Further talks are taking place today in an effort to prevent a possible feud between rival factions of the UDA in north Belfast.

Tensions remain high in loyalist areas of north Belfast today amid an internal UDA dispute sparked by the expulsion of the organisation's local leadership last week.

Ousted loyalist paramilitary chief Ihab Shoukri has been charged with terrorist offences.

Tensions are high within loyalist factions in the North, after the UDA has failed to come to a decision on the fate of two north Belfast brothers.

The leadership of the Ulster Defence Association is believed to be planning a meeting later today to decide whether to expel two prominent members from the organisation.

President Mary McAleese and her husband Martin were urged today to end all further contact with the leadership of the loyalist Ulster Defence Association.

A top loyalist was heavily involved in handing over £40,000 (€59,000) worth of stolen industrial equipment to police, it emerged today.

The North’s two largest loyalist paramilitary groups were tonight urged to declare a definitive end to criminal and paramilitary activity.

Leading loyalist Andre Shoukri has pleaded not guilty to charges of blackmail, intimidation and money laundering, Belfast Magistrates Court was told today.

Police in Belfast today mounted a huge security operation outside the city’s magistrates’ courts as supporters of leading loyalist Andre Shoukri gathered in a show of solidarity with him.

A top loyalist paramilitary was charged today with blackmail, intimidation and money laundering.

A loyalist paramilitary chief and his mother were both being questioned by police in Northern Ireland tonight after detectives launched a major operation against organised crime.

Police in the North have arrested five people, including a leader of the Ulster Defence Association, during an operation against loyalist paramilitaries in Belfast today.

The British government’s recognition of the Ulster Defence Association’s ceasefire officially came into effect today.

The Ulster Defence Association was challenged tonight to guarantee their guns have fallen silent forever.

The British government was today poised to announce that it is recognising the ceasefire of the Ulster Defence Association, Northern Ireland’s biggest loyalist paramilitary group.

The British government has said it made it clear to loyalists this week that they must end all paramilitary activity and deal with the issue of decommissioning their weapons.

Prison authorities in Northern Ireland gained control of a block at a Co Antrim jail today where loyalist paramilitaries had barricaded themselves in.

TENSIONS were high in the loyalist community in north Belfast yesterday after a bungled attempt to overthrow UDA leaders in a fall-out over money.

Security sources in the North have claimed that the Ulster Defence Association’s new commander in north Belfast is intent on ethnically cleansing Catholics from a flashpoint area on his turf.

The family of a north Belfast man who has spent more than 16 months in prison awaiting trial has accused the judiciary of bias.

A leading north Belfast loyalist was today imprisoned for six years on firearms charges.

The brother of leading loyalist Andre Shoukri appeared in court in Belfast today, charged with murdering UDA victim Alan McCullough.

Thousands of loyalists were expected to attend today’s funeral of murdered UDA leader John Gregg.

Leading members of the Ulster Defence Association turned out in force today for the funeral of loyalist feud victim Robert “Rab” Carson.

Two men were arrested today by detectives investigating the murders of UDA boss John Gregg and another man in the docks area of Belfast, police said.

Urgent efforts to increase police patrols in Northern Ireland have been hit by a dismal response from Catholics to a new recruitment drive, Chief Constable Hugh Orde disclosed today.

Weapons seized from a loyalist arms dump will undergo ballistic tests to establish if they were used in recent sectarian murders, it was confirmed today.

Feared loyalist paramilitary boss Johnny Adair today showed his support for a close associate who appeared in court on gun charges.

One of the top loyalist paramilitaries in Belfast was today charged with gun offences following a major security operation.

The Loyalist Ulster Defence Association leader in the North has been arrested on the outskirts of Belfast city as part of a police operation.