Van Morrison has celebrated his 70th birthday with once-in-a-lifetime concerts on the east Belfast street he immortalised in his masterpiece Astral Weeks.

A rescue package to save troubled Belfast shipyard Harland and Wolff from closure today appeared to be edging towards government approval.

The future of Belfast shipyard Harland and Wolff looked brighter today after it won its appeal over an arbitration claim for more than £20m.