Voters in Mid Ulster go to the polls today in a Westminster by-election contest that has become heavily associated with a historic Troubles murder.

The race to succeed Martin McGuinness as MP for the Mid Ulster constituency has been confirmed as a four-way fight.

Stormont politicians united today to offer words of sympathy and support for the grief-stricken Spence family.

Team mates of a young rugby star killed in a farming tragedy alongside his brother and his father in Northern Ireland have said he was a wonderful sportsman and a wonderful person.

The head of the Northern Ireland Prison Service (Nips) is leaving after just more than a year in the role to take charge of Scotland's jails.

Police in the North investigating dissident republican activity have recovered a substantial number of weapons and ammunition from a vehicle in the Keady area of south Armagh.

The North's Policing Board has defended the PSNI over its extended detention of three men arrested in connection with the muder of Constable Ronan Kerr.

Dissident republicans in the North may have secured a cache of military grenades, it was feared today.

The new leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Tom Elliott has removed his predecessor Reg Empey from the Northern Ireland Executive, it was confirmed today.

A man has been charged with a series of terror-related offences linked to dissident republicanism in the North.

The new leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) faced his first resignation today after he was accused of snubbing gaelic games.

New Ulster Unionist Party leader Tom Elliott will meet party staff and officers today following his landslide victory.

Gardaí and the PSNI are investigating possible links between a bomb blast in south Armagh yesterday and an on-going investigation into dissident republican activity in Co Louth.

Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Tom Elliott confirmed today that he will run for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party.

Reg Empey is expected to stay on as Ulster Unionist leader following a meeting of senior members tomorrow.

A car bomb exploded near to the headquarters of MI5 in the North today within minutes of policing and justice powers being transferred from London to Belfast.

A major security operation will be in place across the North today amid fears dissident republicans intend to mark the arrival of the new chief constable with violence.

Police chiefs in the North were criticised today after confirming that one of their officers has been sent to Tripoli to help train Libyan police.

There should be a full investigation into the controversial closure of the Visteon car parts plant in Belfast, Sinn Féin said today.

A DUP policing board member in the North has said that he is extremely worried at reports that officers are not being equipped properly with anti-bullet flak jackets.

A new all-encompassing education authority is being used as a trojan horse to exert more government control over schools, an Assembly member warned today.

Politicians clashed today at the Stormont Assembly over attempts by Ulster Unionists to hand Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness the title of First Minister.

The number of police officers suspended for alleged misconduct is now at its highest level since the PSNI was formed, it was revealed today.

Members of the North's Policing board will meet Security Minister Paul Goggins today to demand government fills a multi-million pound hole in the policing budget.

The North's Chief Constable Hugh Orde today led tributes to four policemen killed a horrific early morning road accident.

Four police officers were killed today in a road accident in the North.

The North's Education Minister Caitriona Ruane today faced calls to retain the 11-plus transfer test until a proven alternative is identified.

A national sports stadium for the North on the site of the old Maze prison today looked to be dead and buried – at least for the foreseeable future.

A third of grammar schools could close if changes to the education system go ahead in the North, it was claimed today.

Members of the North’s Policing Board were today divided over whether taser guns should be piloted after the weapon was deployed in a tragic incident.

The Ulster Unionist party is to discuss its future policies in Belfast today.

A security vetting backlog is threatening appointments to education and health jobs in the North, a public representative claimed today.

Sinn Féin representatives will today quiz the North's police commanders in public for the first time.

A former Sinn Féin mayor of Derry is to join the party’s first three Assembly representatives on the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

The DUP and Sinn Féin were making significant gains in the Northern Ireland Assembly Elections.

Sinn Féin were tonight on the brink of taking a seat in the strongly unionist stronghold of Jeffrey Donaldson.

The North’s politicians were tonight reporting an above-average turnout at the polls even before the traditional surge of voters in the Assembly Election.

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain today faced demands from all the North’s major parties and businessmen to change plans to force companies to pay rates on their properties.

Northern companies could shed 30,000 jobs if British government plans to make them pay rates are implemented, an industrial lobby group claimed today.

The British government was today accused of actively contributing to the destruction of manufacturing industries in Northern Ireland.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble’s wife tonight suffered a setback to her dream of becoming an MP when she lost a selection meeting.