:00:07. > :00:10.There have been calls for a cross-border public inquiry
:00:11. > :00:13.into allegations of corruption at Nama, the Republic's
:00:14. > :00:19.That comes in the wake of a BBC Spotlight investigation
:00:20. > :00:21.which revealed that, Frank Cushnahan, a senior Nama
:00:22. > :00:25.advisor in Northern Ireland, accepted a ?40,000 cash payment
:00:26. > :00:31.The money was handed over by a property developer
:00:32. > :00:37.Here's our economics and business editor John Campbell.
:00:38. > :00:39.Frank Cushnahan is at the centre of this story.
:00:40. > :00:42.An experienced businessman and former banker, he
:00:43. > :00:48.was praised by the DUP this during Stormont
:00:49. > :01:01.committee meetings last year.
:01:02. > :01:03.They nominated him to NAMA, the so-called bad bank.
:01:04. > :01:09.NAMA was set up to manage the bad property loans
:01:10. > :01:14.The job was to advise NAMA on the 1 billion
:01:15. > :01:18.Those loans were owed to the Irish state by major developers.
:01:19. > :01:19.Spotlight obtained a recording of Frank
:01:20. > :01:22.Cushnahan doing his own cash deal with one of those
:01:23. > :01:52.In return for his ?40,000, John Miskelly was hoping Frank Cushnahan
:01:53. > :01:57.He wanted to refinance his loans, get out of NAMA
:01:58. > :02:01.and retake control of his properties.
:02:02. > :02:04.This would represent a serious conflict of interest
:02:05. > :02:10.He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
:02:11. > :02:24.In a statement, John Miskelly said...
:02:25. > :02:30.By this stage, NAMA has sold its entire
:02:31. > :02:42.Northern Ireland portfolio to an American investment fund.
:02:43. > :02:44.But questions are being asked about Frank Cushnahan's role in that seal
:02:45. > :02:48.Spotlight broadcast tapes of another meeting in which
:02:49. > :02:50.Frank Cushnahan encourages John Miskelly to lie
:02:51. > :03:10.if the police should ask him about payments.
:03:11. > :03:14.NAMA was again on the agenda at Stormont today.
:03:15. > :03:18.The Finance committee members want more answers.
:03:19. > :03:22.There must be no hiding place for anyone, no matter
:03:23. > :03:25.who they are or what position they held or still hold.
:03:26. > :03:36.A public enquiry on either side of the
:03:37. > :03:38.border seems unlikely while criminal investigations continue into NAMA
:03:39. > :03:41.We may soon get some fresh information.
:03:42. > :03:49.The Republic's spending watchdog has completed an enquiry into whether
:03:50. > :03:51.NAMA Northern Ireland's loan seal achieved value for money.
:03:52. > :03:53.That report is expected to be published
:03:54. > :03:55.in the coming weeks. John Campbell, BBC newsline.
:03:56. > :03:57.And there's another chance to see that Spotlight investigation
:03:58. > :04:01.It's also available on the BBC iPlayer.
:04:02. > :04:03.The Education Minister Peter Weir has reversed Department of Education
:04:04. > :04:09.Guidance issued to principals and school governors today means
:04:10. > :04:13.that primary schools will now be free to help pupils prepare
:04:14. > :04:14.for the test, as our education correspondent
:04:15. > :04:24.A new school year for primary seven pupils in Belfast has just begun.
:04:25. > :04:30.In the past, their teachers couldn't openly help them prepare but from
:04:31. > :04:37.today, primary schools will be able to supply pupils with practice
:04:38. > :04:40.tests, teachers can carry out practice tests with pupils
:04:41. > :04:43.in class and they can teach towards the tests,
:04:44. > :04:47.We'll be able to sit down and discuss with parents
:04:48. > :04:51.how we will practically implement what a primary seven year
:04:52. > :05:03.If we need to do a test on a Monday afternoon,
:05:04. > :05:07.we can teach from over the next day or two, we have the
:05:08. > :05:09.For other principles, making selection more
:05:10. > :05:10.straightforward, it's a backward step.
