Agriculture Minister in the North Michelle Gildernew was today heading for a showdown with her UK counterpart and EU Commissioner Peter Mandelson.

No police officers are to be charged in connection with their involvement in a collusion scandal in which loyalist paramilitary informers were allowed to commit up to 15 murders in the North, it was confirmed today.

The Director of Public Prosecutions in the North is expected to reveal today whether or not he intends to compel a former journalist to give evidence in the trial of a man accused of murdering solicitor Pat Finucane.