the Alliance Party had encouraged members to ring
:06:52. > :06:54.a BBC election phone-in with what was described
:06:55. > :06:58.Mrs Long said the story was "a storm in a tea cup."
:06:59. > :07:06.Here is our Political Correspondent Stephen Walker.
:07:07. > :07:12.Not the headlines you want on the day of our manifesto Wunsch. The
:07:13. > :07:17.Belfast Telegraph said the Alliance Party had encourage members to ring
:07:18. > :07:24.in to the Talkback programme with easy questions for Naomi Long and
:07:25. > :07:30.suggested the use a fake name if they wanted to. Naomi Long said this
:07:31. > :07:35.story was a storm in a teacup and the postings were a joke. --
:07:36. > :07:40.postings. A BBC spokesman said production teams do their best to
:07:41. > :07:45.assess each caller to ensure that contribute to a fair and balanced
:07:46. > :07:51.discussion. Separately Naomi Long admitted she described two Wyman as
:07:52. > :07:56.balloons. Women who had recently resigned from the Alliance Party. --
:07:57. > :08:04.two women. I think people would be surprised that all I said was
:08:05. > :08:08.balloons. So you did say it? I did. It was the items in the manifesto
:08:09. > :08:14.she wanted to concentrate on. She said this election is about choosing
:08:15. > :08:18.people who are fit to govern. We have been brought hear by a scandal
:08:19. > :08:24.in terms of RHI and how it was handled. Crucially we were brought
:08:25. > :08:28.hereby a breakdown for respect of partners in government. The Alliance
:08:29. > :08:33.Party say they have big plans for a change, including what they say as
:08:34. > :08:38.the abuse of petitions of concern. They want to introduce a single
:08:39. > :08:42.equality Bill and a special status for Northern Ireland after Brexit.
:08:43. > :08:48.They say integrated education should be expanded and they will oppose any
:08:49. > :08:57.repeal of the Human Rights Act. What are they aiming for the same? We
:08:58. > :09:01.would hope to hold our MLAs and we seek opportunities for growth in
:09:02. > :09:05.other areas. I am looking beyond that as well. This is not the only
:09:06. > :09:09.election so we are looking forward to the local council in future
:09:10. > :09:16.elections as well and try to grow the party outside this firm believes
:09:17. > :09:20.we have established. -- firm base. At the last election the Alliance
:09:21. > :09:23.vote went down and the new leaders there is any increase will be
:09:24. > :09:29.regarded as a good vote. The Assembly election is a once
:09:30. > :09:31.in a lifetime opportunity for smaller parties claims
:09:32. > :09:33.the People Before Profit Alliance which won two seats
:09:34. > :09:44.in Stormont last year. The party is calling for an end to
:09:45. > :09:49.corruption, and into links between paramilitaries and the state and to
:09:50. > :09:57.privatisation. It says its job has been made easier because of public
:09:58. > :10:01.fury over the RHI scheme. Last year we were told there was no
:10:02. > :10:12.alternative to austerity, running down education in the health
:10:13. > :10:18.service. The lay-off of public sector workers but now you can just
:10:19. > :10:23.A policy group set up and run by the Department of Education has
:10:24. > :10:25.criticised the impact of academic selection on children.
:10:26. > :10:31.Its report says selection has had what it calls "negative influences."
:10:32. > :10:35.The minister doesn't agree, as our education correspondent
:10:36. > :10:40.A state-run test had been around since the 1940s but scrapped by
:10:41. > :10:48.previous Education Minister a decade ago.
:10:49. > :10:53.But academic selection persists and still
:10:54. > :10:57.Now the Department of education's own advisory body has
:10:58. > :11:07.Their report says that academic selection puts
:11:08. > :11:09.lower achieving pupils into small group schools.
:11:10. > :11:11.Make some primary schoolchildren interested in
:11:12. > :11:19.learning and reinforces social division.
:11:20. > :11:25.One of the experts welcomes their conclusions. The basic evidence has
:11:26. > :11:30.not changed. The same issues are still sitting there but we don't
:11:31. > :11:34.have any political capacity to address the issues so maybe by
:11:35. > :11:38.forcing these issues into open, there can be more creativity and
:11:39. > :11:43.innovation. Legal education should be working in the interests of all
:11:44. > :11:46.our young people. The selective system and other elements is not
:11:47. > :11:49.But although it's from his department, the Education Minister
:11:50. > :11:51.Peter Weir did not set up the forum's inquiry
:11:52. > :11:55.In a statement he said that by setting demanding standards and
:11:56. > :11:56.offering rich educational opportunities, grammar schools can
:11:57. > :11:59.scare impressive outcomes for those who will drive the greatest benefit
:12:00. > :12:04.This is a wide-ranging report and it is actually critical
:12:05. > :12:07.of many aspects of our education system.
