Stormont's power sharing executive will not pick up the tab for inquiries into some of the North's most controversial murders, First Minister Ian Paisley warned the British government today.

Americans are losing patience with Sinn Féin and unionist politicians over the deadlock on devolution, nationalist SDLP leader Mark Durkan said tonight.

The RUC have arrested a number of people in connection with the murder of Catholic Robert Hammill in 1997.