The Department of Foreign Affairs has said the Irish man held captive in Algeria has contacted his family to tell them he is “safe and well” and is no longer a hostage.

Fears are growing today for the safety of western hostages seized by Islamic militants in Algeria amid reports that as many as 35 have been killed during an Algerian helicopter attack.

A police search for an unexploded mortar bomb on the Glen Road in west Belfast is over.

Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness is to make a keynote speech on British/Irish relations in London tonight.

First-time house buyers will be boosted by a decision by the government in the North to put an extra £10m towards the co-ownership scheme, Finance Minister Sammy Wilson announced today.

SIX suspected victims of human trafficking have been rescued in a police operation in Belfast.

There was a record low turnout in the by-election for the Westminster seat vacated by Gerry Adams in Belfast - just over 37.5% of constituents voted.

Voters in west Belfast will head to the polls today to elect a successor to long-standing MP Gerry Adams.

Six candidates are contesting the June 9 Belfast West Commons by-election to choose a successor to Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams.

West Belfast Assembly member Paul Maskey will contest the constituency's Westminster seat, Sinn Féin has confirmed .

A BRITISH government watchdog that blamed the leadership of the loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) for a killing in Northern Ireland has been criticised for failing to order sanctions against the group.

Millions of pounds of public money is still being wasted through the mishandling of major government projects, an Assembly scrutiny committee said today.

Two men were questioned today by police investigating the theft of legally held guns in west Belfast.

There should be a full investigation into the controversial closure of the Visteon car parts plant in Belfast, Sinn Féin said today.

A well known Sinn Féin building has been targeted in the latest of a series of attacks on party property blamed on hard-line republicans.

The family of a teenager murdered and secretly buried by the IRA almost 30 years ago gathered for his funeral in Belfast today.

Stormont ministers will make the issue of health screening for up-and-coming athletes a top priority following the deaths of four young people on both sides of the border, the Ian Paisley insisted today.

A bullet intercepted in the post on Wednesday was addressed to the home of Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, the party revealed today.

Sinn Féin has accused loyalist paramilitaries of attacking the homes of 12 republicans in the past few days.

Two west Belfast Sinn Fein councillors today faced court on public order charges.