:12:08. > :12:10.But Peter Weir has only a short time left in office so it is
:12:11. > :12:15.uncertain who will be responsible for addressing its concerns after
:12:16. > :12:21.What is certain is that battles over academic selection
:12:22. > :12:38.Baroness alone has told the Lords that Assembly election has will be
:12:39. > :12:42.to direct... She also told peers that Brexit will recreate the border
:12:43. > :12:47.between North and South and precipitate a border referendum.
:12:48. > :12:51.There are still a lot of guns in circulation. We still had shootings
:12:52. > :12:56.and things like that so I do not think we can be complacent and
:12:57. > :13:01.suggest that has nothing to worry about. Brexit will recreate the
:13:02. > :13:06.border. Orders are there by the nature devices, this border will
:13:07. > :13:12.attract protests, hostility, violence and significant economic
:13:13. > :13:16.delay. Other borders across Europe will create delays for those who
:13:17. > :13:21.seek to import from the United Kingdom into Europe. Ironically,
:13:22. > :13:24.this border could be the thing that precipitates the demand for another
:13:25. > :13:28.referendum on a united Ireland. The High Court has been told that
:13:29. > :13:31.a new dual carriageway would have a minimal impact on a key
:13:32. > :13:33.wetland with international An Environmentalist
:13:34. > :13:38.is challenging the decision to proceed with a section
:13:39. > :13:40.of the A6 near Toomebridge. Here's our Agriculture
:13:41. > :13:42.and Environment Correspondent Chris and Doris Murphy had
:13:43. > :13:55.a few final submissions to make in opposition
:13:56. > :13:58.the scheme but today was the day the dept of infrastructure
:13:59. > :14:01.This lawyer argued that the contest section of road did
:14:02. > :14:04.not cut through the protected wetland and would take only a small
:14:05. > :14:07.portion of the fields used by the Swans for foraging.
:14:08. > :14:09.The court was told Swans were not unduly
:14:10. > :14:14.concerned by the presence of a road at all.
:14:15. > :14:20.Counsel for the Department said survey work along the existing A6
:14:21. > :14:27.had shown its ones foraging happily opted out. It is not swans that --
:14:28. > :14:34.cars that disturb this one spot people. -- disturb this warns.
:14:35. > :14:36.133 landowners along the route had had their land vested
:14:37. > :14:39.If it did not go ahead, the department
:14:40. > :14:42.would be left with the land and the compensation bill.
:14:43. > :14:44.Chris Murphy had made the case that the environmental
:14:45. > :14:46.service which underpinned the decision to proceed in 2016 had been
:14:47. > :14:49.based on information which was almost a decade out of date.
:14:50. > :14:51.But the department's lawyer said the original authorisation for the
:14:52. > :14:55.project had been appropriately given in 2011 so that was no need for an
:14:56. > :15:05.entirely new assessment of its impact on 2016, when the money to
:15:06. > :15:09.The department says the appropriate assessments were done in the
:15:10. > :15:14.information which underpinned the 2016 decision to go ahead with
:15:15. > :15:19.up-to-date. It will now be up to the judge to decide. It will be at least
:15:20. > :15:19.a month before she gives her decision.
:15:20. > :15:25.Back to the election campaign and as March the second approaches
:15:26. > :15:27.we've been visiting various places to get a sample of opinions
:15:28. > :15:31.Newsline's Tara Mills has been to Londonderry
:15:32. > :15:54.The chilly Monday in February probably was not the best
:15:55. > :15:56.the best team to for a
:15:57. > :16:00.But there were some who could not get away.
:16:01. > :16:03.It is a long way from Stormont but those voters thinks his
:16:04. > :16:12.I think the representatives in the north-west are doing a good enough
:16:13. > :16:20.job up there. I know what you're saying, they could not be any
:16:21. > :16:20.farther away by think they are doing a good job.
:16:21. > :16:30.chat on the doorsteps but out on the street was a different story.
:16:31. > :16:40.What issues do you think should be sorted out? Nicky Low Way ahead from
:16:41. > :16:44.the Good Friday Agreement. They are thinking about the children. My
:16:45. > :16:49.grandchildren and great grandchildren coming now. You are
:16:50. > :16:49.thinking about them and what is best for them.
:16:50. > :16:51.At the sheltered housing development residents
:16:52. > :16:52.were more than happy to
:16:53. > :17:05.I'm going to vote? Of course I am going to vote. Do you always vote? I
:17:06. > :17:10.always vote. I think it is right that everybody should vote because
:17:11. > :17:20.they fought long and hard enough to get the vote. It is sorted. Read an
:17:21. > :17:27.Assembly. Are you a supporter of Stormont? -- lead an Assembly. Of
:17:28. > :17:29.course it is needed. In the Waterside, this
:17:30. > :17:31.community Centre is home to Members of the crochet
:17:32. > :17:46.club had lots of Old-age pension for the ladies
:17:47. > :17:50.should be put back to 16, same with men for 65. If you work to 60 you
:17:51. > :17:55.have done enough I think. Let the young people comment. The health
:17:56. > :18:02.service is terrible at the moment, it is all over the news. My children
:18:03. > :18:06.have grown up and they are both working but probably for my
:18:07. > :18:06.grandchildren, the education and the health service.
