22/12/2016 BBC Newsline

Schools are set to be affected by more teachers

strikes in the New Year after a second teaching union voted

Members of the Irish National Teachers Organisation will stage

half-day walk-outs in a dispute over pay, as our education correspondent

Last month, some protested at school gates in their lunch hours.

In the New Year, 7,000 teachers will be walking

40% of members voted, which is a reasonable turnout

Four out of five voted for strike action.

The Minister must realise that he and authorities are out of

They do not understand how angry teachers are.

The education minister said the strikes are futile

and there is no more money in the pot.

Anyone would have heard that there appears to be

a lot of money about, it's a question of priorities.

We think that the Minister has his priorities wrong.

All members of the union will stage the first of what could be a series

of half day stoppages early next year.

Making them the second teaching union to announce strike action.

A walk-out by teachers from another union closed schools in Belfast

Unions Warren have yet a pay freeze last year and a 1% rise this year

but there is a split in how they have responded.

The ATL have decided action short of a strike.

ATL is a modern and reflective union.

They have said that there are different ways of skinning a cat.

First, noncooperation with the education and training

Inspectorate which would apply to us.

And the second part of industrial action would be targeting

needless accountability and administration and bureaucracy.

The education minister said that the strikes

were not in the interest of children or teachers.

But schools are set for more empty classrooms in January.

The victim was attacked as he sat in his car outside a house

in the Ronanstown area in the west of the city at tea-time.

It's thought the shooting could be linked

It's been reported the victim, who was 62 and originally

from Dublin's north inner city, had links to the

A man was shot dead. We believe in not -- a known gunman approached the

car and shots were fired. He got into a white van registration ten CE

9834. That car was found burned out a short time later.

A pipebomb has exploded after it was thrown

A window at the property on Colin Brook Park was smashed

And in Coalisland, the police say a device was thrown at a house

No one was injured in either incident.

Warnings have been issued about possible travel

and power-supply disruption as Storm Barbara is due

NIE say they've escalated an emergency plan, just in case.

It comes as airports prepare for their busiest 24

BBC Newsline's Mark Simpson reports.

The airports are busy but they are about to get even more busy.

Just as the weather is about to change...

There are no signs of high winds yet, but they are not far away...

We have been in regular contact with the Met Office during the week.

Storm Barbara is due to throw up gusts of up to 70 mph

so we have staff on stand-by and if there is damage

to the electricity network, we will be ready.

For many, timing could hardly be worse.

The storm is due to hit Northern Ireland tomorrow morning.

It will be one of the busiest days of the year.

There are a few empty seats inbound from anywhere.

People are coming home for Christmas and we think it will certainly be

We are currently estimating 20,000 people on the day.

What are the chances of disruption tomorrow?

There's always a chance but we have to plan for the worst

The mood of people today was of huge relief.

We are glad to go back before the storm, going back to Bristol

I don't think the storm is due to hit until tomorrow?

I was meant to travel tomorrow but I am travelling today instead.

At this time of year it is not easy or cheap.

The truth is for anyone travelling this weekend,

there is nothing they can do about the weather.

It is simply a case of all eyes on the skies.

And Geoff will be here later in the programme

Belfast City Airport has been agreed for sale.

The deal is between two UK private investment companies and is likely

Here's our business correspondent Julian O'Neill.

Passenger numbers and profits are both up and this has

been on the horizons for the last few months.

Investment companies, with prospective new owners,

looking to complete the purchase early next year.

The reason for that is partly due to the airport being sold as part

My understanding there was that it would be valued

Belfast City Airport did not comment on its in pen sale but it is hoped

that going forward that new owners would bring investment

and there would be improvements in car park facilities and shops

It last changed hands eight years ago.

The new owner is coming into a competitive environment

with the city and Belfast international rivalling one another

for airlines and flights to similar destinations.

After a meeting of its board last night the Irish Football Association

has decided to seek an urgent meeting with the president of Fifa.

The World Governing body fined the local organisation nearly

?12,000 for displays of poppies during a Northern Ireland

Under Fifa's rules, the sanction cannot be appealed.

Northern Ireland against Azerbijan at Windsor Park last

November the 11th - Armsitice Day.

Before kick off, a minute's silence was held, wreath was laid.

Fans held a poppy display in the stands.

But these acts of remebrance broke Fifa's rules banning the display

So footballs' governing body fined the IFA just under ?12,000.

Officials from the IFA met last night.

Afterwards, they released a statement.

In a statement, they confirmed they won't appeal the sanction -

They are, however seeking a meeting with the President of Fifa seeking

They said they did seek guidance from Fifa about what was allowed

to be displayed within the laws of the game.

Fans are urging the IFA not to let the matter drop.

We think that people are very frustrated,

because he saw that the IFA did all that they could.

They felt that the act of remembrance was very dignified.

And it came as a bit of a surprise that we were punished by Fifa.

There is a lot of anger and frustration.

This issue will no doubt arise again - so there needs to be clarity

Christmas has come a few days early for Annie Gibson

The 11-year-old Down High school student dramatically upset the odds

at this weeks National horse show in the Olympia arena,

to land the prestigious Pony Club mini-majors pairs event.

The mini majors is a pairs event where Annie competed

alongside her senior partner and power.

As they embarked on their joint victory parade, the year rate people

Lee Westwood accounts and the Ulster side, which rose six changes from

the team which lost to Claremont Place. Now the weather. It's been a

cold day today, but I wouldn't swap it for tomorrow, even with what is

coming. Storm Barbra is with us. Rain and strong winds across

Ireland. Difficult driving conditions with her. I went to

night, the breeze is heading south. Bringing more warm air ahead of the

front of the breeze. It picks up ahead of that rain, we have a

warning in place from 7pm tomorrow. Storm Barbra is not an exceptional

storm, but with those gusts and lots of people on the road, it could

cause travel disruption. As we go through the day, that band of rain

works its way in from the west, a company by strong winds. The air is

mild, I don't think you'll notice those 10 degrees temperatures with

the wind and rain. I sat front makes its progress to the east, very

breezy in front of the brain. Behind is colder air, or sherry regime.

That'll be the case as we go through the evening on Friday. Do wrap up if

you are heading to the rugby on Friday, Bush was good turn wintry.

Once a Barbra is away,, Christmas Day, we have the next low-pressure

system. Bringing mild air with it. Christmas morning is going to be

rather warm for the time of year. Highs of 13 degrees. It gets colder

after lunch. We will have the latest on Storm

Barbra tomorrow evening, on a programme coming live from St

Georges market Belfast. That is from 6:30am. That's it from us, have a