Northern Ireland Chief Constable Hugh Orde has not produced one scrap of evidence that the IRA was behind the £26.5m (€37.8m) Northern Bank raid in Belfast, Sinn Féin’s Martin McGuinness claimed today.

A leading tobacco firm today requested an urgent meeting with Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy to discuss security for its lorries along the border with the Republic.

The UK government faced fresh unionist demands today to scrap a police recruitment quota in Northern Ireland which requires an equal number of Catholic and Protestant trainees.

Former Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson has claimed that hundreds of UUP members are resigning from the party because of their opposition to David Trimble.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble today challenged a former colleague to resign his Westminster seat and face the electorate following his defection to a rival party.

Former Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson today confirmed his defection to the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists.

Former Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson was expected today to confirm his defection to the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists.

Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson has claimed the UUP Officer Board's decision to proceed with a second disciplinary hearing against him and his two collegues has made matters worse.

Hardline Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson was tonight considering his political future after losing the latest vote at his party’s ruling council.

The SDLP has blasted a proposal that Orange parades on July 12 should be promoted as a tourist attraction in the North.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Prime Minister Tony Blair were expected to reach a decision today on whether the latest IRA statement could advance the peace process.

Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson has denied that he took his party's leader by surprise in supporting the launch of a united unionist campaign today.

David Trimble vowed not to quit as Ulster Unionist leader last night, amid a new challenge from hard-line party members over his power-sharing with Sinn Féin.

Ulster Unionist MP Sylvia Hermon will address a meeting of Fianna Fail’s south Dublin branch next Monday.

Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams, has come under fire over his plans to raise funds for victims of the World Trade Centre attacks.

The British and Irish Governments are being accused of making further concessions to republicans by the Ulster Unionist MP, Jeffery Donaldson.

The British and Irish Governments must match republican efforts to enhance the Good Friday Agreement by delivering more on police reform, demilitarisation, justice and equality issues, Sinn Fein claimed tonight.

The Ulster Unionist MP, Jeffery Donaldson has announced that David Trimble’s resignation as the First Minister of the Northern Assembly will place renewed pressure on the IRA to decommission their arms.

After today's meeting of the Ulster Unionist Council, Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson said the onus was now on republicans to deliver on their decommissioning commitments and he claimed the party was united behind Mr Trimble’s strategy.

Sports ministers from both sides of the border were among thousands of mourners at the funerals of car rally champion Bertie Fisher and his son and daughter.

A device has exploded outside the offices of the nationalist SDLP in north Belfast.

Ulster Unionist MP Ken Maginnis has announced he is to stand down at the next General Election - but insists his party could hold on to his Fermanagh and South Tyrone seat.