The headquarters of the Ulster Unionist Party was today rocked by a small blast in Belfast.

David Trimble tonight failed to halt a special meeting of his Ulster Unionists’ ruling body called by hardliners demanding more IRA disarmament.

The Ulster Unionist Party is meeting to decide its definitive response to the Government's proposals to break the deadlock in the peace process.

Secondary schools that fail to make the grade should be ‘‘culled’’, a leading representative of Northern Ireland’s business community said today.