:18:07. > :18:10.Others do not want to see Stormont collapse for good.
:18:11. > :18:22.Why is it important? Because they do not win it. They know our place
:18:23. > :18:30.although Northern Ireland soothing -- the living lives of the people.
:18:31. > :18:38.They just know better than they do in responding to you. -- in England
:18:39. > :18:39.what the people in that year. -- in England what the
:18:40. > :18:42.people in that year. Most of the people we spoke to had
:18:43. > :18:45.not had any politicians calling to With just over a week left
:18:46. > :18:48.until polling day, there are still some who could
:18:49. > :18:50.be convinced to vote. A Liverpool-based developer has
:18:51. > :18:53.announced a plan to build a George-Best themed
:18:54. > :18:59.hotel in Belfast. Lawrence Kenwright says he intends
:19:00. > :19:01.to develop a total of five hotels This is Lawrence Kenwright at
:19:02. > :19:07.a Belfast City Council event today. It is themed around the legendary
:19:08. > :19:11.football manager Bill Shankly. It is a model for the planned
:19:12. > :19:14.George Best hotel. He has not yet finalised
:19:15. > :19:16.the purchase of his Belfast sites although he says two deals
:19:17. > :19:18.have almost completed. He is looking for unloved
:19:19. > :19:33.buildings with potential. We're looking up mostly of three
:19:34. > :19:39.follow-ups. Buildings that are mostly listed and do not confirm to
:19:40. > :19:42.modern regulations. Because they are listed, you cannot knock down while
:19:43. > :19:45.Belfast is undergoing a hotel building them.
:19:46. > :19:47.The Hastings group are converting this office block
:19:48. > :19:55.There are another five hotels under construction and even more have
:19:56. > :19:59.So can the city take another five on top of what is
:20:00. > :20:13.If the demand for hotel rooms in Belfast continues to grow at 8% per
:20:14. > :20:18.ad -- per annum which is what it has done between 2011 and 2015 then
:20:19. > :20:19.there will be even in the marketplace from 2020 and beyond
:20:20. > :20:26.Baltimore. -- for more details. Mr Kenwright hopes to have his
:20:27. > :20:29.first deal is completed within a few months and first
:20:30. > :20:32.to tell deliberate just nine months These are ambitious plans
:20:33. > :20:34.ambitious timescales. If Mr Kenwright can
:20:35. > :20:37.pull it off he will be one of the biggest
:20:38. > :20:42.hoteliers in Belfast. Ireland fly-half Jonny Sexton
:20:43. > :20:45.trained today and is eligible for selection for Saturday's Six Nations
:20:46. > :20:47.clash with France in Dublin. While that is good news
:20:48. > :20:53.for coach Joe Schmidt, Ulster's Paddy Jackson, who has also
:20:54. > :20:58.worn the number ten shirt in Sexton's absence,
:20:59. > :21:00.is currently the leading points So who will start at fly-half
:21:01. > :21:22.for Ireland this weekend? Jonny Sexton gets picked like
:21:23. > :21:27.everybody else, he has no divine right to be picked. He's done this
:21:28. > :21:30.before, then out for long periods and then come back in has been
:21:31. > :21:36.really good so it is not something which is new to them. When we come
:21:37. > :21:40.to this election over the next 24 hours, will make the decision
:21:41. > :21:52.whether he is ready on whether we stick Paddy. -- stick with Paddy.
:21:53. > :21:56.We are told that a storm is making its way across the Atlantic -
:21:57. > :22:00.Barra Best has been tracking its path.
:22:01. > :22:08.The good news is most of the rain will fall during the early hours. It
:22:09. > :22:15.should clearly by the morning. A bit of a chill in the air tonight. No
:22:16. > :22:19.frost to worry about. And really drive the tomorrow. There will be a
:22:20. > :22:26.westerly winds which will bring in one or two scattered showers. Inland
:22:27. > :22:33.we should stay dry throughout the day, feeling colder than today.
:22:34. > :22:38.Highs of 9 degrees at best and then it will slowly cloud over from the
:22:39. > :22:43.south-west by the afternoon. If you are travelling tomorrow, we will
:22:44. > :22:48.have reason in Central and southern areas. This will make its way
:22:49. > :22:54.northward to moderate -- through tomorrow evening. It will be very
:22:55. > :22:59.wet. Some of the region will be quite heavy. A lot of rain falling
:23:00. > :23:06.in the short amount of time. The Met Office has issued a weather warning.
:23:07. > :23:13.We could say some flooding in areas. Widespread training and on top of
:23:14. > :23:18.that as temperatures tumble, they will introduce a bit of
:23:19. > :23:25.consciousness. -- widespread reason. We could get some flurries of Fleet
:23:26. > :23:34.area on Thursday morning. Courtesy of Storm Doris. It will bring in
:23:35. > :23:42.some cold Arctic area, scattered showers and temperatures will
:23:43. > :23:43.struggle, just 67 degrees. That