Northern Ireland's largest loyalist paramilitary group The Ulster Defence Association today pledged to end all violence and work towards complete disarmament.

Violence threatened to overshadow the St Patrick’s Day celebrations in Belfast tonight.

President Mary McAleese’s husband, Martin, has held at least one meeting with leading members of the Ulster Defence Association, according to BBC Northern Ireland.

Loyalist paramilitary representatives tonight hailed their first meeting with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern as historic and said many more may follow.

Loyalist paramilitary representatives were on their way to Dublin tonight for talks with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is due to hold talks tonight with representatives of loyalist paramilitaries.

The Taoiseach is to hold talks with a group linked to the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Defence Association in Dublin tomorrow.

Loyalist paramilitary prisoners could revolt inside a Northern Ireland jail at the centre of a separation scheme, their representatives warned today.

Prison chiefs were today accused of breaking a pledge by putting loyalist inmates on 24-hour lock-up at a Northern Ireland jail.

ELECTIONS to Northern Ireland’s collapsed power-sharing government will be held in October, it was predicted yesterday.

Elections to Northern Ireland’s collapsed power-sharing government will be held in October, it was predicted today.

LOYALIST paramilitaries yesterday launched a poster blitz across the North in a new bid to get their jailed comrades separated from republicans.

The Progressive Unionist Party and the Ulster Political Research Group, the political wings of the UVF and UDA, have called on loyalists to halt racist attacks on minority groups in Belfast and other areas of the North.

Loyalist paramilitary representatives held talks with a senior Government minister in Northern Ireland tonight in a bid to secure more funding for their community.

Two men were arrested today by detectives investigating the murders of UDA boss John Gregg and another man in the docks area of Belfast, police said.

Fears that a loyalist feud is spiralling out of control increased today after top loyalist John “Grugg” Gregg and a second man were murdered in a shooting in the docks area of Belfast.

Bombers have targeted a loyalist paramilitary boss for a second time as a bitter power struggle among rival factions intensifies, it emerged tonight.

Loyalist sources have claimed that the arrest of two people and seizure of two handguns in north Belfast yesterday was linked to a murder attempt on Johnny Adair.

A loyalist councillor has escaped injury after shots were fired at his home on the outskirts of north Belfast last night.

A gun attack was launched on the home of a loyalist councillor on the outskirts of North Belfast tonight in what was seen as the latest phase of the bitter ongoing feud between rival factions.

Police in the North have arrested a serving loyalist politician in connection with the murder of Catholic postman Daniel McColgan in north Belfast on Saturday.