SINN FÉIN is pressing for dramatic and early reductions of British military personnel and the accelerated removal of security fortifications in the North as part of a historic power-sharing deal with the DUP.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern and US President George W Bush will jointly send out a message calling on the IRA to disband when the two leaders meet in the White House today.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has said he does not believe the PSNI is engaged in a vendetta against republicans.

THE Government will have its first face-to-face meeting with Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionist Party in London next week.

The British government is understood to have commissioned plans for removing some British army watchtowers from the south Armagh skyline.

The independent advisor overseeing the appointment of the North’s chief constable has denied unionist claims that he didn’t approve of the successful candidate, Huge Orde.

Unionists may have to rethink whether they will take part in future selection panels for top posts in Northern Ireland’s police service after the appointment of Huge Orde as Chief Constable, it was claimed today.