New York: US authorities are probing individuals close to NIR Group on whether the US hedge fund firm paid kickbacks to outsiders to inflate the value of its holdings, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Northern Ireland Rail says it believes it could be six months before the rail line between Belfast and Dublin will be operational again.

World number one Ronnie O’Sullivan will kick off his bid for a fourth World Snooker Championship crown with a first-round tie against Stuart Bingham.

ANN CAHILL is right to express concern in her analysis of Ireland’s and Britain’s opt-out of the EU’s charter of fundamental rights (July 5).

Seve Ballesteros was refusing to prematurely celebrate defending the Royal Trophy after his European side extended their lead over Asia on the second day of the annual match-play tournament.

Chelsea will remain among the second seeds for the Champions League next season despite the almost-certain exclusion of Juventus and AC Milan from the competition.

Two people were being questioned today after a train crashed into a car deliberately abandoned on a crossing.

A driver’s skills may have saved lives after his train crashed into a car deliberately abandoned at a crossing in the North, police claimed today.

A rock fall which caused a train to crash injuring the driver and five passengers in Co Derry could have been foreseen, a major report found today.

A €130m contract to buy 23 new trains which will modernise the Northern Ireland rail network was signed today by Translink.