Moves by Sinn Féin leaders to urge their members to support the Police Service of Northern Ireland were tonight hailed as potentially historic on both sides of the Irish Sea.

The Democratic Unionists’ and Sinn Féin’s tough rhetoric of recent years is now coming back to haunt them, nationalist SDLP leader Mark Durkan said today.

The British and Irish governments will today meet Sinn Féin at talks in Hillsborough Castle focussing on a range of issues in the peace process.

A former MP today gave the Democratic Unionists a clear run in a bid to wrest away a safe Ulster Unionist seat in the general election.

The North's two main unionist parties appeared to be on collision course at the next British general election after the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists confirmed they would contest a key Ulster Unionist seat.

Ian Paisley conceded even more ground to republicans during the latest Northern Ireland peace negotiations than was in the Good Friday Agreement he vowed to smash, Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble claimed today.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said tonight he was confident the Rev Ian Paisley was sincere about striking a deal with republicans.

A question mark still hangs over the Democratic Unionists’ commitment to power sharing in Northern Ireland, it was claimed today.

The Democratic Unionists’ negotiating position is blocking a return to power sharing at Stormont, it was claimed today.

The nationalist SDLP is still on course to retain at least two of its Westminster seats despite further slippage in its vote, its European Parliament candidate Martin Morgan claimed tonight.

THE Government has failed to make the most of its presidency of the European Union, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams claimed yesterday.

The Government has failed to make the most of its presidency of the European Union, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams claimed today.

The Democratic Unionists’ refusal to engage with Sinn Féin in talks on the future of the Good Friday Agreement shows a lack of conviction in their own position, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said tonight.

The continued existence of paramilitaries in Northern Ireland needs to be addressed if the deadlock over devolution is to be broken, nationalist SDLP leader Mark Durkan claimed today.

The Government was today due to face fresh nationalist demands to pressure Tony Blair to publish reports into four controversial killings in Northern Ireland.

The British government was today told to resist efforts by hardline unionists to alter the Good Friday Agreement.

Northern Ireland's tourism chiefs were urged today to market the controversial and divisive Orange Order’s Battle of the Boyne celebrations like the Mardi Gras in New Orleans or France’s Bastille Day.

The Social Democratic and Labour Party tonight signalled its determination to hold on to two of its Stormont Assembly seats in the constituency of West Tyrone.

The Social Democratic and Labour Party tonight signalled its determination to hold on to two of its Stormont Assembly seats in the constituency of West Tyrone.

Northern Ireland’s Policing Board is to face demands for an early response to calls for an outside officer to take charge of the Omagh bomb inquiry.

The Irish and British Governments were poised today to release a "take-it-or-leave-it" package of proposals to prevent the collapse of the Good Friday Agreement.

The murder conviction of a former member of the Ulster Defence Regiment was today referred back to the Court of Appeal in the North for a third time.

Sinn Fein minister Martin McGuinness will face a motion of no confidence in the Northern Ireland Assembly, it was decided today.