:05:11. > :05:13.It's short term and it solves a minor problem.
:05:14. > :05:17.We all know parents want the best for their children,
:05:18. > :05:20.everybody wants the best for their children but the best
:05:21. > :05:24.is that their children are getting an education
:05:25. > :05:27.with a shared future for everybody so that you don't have a system
:05:28. > :05:30.Unsurprisingly, the minister who visited Victoria
:05:31. > :05:44.Transfer tests are based around the curriculum.
:05:45. > :05:46.This is not a major divergence on this basis.
:05:47. > :05:49.There has always been the option of parents to either opt
:05:50. > :05:54.in or opt out and that is something that will be respected in that
:05:55. > :06:01.This is providing a degree of freedom.
:06:02. > :06:03.Peter Weir isn't bring back a state run 11 plus
:06:04. > :06:06.system as that would be an unwinnable battle for hearts and
:06:07. > :06:09.What he's done today will mean that schools
:06:10. > :06:12.and parents will have to
:06:13. > :06:14.decide again on where they stand with academic selection.
:06:15. > :06:17.An asylum seeker who was chased down Botanic Avenue in Belfast
:06:18. > :06:20.and stabbed to death by his friend was the victim of a barbaric attack
:06:21. > :06:22.of particular savagery according to a prosecution lawyer.
:06:23. > :06:25.Ahmed Noor who is originally from Somalia but who was living
:06:26. > :06:28.at Agincourt Avenue described himself as "Allah's assassin"
:06:29. > :06:31.after stabbing Mohsin Bhatti repeatedly in the chest,
:06:32. > :06:36.The paranoid schizophrenic told the police it was
:06:37. > :06:41.He said "Allah had sent him to kill the man and his mission
:06:42. > :06:43.was complete and he should be locked away forever."
:06:44. > :06:45.Noor admitted manslaughter on the grounds of
:06:46. > :06:47.diminished responsibility. He's due to be sentenced next week.
:06:48. > :06:49.The world premiere of a film about the relationship
:06:50. > :06:51.between Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness has taken
:06:52. > :07:06.BBC Newsline's Mark Simpson was there.
:07:07. > :07:13.Who said Northern Ireland politics were dull? The ruled out the red
:07:14. > :07:16.carpet for an unlikely film about an unlikely friendship, the one which
:07:17. > :07:18.developed between the Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness.
:07:19. > :07:22.A fictional drama based on the
:07:23. > :07:27.real-life relationship that these two former enemies somehow forged.
:07:28. > :07:33.I'll tell you why we are here in this godforsaken church.
:07:34. > :07:36.The film tries to recreate the surprise
:07:37. > :07:41.there was when Sinn Fein and the DUP finally came together.
:07:42. > :07:54.How can we even contemplate doing that?
:07:55. > :08:07.That's the first time you've said we.
:08:08. > :08:09.The actors playing Ian Paisley and Martin
:08:10. > :08:13.McGuinness didn't need to be experts in the peace process but they did
:08:14. > :08:16.need to look the part. How did they do it?
:08:17. > :08:25.I said to my wife, what do you think of the chin?
:08:26. > :08:34.Obviously, they made me taller. All of those little snippets.
:08:35. > :08:36.You try and build a big picture from within
:08:37. > :08:41.rather than something that is a preconceived idea.
:08:42. > :08:43.There was less work involved to try to recreate
:08:44. > :08:50.I don't think it was quite necessary but they thought
:08:51. > :09:02.I was familiar with him as a political figure.
:09:03. > :09:04.The main characters are played by a Dublin
:09:05. > :09:07.and a Londoner but the writer was local, novelist Colin Bateman.
:09:08. > :09:11.What has the reaction been so far at the Venice Film Festival?
:09:12. > :09:25.We've heard the reviews from the London nationals
:09:26. > :09:27.weren't very good and we felt really down and
:09:28. > :09:29.then Variety came through, which is the biggest
:09:30. > :09:32.review of all, and it was an absolute...
:09:33. > :09:35.The mood is very buoyant and I think we will be
:09:36. > :09:43.breaking open a vintage bottle of Buckfast tonight.
