THREE Northern Irish paramilitary factions announced the destruction of their illegal arsenals yesterday, 24 hours before an amnesty on the movement of weapons by groups carrying out decommissioning ends.

The Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) confirmed announced today that it has decommissioned its weapons.

THE gardaí are haemorrhaging key staff, with many senior officers quitting the force to avoid being hit with a threatened tax on retirement lump sums as well as the pension levy.

A MAN appeared before Carrick-on-Shannon District Court late last night in connection with the fatal stabbing of a Brazilian woman in Roscommon town.