Fire crews battled a huge blaze at a clothes recycling plant and warehouse near the border today.

The journey time between Dublin and Belfast will be cut to only two hours with tomorrow’s opening of the first motorway between the cities.

Transport Minister Martin Cullen is due to turn the sod on a new cross-border dual carriageway between Dundalk and Newry today.

Security chiefs in Northern Ireland are preparing to pull down two Army observation towers along the border today, despite concerns over dissident republican activity.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is due to meet the nationalist SDLP in Dublin today to discuss the future direction of the Northern Ireland peace process.