:09:44. > :09:47.Tonight 's world premiere was more of the champagne occasion for all
:09:48. > :09:52.those involved in the movie that everyone else will have to wait to
:09:53. > :09:55.see it. It may not be released in the cinema until early next year.
:09:56. > :09:57.The Paralympics Opening ceremony is currently
:09:58. > :10:02.Nigel Ringland has been to meet some of the local athletes taking part.
:10:03. > :10:05.The transformation from Olympic to Paralympic city is complete and
:10:06. > :10:09.despite financial problems in the build-up, and the pre-game
:10:10. > :10:11.ticket sales, Rio will once again play host
:10:12. > :10:15.to the world and while there are no local Olympic medals to cheer, there
:10:16. > :10:17.are plenty of reasons to believe the Paralympics
:10:18. > :10:26.Jason Smyth is double double Olympic champion from Beijing and London.
:10:27. > :10:29.This time, reclassification means he can only go for glory for
:10:30. > :10:36.Paralympics Ireland in the 100 metres.
:10:37. > :10:39.There's always that extra pressure to go out and perform as
:10:40. > :10:44.the previous champion and hopefully do the same again.
:10:45. > :10:46.Jason Smyth's middle-distance runner partner Michael McKillop has
:10:47. > :10:49.three gold medals to his name and Michael McKillop has cerebral palsy
:10:50. > :10:52.and has only one opportunity to add to his collection in the
:10:53. > :11:03.Claire Taggar has taken part in her first games
:11:04. > :11:04.and will make a Team GB debut.
:11:05. > :11:07.I'm thrilled to be the first person from Northern Ireland to be
:11:08. > :11:10.representing the sport at the Paralympics.
:11:11. > :11:13.I'm just thrilled and hopeful that in the years to come,
:11:14. > :11:16.people will follow me in the GB pathway and
:11:17. > :11:18.they can experience the
:11:19. > :11:23.success like I have and just lived like this.
:11:24. > :11:25.The first to hope for a
:11:26. > :11:29.local medal will come in the swimming pool when 2012 gold
:11:30. > :11:35.medallist Bethany Firth hopes to defend her title.
:11:36. > :11:37.The 20-year-old will compete for Paralympics GB and is
:11:38. > :11:40.It was an amazing feeling to have that gold
:11:41. > :11:43.medal around my neck and I really want to do
:11:44. > :11:45.it again and hopefully in Rio will have more
:11:46. > :11:59.And the weather now. Here's Geoff Maskell.
:12:00. > :12:06.After if you mild and muggy days there is a bit of a change in our
:12:07. > :12:12.weather. We go into the next few days with a much more mixed weather
:12:13. > :12:16.ahead of us with some potent weather heading in our direction. Lots of
:12:17. > :12:20.activity in the Atlantic and on Friday there is this area of low
:12:21. > :12:23.pressure dampening things down across Northern Ireland. The change
:12:24. > :12:28.begins overnight tonight. This band of rain will work its way down from
:12:29. > :12:32.west to east with them inch of rain in some spots overnight tonight. We
:12:33. > :12:37.are into some cooler fresher conditions and tomorrow will be a
:12:38. > :12:41.mix of sunshine and some brighter spells. Everything moving in quite
:12:42. > :12:45.quickly driven on by this south-westerly breeze. A marked
:12:46. > :12:51.reduction in the temperatures on today's values. Down by 6 degrees in
:12:52. > :12:58.some places. Highs of 1718 Celsius. In much pressure -- fresher feeling
:12:59. > :13:04.day. These wind arrows are driving these showers and across south-east
:13:05. > :13:08.part of England. They are getting progressively cooler as we head
:13:09. > :13:12.towards the systems. Overnight, the showers continue but by Dawn on
:13:13. > :13:17.Friday morning, actually not a bad picture, dry and break to begin with
:13:18. > :13:21.but don't be fooled or venture out without a coat because by the end of
:13:22. > :13:25.the day, it will be a very wet Friday evening. The weekend,
:13:26. > :13:28.Saturday is certainly looking like the better day.