Donald Trump's commerce secretary has held out the prospect that Airbus's acquisition of a majority stake in Bombardier's controversial C-Series jet programme could have an impact on US tariffs on the plane which threaten jobs in Northern Ireland.

Nearly 650 jobs are to go at Belfast aerospace company Shorts in the New Year, it was announced today.

The Shorts aerospace company has announced that 1,200 Belfast workers may be laid off this year as part of a worldwide restructuring scheme.

There has been further bad news on the jobs front in Northern Ireland with the news 135 people will be made redundant in Co Antrim.