The creator of cult TV puppet ’Bosco’ today won a prestigious RTE short story competition.

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain faced calls today to make a statement on the threat to around 400 republicans whose details were found in the hands of loyalists.

The British government faced demands for an inquiry today into the passing on of information about 400 republicans in Belfast, including Gerry Adams, to loyalist paramilitaries.

THE killers of Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney should do the patriotic and honourable thing by handing themselves in, his family told a rally yesterday.

The killers of Belfast father-of-two Robert McCartney should do the patriotic and honourable thing by handing themselves in, his family told a rally today.

THE sister of murdered Belfast man Robert McCartney has confirmed she is considering standing against Sinn Féin in the upcoming local government elections.

A man was questioned tonight about a fatal stabbing which followed a row in a Belfast bar.

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese has strongly condemned the ignorance and stupidity of racists who target members of the Chinese community.

Northern Ireland security minister Ian Pearson is being asked to consider new proposals aimed at easing summer tensions on Belfast’s peaceline.

UNIONIST politicians were yesterday urged to get a grip on the escalating loyalist paramilitary feud before it undermines efforts to ensure a peaceful summer in east Belfast.

Unionist politicians were today urged to get a grip on the escalating loyalist paramilitary feud before it undermines efforts to ensure a peaceful summer in east Belfast.

A top loyalist was shot dead today as a new paramilitary feud erupted on the streets of Belfast.

The truth behind the devastating blasts which killed 34 people in Dublin and Monaghan must be revealed, relatives demanded today as they laid wreaths to remember those killed 30 years ago today.

Police in the North are investigating the vandalism of a memorial in east Belfast to two men shot dead by the IRA in 1970.

SCHOOL children are learning to wash their hands and other hygiene tips through a play they can perform themselves in class.

An SDLP negotiator was today challenged by a republican rival to “move beyond sound bites” and get more involved in outreach work to unionists.

Protesters are planning to march on Belfast Council in a new bid to save one of the city’s oldest leisure centres from closure, it emerged today.

Ulster Unionist Party members were reviewing their security tonight after a mail bomb sent to leader David Trimble partially exploded.

Police were today investigating after a fresh outburst of street violence erupted along the peace line in East Belfast.

POLICE in Northern Ireland were attacked with bottles and other missiles early yesterday after a crowd of youths went on the rampage through a town in Co Down.

A man was arrested today after eight police officers came under gun attack in Belfast during a fresh outbreak of violence in the city.

Eight police officers have come under gun attack in Belfast as a fresh outbreak of violence hit the city.

SIXTEEN soldiers were injured during overnight sectarian street clashes in flashpoint east Belfast.

Sixteen soldiers were injured during overnight sectarian street clashes in flashpoint east Belfast.

Sinn Fein has criticised First Minister David Trimble for only visiting Protestant residents during his trip to the interface in east Belfast yesterday afternoon.

THE British Government was under pressure last night to drop one of its police reforms in Northern Ireland to help the security forces cope with sectarian violence.

Independent monitors must be placed at sectarian flashpoints across Belfast in a bid to identify ringleaders orchestrating street violence, republicans demanded today.

Political efforts to stem the rising tide of violence at sectarian flashpoints across Belfast were intensifying today with a number of high-profile meetings following a night of further violence in the city.

Lives will be lost unless the violence in east Belfast ends, the British government was warned tonight.

Construction workers have been forced to abandon repair work in the Catholic Short Strand area of east Belfast after coming under attack from loyalists.

A pipe bomb thrown into the nationalist Short Strand area in east Belfast today was intended to kill Catholics, Sinn Fein said.

Republicans have been accused of deliberately escalating violence after another night of clashes in the North overnight. Two police officers were injured and a house destroyed during the latest incidents in east Belfast.

Police in Belfast have arrested a man in the nationalist Short Strand area in connection with recent riots in the besieged Catholic enclave.

Nationalist residents of the Short Strand district in east Belfast are in talks with Irish Government officials today to discuss the almost nightly street clashes in the area.

An independent team of observers is needed to establish who is responsible for triggering street clashes along one of Belfast’s sectarian interfaces, it was claimed today.

A loyalist initiative to reduce tensions in Belfast has been put on hold after a fresh bout of rioting in the east of the city last night.

Loyalist gunmen fired an estimated 20 gunshots at republican houses during further riots in the Short Strand area of east Belfast last night.

Fresh trouble has reportedly broken out in east Belfast, with unionists accusing a senior republican in the Short Strand area of attacking a 16-year-old girl.

Loyalists and republicans have blamed each other for rioting in east Belfast which left three people with gunshot wounds last night.

Three people were shot last night as sectarian rioting erupted around the nationalist enclave of Short Strand in east Belfast last night.

Political and community leaders from across east Belfast’s sectarian divide tonight called for an immediate end to the violence tearing the area apart.

Community relations in a flashpoint area of Belfast have been set back 10 years following another night of rioting in the violence-ravaged city, it was claimed today.

A sectarian petrol bomb attack which set a row of homes on fire in Belfast was an attempt to murder pensioners as they slept, it was claimed today.

Belfast Lord Mayor Sammy Wilson condemned the attack and predicted it could scupper efforts to attract visitors to the city.