Abuse apology, Donaldson murder report and Sexton's Six Nations return: Northern Ireland headlines

Historical Institutional Abuse Apology

A long-awaited public apology to the victims of historical institutional abuse will be delivered in Stormont later.

Survivors will watch on in the Assembly chambers as a minute's silence is held before ministers offer an apology on behalf of the executive.

There will also be statements by representatives of state and religious institutions found by the Hart inquiry to have been responsible for the abuse.

Assembly leaders apologise to victims of historical institutional abuse

Denis Donaldson murder Ombudsman report

A watchdog investigation has found the family of Denis Donaldson had legitimate concerns about how the PSNI managed threats to his life.

The former Sinn Fein official was shot dead at a remote cottage in Donegal in 2006, after being unmasked as an informant. The Police Ombudsman found no evidence his location was leaked by the PSNI. A watchdog investigation has found there was no evidence police leaked the whereabouts of Denis Donaldson before his murder, but the PSNI should have conducted a risk assessment after a media article showed him outside a remote Donegal cottage where he was murdered two weeks later. The former Sinn Fein official was shot dead after being unmasked as an informant.

'Justified' concerns over PSNI handling of threat to Denis Donaldson

History of the Troubles

The second volume of a narrative of Northern Ireland's troubles has launched in Belfast. 'Reporting The Troubles 2' has contributions by seventy journalists, including UTV's Mark McFadden and ITN's Sir Trevor McDonald, as well as a foreword written by Tony Blair and Bertie Ahern.

Ireland Six Nations

Johnny Sexton returns for Ireland at fly half, for the trip to face England at Twickenham this weekend. Andy Farrell has made six changes from the Italian game with Ulster's Iain Henderson on the bench, but there's no place for Mike Lowry after his fantastic two-try debut. Coverage starts on UTV tomorrow at a quarter-past-four.

League Cup Final

A crowd of 10,000 fans are expected at Windsor Park this weekend in what could be the biggest event in Irish Premiership history. Coleraine and Cliftonville will meet in the League Cup final on Sunday afternoon.