Hopes that Sinn Féin could make a groundbreaking move on policing in the North were tonight in doubt after the party said it was still awaiting a positive response from Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists.

The Irish and British Governments were tonight urged to make it clear to Ian Paisley that the March 26 deadline for power-sharing at Stormont is for real.

A Sinn Féin Assemblyman quit today amid heightening tensions inside the party over policing.

A Sinn Féin Assembly member tonight became the second member of its Stormont team to step down after only serving one term.

Dissident republicans have been blamed for a series of arson attacks which destroyed major retail premises near the border today.

The last British army observation post on the North's border will be removed within days, it was confirmed today.

A Northern Ireland Assembly member today condemned as reckless a gunman who launched an attack in a bar which wounded a man and a woman.

The father of one of the two young boys who drowned in a private swimming pool tried frantically to save their lives, it emerged today.

Pupils at over 100 Northern Ireland schools are to get healthier school meals.

Thousands of teachers across Northern Ireland launched a campaign of industrial action today as the new term began.

With all 108 seats filled in the Northern Ireland Assembly the party shares are:

Sinn Féin scored a major victory in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections last night by taking three seats in the Newry and Armagh constituency.

Northern Secretary John Reid was today accused of reinforcing sectarian divisions by opting to grant city status to both Lisburn and Newry.