and that's the focus of sinn fein. 0ur focus. and that's the focus of sinn fein.ople and their interests first. thank you. they are not taking questions. martin mcguinness, the deputy first minister, saying that there needs to bea minister, saying that there needs to be a full, independent investigation into the green energy scheme that has been dubbed the cash for ash scandal. it was a new renewable heating scheme where the idea was to encourage new, green systems to be put in place. but it has ended up with the project fastly running over its budget to the tune of £a00 million. sinn fein are saying that the first minister, arlene foster, needs to temporarily stand—down while the issues are investigated independently. we were hearing from martin mcguinness saying there would be no credibility is an investigation is set up by the dup. we know that prior to the session arlene foster, the first minister, said she wouldn't be temporarily standing down. there was going to be this special sitting of the stormont assembly to look at the issues. she was facing a no—confi

minister was left alone with her party, the dup, while outside their partners in power—sharing, sinn feingy scheme. we need to establish all the facts and we need to know who benefited from this failed scheme. the first minister should stand aside to allow the investigation to take place. the controversial renewable heat incentive scheme originally worked like this: for every £1 of fuel a company uses, they are paid around £1.60, to encourage them to buy environmentally friendly boilers. but because initially there were no caps or limits, in the scheme's 20—year life it is expected to go £400 million over budget, money which stormont is responsible for. the special advisers of the dup interfered in my decision—making. last week the former dup enterprise minister jonathan bell accused officials from within his own party of delaying crucial changes to try to prevent the scheme running out of control. that has being denied by the dup, and he has since been suspended that has been denied by the dup, and he has since been suspended by the party but the scheme was badly flawed. a confidential r

minister was left alone with her party, the dup, while outside their partners in power—sharing, sinn feino a badly thought green energy scheme. we need to establish all the facts are many to know who benefited from this failed scheme. the first minister should stand aside to allow the investigation to ta ke aside to allow the investigation to take place. the controversial renewable heat incentive scheme originally worked like this. for every £1 of fuel a company uses, they are paid around £i every £1 of fuel a company uses, they are paid around £160, to encourage them to buy environmentally friendly boilers. but because initially there were no caps all events, in the scheme's 20 year life it is expected to go £400 million over budget, money which storm want is responsible for. last week the former dup enterprise ministerjonathan bell accused officials from his own party of delaying crucial changes to try to stop the scheme running out of control. that is being denied by the dup, and he says has since been suspended either party but the scheme was badly flawed. a confidential report seen b

but she's rejected calls from sinn fein to step aside during an investigation into the project, whicht by £400 million. our ireland correspondent chris buckler reports. arlene foster was a popular choice. when she was selected to become dup leader and northern ireland's first minister almost exactly a year ago. but she is now under pressure and facing damaging accusations, some of which come from within her own party. this is foster was enterprise minister when a badly flawed green energy scheme was set up. it's left 2000 businesses in a position where the more they burned, the more they earn “— the more they burned, the more they earn —— mrs foster. the scheme works like this. for every £1 of you company uses they are paid around £1 60, that was to encourage them to buy environmentally friendly boilers. but because initially there we re boilers. but because initially there were no caps or limits its projected to have gone £400 million over budget. last week a dup politician accused officials from within his own party of delaying crucial changes to the scheme despite warnings. the spe

but sinn fein's politicians were outside the chamber, deliberately distancing themselves from a botchedunds. we need to establish all the facts and know who benefited from this field scheme. —— this failed scheme. the first minister should stand aside to allow the investigation to take place. the controversial renewable heat incentive scheme worked like this. for every £1 of fuel the company uses they are paid £1.60. that was to encourage them to buy environmentally friendly boilers. because initially there were limits it is expected to be £400 million over budget over the next 20 years. the bbc has seen a confidential report which says the mistakes in its design have allowed companies to abuse the scheme. there is evidence of some firms heating buildings just to make a profit. it was launched under the watch of the current first minister, who was then enterprise minister. i'm sorry the scheme did not contain cost control measures and there were fundamental flaws in its design. this is the deepest political regret of my time in this house. after their brief walk—out, stormont‘s other pa

however a rift has opened up today between the dup and sinn fein, their partners in government. authorise arlene foster to give a statement here in her capacity as first minister. the deputy first minister and the first minister legally have equal powers and are not supposed to act in isolation of one another. that means the first minister‘s statement is not valid and walked out. martin mcguinness gave an interview in which he appeared to indicate he was still committed to the power—sharing relationship, he said arlene foster should step aside for a number of weeks whilst thejudge should step aside for a number of weeks whilst the judge led investigation took place into the green energy scheme which is at the centre of this controversy. it was called the renewable heat incentive and designed to get people to use environmentally friendly fuels but it overspent to the tune of £400 million. martin mcguinness said he was giving friendly advice saying she should step down and not giving an order. she thank you for the update. now to bring you up—to—date with the events in turkey beca

but she's rejected calls from sinn fein to step aside during an investigation into the project whichondent chris buckler reports. arlene foster was a popular choice when she was selected to become dup leader and northern ireland's first minister almost exactly a year ago. but she's now under pressure and facing damaging accusations, some of which come from within her own party. mrs foster was enterprise minister when a badly flawed green energy scheme was set up. it's left 2,000 businesses in a position where the more they burn, the more they earn. the renewable heat incentive scheme works like this — for every £1 of you company uses they are paid around £1.60, that was to encourage them to buy environmentally friendly boilers. but because initially there were no caps or limits its projected to have gone £400 million over budget. last week, a dup politician accused officials from within his own party of delaying crucial changes to the scheme despite warnings. the special advisers of the dup interfered in my decision—making. i had this to close to a less lucrative rate. mr bell's clai

