THOUSANDS of people yesterday stood in silent defiance of the paramilitary gunmen as Belfast united in a bid to end the killing spree.

THE extremes on both sides of the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland "desperately want to kill the peace process and put themselves back centre-stage in dominating the politics

ADVANCED forensic tests are being used as part of a massive new inquiry into more than 20 loyalist and republican murders.

Advanced forensic tests are being used as part of a massive new inquiry into more than 20 loyalist and republican murders.

A Stg£20,000 (€33,000) reward is being offered in a bid to catch the paramilitaries who murdered a young Catholic postman in Co Antrim.

Postal workers are meeting in Derry to decide whether to disrupt deliveries after a threatening letter was sent to staff.

Postal workers in Derry have called off industrial action after assurances from loyalist paramilitaries they were not behind a threat to a Catholic postman.

Postal deliveries in Derry were at a standstill today because of a threat against a Catholic postman.

The UDA was today accused of hiding behind a new cover name after a death threat was issued against four prominent Belfast republicans.

Nationalist residents groups cast doubt today over their involvement in a conference on the Northern Ireland parades issue after two of their leading spokesmen received death threats from a renegade loyalist group.

Northern Secretary John Reid today demanded full political backing for the police service in a bid to catch paramilitary killers.

An elderly man has had a lucky escape after his bungalow was targeted in a petrol bomb attack in north Belfast.

Detectives today revisited the scene of the murder of young Catholic postal worker Daniel McColgan in a bid to persuade more witnesses to come forward.

All paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland must disband and the problem of sectarianism be deplored, thousands of people attending trade union peace rallies in Northern Ireland were told today.

Ten of thousands of people across Northern Ireland are set to stop work in protest at terrorism.

Postal workers throughout Northern Ireland were back at work today after the withdrawal of loyalist death threats made following the murder of postman Daniel McColgan.

Northern Ireland Education Minister Martin McGuinness was today under fire for failing to provide clear advice to schools on whether they should close for union protests over loyalist threats against workers.

Delivery services throughout most of Northern Ireland were returning to normal today after postal workers decided to call off their stoppage.

Postal workers in the North have voted to return to work tomorrow after the police assured them that death threats allegedly made by the Red Hand Defenders were bogus.

United States President George W Bush’s special adviser on Northern Ireland today underscored Washington concern at the level of loyalist violence in the province.

Police in the North have arrested a serving loyalist politician in connection with the murder of Catholic postman Daniel McColgan in north Belfast on Saturday.

Postal workers in the North have decided to mount an indefinite strike until the loyalist UDA lifts death threats it made against them at the weekend.

At least 2,000 people have attended the funeral of the Catholic postman shot dead by UDA killers in Belfast.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs is to brief US President George W Bush's advisor on Ireland on the latest developments in the North.

Police in the North have released without charge the two men arrested on Saturday in connection with the murder of Catholic postman Daniel McColgan in north Belfast.

Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has claimed the British Government will not confront loyalist paramilitaries in the North because of links between the UDA and the British army.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has called a 12-hour stoppage throughout the North in protest at the murder of a Catholic postman in north Belfast on Saturday.

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission condemned the threats against Catholics working in schools.

A major security operation was mounted outside schools across north Belfast today to protect teachers and pupils.

Police were today mounting a major security operation at dozens of schools across north Belfast following loyalist threats against teachers and school staff.

The family of Daniel McColgan, the 20-year-old postman who was killed by loyalists on his way to work in Belfast, have issued a statement asking that there be no retaliation for his killing.

The North’s Police Service is rejecting criticism that it is failing to deal with loyalist attacks in north Belfast.

Two men have been arrested by police hunting the killers of Catholic postman Daniel McColgan in North Belfast.

There are to be no mail collections or deliveries in the North on Monday following the killing of a postal worker by Loyalist paramilitaries today.