The DUP has retained its position as the largest party in the North but the UUP is arguably celebrating harder after landing two surprise wins in the general election.

The Democratic Unionists are this morning wondering if the post-election shakedown will hand them added influence at Westminster after a Northern Ireland poll that produced a couple of surprises.

Senior members of the Democratic Unionist Party, including a minister in the power-sharing executive, crowded into the public gallery at a Belfast court as a party colleague was accused of posting an offensive Facebook message.

A Democratic Unionist councillor has appeared in court in the North charged in connection with a comment she posted on Facebook.

Hundreds more police officers are to be drafted in to the North from forces across the UK after three nights of rioting linked to a parades dispute.

Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary, Theresa Villiers, has described the recent trouble in Belfast as "simply incomprehensible".

Police have fired baton rounds and deployed water cannon on rioters as violence linked to the Union Flag row flared in east Belfast again.

The unionist Lord Mayor of Belfast joined his Dublin counterpart today in paying tribute together to the shared sacrifice of Ireland's war dead.

Unionists have stepped up their demands for the Mayor of Belfast to apologise or resign for refusing to present an award to an Army cadet.

John Dwyer collected the Spar Moran Cup at Royal Dublin but had to survive shootout drama with Neil Manchip after the pair shared a five-under-par 67.

Jimmy Heggarty stormed in amidst the gathering dusk at Tullamore last night to snatch a share of the lead after the local clubs' annual pro-am tournament. Jimmy Bolger had sat on top of the leaderboard for hours at level par 70 but that score was matched by Heggarty.