there were chaotic scenes with opposition parties walking out and the dup's partner in government, sinn feinement does need the support of the deputy first minister, martin mcguinness. but sinn fein‘s politicians were outside the chamber, deliberately distancing themselves from a botched energy scheme that is likely to cost stormont hundreds of millions of pounds. we need to establish all the fa cts pounds. we need to establish all the facts and know who benefited from this field scheme. the first minister should stand aside to allow the investigation to take place. the controversial renewable heat incentive scheme worked like this. for every £1 of fuel the company uses they are paid £1 60. that was to encourage them to buy environmentally friendly boilers. because initially there were limits it is expected to be £a00 million over budget over the next 20 years. the bbc has seen a confidential report which says the mistakes in its design have allowed companies to abuse the scheme. there is evidence of some firms heating buildings just to make a profit. it was launched under the watch of the c

she's rejected calls from sinn fein to step aside during an investigation into the project, which iso have overspent by £400 million. at the start of proceedings, assembly members from parties except the dup walked out of the chamber, claiming the speaker should intervene. the session was adjourned, before the first minister made her statement. while it may have been lost amid the media hype i am on record saying i entirely accept my accountability to the assembly during my tenure as minister. i am sorry the scheme did not include cost control measures and there were fundamental flaws in its design. this is the deepest political regret of my time in this house. as minister i accept responsibility for the work of the departments during my time. again for the avoidance of doubt it is right and proper that i answer to this assembly for my role in the rhi scheme, and not for one moment do i think to shirk or avoid that responsibility but if we are to learn lessons from this entire experience it is essential we know exactly where things went wrong. meanwhile the deputy first minister, mar

another development in this story, this has put power—sharing between the dup and sinn fein under strainry that the russian foreign ministry has announced it intends to expel thirty—five american diplomats from the country. the measure is in response to president obama's decision to kick out 35 diplomats because of allegations that russia interfered in the american presidential election. with me is sir tony brenton, a former british ambassador to russia between 200a and 2008. i suspect you have a sense of deja vu. i suspect you have a sense of deja vu. absolutely, when i was an ambassador we throughout the plus because of the litvinenko affair. for the diplomats themselves it is quite something. it is a major shock in their lives, it disrupts careers, families, schooling, all of that. we can be slightly glib about it being a ritual but it has more serious implications. our hope at the time of the litvinenko affair was that it was a disincentive for the russians doing something similar and the americans will have a similar hope with regard to stopping russians publicising the products of

sinn fein has called for mrs foster to step down while an investigation takes place.offences against children. ralph clark — from erdington in birmingham — is believed to be the oldest person in british legal history to be convicted of a crime. he'd admitted nine charges, and was found guilty of 21 others. the football association dub england, scotland, northern ireland and wales have all been fined for displaying poppies during world cup qualifying games last month. fifa regards the poppy as a political symbol, something which is banned. the fa has said it will appeal. the shortage of affordable housing is one of the biggest issues facing britain, and modular housing — where homes are pre—fabricated, then quickly installed on site —has been touted as one solution. today, plans were announced to build six factories in england that could produce 22,000 homes a year. behind the venture is an investment of £2.5 billion from china. this report from our home editor, mark easton, contains flashing images. it's a house on the back of a lorry, turning heads in derbyshire toda

another development in the story, @ it has put the power—sharing coalition between the dup and sinn fein. john mccain the senior republican senator, setting a date in january for a hearing senior republican senator, setting a date injanuary for a hearing to discuss cyber threats to the united states. calling the national intelligence director to attend that hearing. amongst the cyber threats will be claims by the cia that russia orchestrated the packing of democratic party computers during the presidential election campaign this as we have been telling you, over the last 2a hours, president obama has expelled a number of russian diplomats to the united states. senatorjohn mccain, very senior member of the republican party setting a date injanuary senior member of the republican party setting a date in january for a hearing to discuss cyber threats to the united states. a study has found that people on zero hours contracts earn an average of 1,000 pounds a year less than other workers doing the same job. around 900—thousand people are on zero hours contracts which demand that they be avai

well, interestingly the dup‘s main partners in the power sharing coalition are sinn fein.aside while a judge—led investigation took place into the failings of the green energy scheme. mrs failings of the green energy scheme. m rs foster failings of the green energy scheme. mrs foster made it clear she wasn‘t going to do this of the deputy first minister said the party will return to the issues later in the new year. it has developed between the two coalition partners because of this failed green energy scheme. it is unlikely source for a crisis at stormont, but the parties are indicating that they remain committed to the institutions of government here while there is a rift, it is not a casmed and i think the administration will survive. news from turkey where the russian ambassador to turkey has been shot in what appears to have been an assassination attempt. shot and seriously wounded according to some reports. the russian ambassador to turkey has been wounded. he was attend ago photo exhibition which was called russia as seen by turks. there was a report saying that pho

this story, a saga that has put the power—sharing coalition between the democratic unionists and sinn feinas found that people on zero hours contracts earn an average of 1,000 pounds a year less than other workers doing the same job. around 900—thousand people are on zero hours contracts which demand that they be available at any time, but do not guarantee work. the think tank behind the research, the resolution foundation, says even when it's taken into account many such jobs are low—skilled, these workers are suffering a pay penalty of seven percent. the polish government has bought a huge private art collection for a fraction of its value of $2 billion including a portrait by leonardo da vinci but thethe polish government has bought a huge private art collection for a fraction of its value of $2 billion including a portrait by leonardo da vinci but of only four mac portraits of women by the italian master. it alone is insured for 331 million euros. it is one of the pieces in the charter risky foundation collection, the treasure trove consists of around 86 objects, and also includes a re