A country town in the North came to a standstill today for the funeral of the policeman murdered by dissident republicans.

Politicians in the North are to debate controversial proposals to give the families of everyone killed during the Troubles £12,000 (€13,255), it was announced tonight.

Jeffrey Donaldson has waited a long time for ministerial office.

Francie Molloy, a Deputy Speaker of the Northern Assembly, has been named in the House of Commons by a DUP MP as an ex-British agent suspected of involvement in the murder of a former RUC reservist.

Former Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble said today that he was "following a long-term ambition" by joining the Conservative Party.

Former Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble is to join the Conservative Party in the House of Lords, it emerged tonight.

The Ulster Unionist Party has paid the price for its arrogant treatment of former members in the North’s Assembly Election, it was claimed tonight.

Democratic Unionist MP Nigel Dodds, and Sinn Féin's policing spokesperson Gerry Kelly became the third and fourth Assembly members to be elected in the North's Assembly elections today, both capturing seats in North Belfast.

The North’s Assembly Election candidates will learn what the electorate has in store for them today as counting gets under way in 18 constituencies.

Voting in the Northern Assembly election has closed, with many of the parties predicting a higher turnout than four years ago.

The North’s politicians were tonight reporting an above-average turnout at the polls even before the traditional surge of voters in the Assembly Election.

More than 40,000 voters will be added to the electoral register in the North in time to allow them to vote in the Assembly election, it was announced today.

A unionist MP today expressed concern that the Provisional IRA or dissident republicans could be using a cover name for the organisation to allow vigilante violence to take place in the North.

The wife of Democratic Unionist leader Ian Paisley was today among the first three peers ever to be appointed from his party.

Sectarian rioting which left six PSNI officers injured may have been triggered by the violence that engulfed Dublin, an MP claimed tonight.

Moves to deal with “on the run” terrorists will cause “pain and anguish” to victims but are vital to the North's peace process, Tony Blair insisted today.

A community was tonight urged to unite against dissident republicans who placed a bomb in a hijacked vehicle and ordered its driver to park outside a police station.

Ulster Unionists will today decide who will take over from David Trimble as the party recovers from heavy election losses.

NORTHERN Secretary Peter Hain will be making a grave mistake if he fails to put pressure on republicans to disband the IRA, David Trimble warned yesterday.

THE Ulster Unionist Party’s last remaining MP, Lady Sylvia Hermon, yesterday said she is considering contesting the party leadership.

David Trimble is resigning as leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.

David Trimble has announced his resignation as leader of the Ulster Unionist party.

The British government is under pressure today to recognise Northern Ireland’s new political order by giving the Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists seats in the House of Lords.

THE political career of Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his efforts to bring peace to the North, lay in ruins last night after he lost his Upper Bann seat in the Westminster elections.

ULSTER Unionists were outraged during the election campaign when the Rev Ian Paisley claimed David Trimble was counting down the “time to the electric chair and the rope”.

David Trimble became the biggest name casualty of the British general election tonight as his Ulster Unionist Party slumped.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams was today comfortably elected in the British parliamentary elections in the North.

Counting is well underway in the North's Westminster elections. Preliminary results could be known as early as 2pm.

Harry McGee, Political Editor

The British general election campaign in Northern Ireland will change up a gear today as parties begin to nominate candidates for the province’s 18 Westminster constituencies.

The North’s political parties are due to begin campaigning later today for the upcoming British general election.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble tonight saw off a challenger and was reselected to fight his Upper Bann constituency at the next general election.

The wife of Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble today confirmed she would try to unseat rival Democratic Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson at the next General Election.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair will decide on Friday whether to get directly re-involved with efforts to restore devolution to Northern Ireland, it was revealed today.

NORTHERN IRELAND police chief Hugh Orde spoke yesterday of his concern about the rapid escalation in racial attacks in the North.

Politicians from both sides of the divide in Northern Ireland must stand up to people responsible for an increase in racist attacks, an Assembly member urged today.

Two Filipino couples were today considering leaving their home in Northern Ireland after it was attacked for the second time in a week.

A second candidate has put his name forward to challenge David Trimble for the leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party this Saturday.

In Fermanagh South Tyrone, anti-Agreement UUP candidate Arlene Foster and Sinn Féin's Michelle Gildernew have been elected.

Embattled Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble vowed to fight on today despite his party suffering heavy blows in the Northern Ireland Assembly elections.

IAN PAISLEY’S Democratic Unionists last night surged to the top of the North’s election poll to threaten the future of the Good Friday Agreement.

Ian Paisley’s hardline Democratic Unionists tonight surged to the top of the Northern Ireland’s election poll to threaten the future of the Good Friday Agreement.

Democratic Unionist MP Nigel Dodds and Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly today became the first two Assembly members to be elected in Northern Ireland.

Voters were this evening expected to rush to the polls in Northern Ireland after the Assembly Election got off to a sluggish start.