A rural community was in shock tonight after two elderly friends died from a suspected gas leak in a house.

A dissident republican Easter demonstration in the North passed off without incident today.

A west Belfast republican who drove Sinn Féin’s leadership to peace process negotiations has been named as a security force informer.

THE Garda Commissioner issued an apology last night after officers investigating the murder of British spy Denis Donaldson travelled to the North to interview people without permission.

Murdered Denis Donaldson, the Sinn Féin official turned British spy, was buried in West Belfast today following a private family funeral.

The McBrearty family demanded a public apology today from Minister for Justice Michael McDowell after he accused them of trying to blackmail and bully him.

THE Government’s record on tackling child poverty is very poor despite Social and Family Affairs Minister Seamus Brennan’s assertion that the problem is “reprehensible”, a leading charity said yesterday.