Beyonce reportedly demanded £50,000 to attend a British summer carnival.

Richard Hawley stood on picket lines with his dad. His new album is a protest against callous government, says Nicki ffrench Davis

Revellers basked in the sunshine at the V Festival today as the event revisited the glory days of “Madchester”.

The British government is to face a legal challenge over its failure to launch a public inquiry into security force collusion in the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane, it has emerged today.

The Government has hit out at British Prime Minister David Cameron after his refusal to order a public inquiry into the controversial murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.

Eminem and Arctic Monkeys will headline this year’s V Festival.

Cheryl Cole will not perform at next month’s V Festival and has pulled out of judging the boot camp stage of 'The X Factor' as she fights her way back to health.

Amy Winehouse joined Pete Doherty on stage during his performance on the Union stage at the V Festival this weekend.

Oasis, the Killers, Lily Allen, Katy Perry and Lady Gaga are among the acts performing at Virgin Media’s V Festival this weekend.

Amy Winehouse turned in a wobbly performance at the V Festival today – but escaped being booed for a second time.

Rock groups Muse and The Verve will headline the V Festival this weekend.

TONY BLAIR “turned the air blue” with expletives when he discovered his government was only giving DUP leader Ian Paisley a photograph album for his 50th wedding anniversary in 2006, a book has revealed.

Happy Mondays are to replace Amy Winehouse in the V Festival line-up, it was announced today.

HOPES of a power-sharing deal in the North rose dramatically last night as Ian Paisley appeared unusually upbeat over a devolution breakthrough.

THE issue of secret deals is still a live issue in Northern Ireland. We have the sham of the Weston Park secret deals, the secret deals that surrounded the appointment of the Interim Victims’ Commissioner, with all the trouble that has caused, and the whole issue of the location of the new sports stadium.

The Irish and British governments will attempt to end the political deadlock in the North next month with intensive new talks in Scotland.

Outspoken singer Morrissey has launched a stinging attack on both US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair for their aggressive foreign policies.

The British government is protecting its security forces by not allowing a fully independent inquiry into the 1989 murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said today.

Northern Secretary Peter Hain was today accused of insulting the Dáil after he and his officials criticised a debate on the murder of solicitor Pat Finucane.

THE Dáil united last night to condemn the refusal of the British government to hold a full public inquiry into allegations of collusion surrounding the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane in 1989.

OPTIMISTICALLY, an issue which has been like a cloud over An Garda Síochána for the better part of 20 years will eventually be resolved by the Smithwick Tribunal, which opened in Dublin yesterday.

THE tribunal investigating the murder of two senior RUC officers in 1989 will commence its first public sittings in early March.

Sinn Féin’s U-turn on the proposed British amnesty for paramilitary fugitives has let the Government off the hook, it was claimed today.

Rank and file police officers today heightened pressure on the British government to scrap plans for fugitive terrorist killers to be allowed back into the North without facing jail.

The British government tonight stuck by a controversial Bill which would keep people involved in paramilitary murders in the North out of jail after Sinn Féin dramatically withdrew support for it.

Sinn Féin today rejected the legislation which is supposed to give republicans on the run an amnesty.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair tonight faced demands from Sinn Féin to remove clauses from a controversial Bill which would allow police and British army involved in murders during Northern Ireland’s Troubles to avoid jail.

Republicans banished abroad by the IRA are free to return but must first contact their communities, Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said today.

Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was accused of hypocrisy today after demanding no amnesty for police officers and soldiers involved in terrorist killings.

The Rev Ian Paisley’s Democratic Unionists were today under fire after it emerged their leadership attended a dinner in Dublin with leading businessmen from the Republic of Ireland.

US PRESIDENT George W Bush is to raise the issue of a full public inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane with British Prime Minister Tony Blair at an early date.

SINN FÉIN is pressing for dramatic and early reductions of British military personnel and the accelerated removal of security fortifications in the North as part of a historic power-sharing deal with the DUP.

New legislation for an inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane could be used to suppress the truth in all future public inquiries, it was claimed today.

The family of murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane today threatened to boycott an inquiry into his death after meeting Tony Blair.

Tony Blair will face criticism today from the family of murdered Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane over the handling of an inquiry into his killing.

A BRITISH Government-sanctioned inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane was criticised last night by the solicitor's family after it emerged it would mostly be held in private.

The British government today gave the go-ahead for a judicial inquiry into the controversial 1989 murder of solicitor Pat Finucane.

A row between rival unionists over next month’s crucial Northern Ireland peace process talks escalated after the DUP was accused today of breaking its promise to stop concessions to republicans.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern will pursue the setting-up of a Cory-type investigation into the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombing atrocities with British Prime Minister Tony Blair when the two meet in September.

The Irish Government betrayed the victims of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings by deciding on a private inquiry into the atrocities, relatives claimed tonight.

Ulster Unionist leader David Trimble was tonight challenged to release details of the agreement he reached with Sinn Féin during last autumn’s failed peace process deal.

Calls for an immediate public inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane were rejected by the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, today.

The British government was under fresh pressure tonight to hold a public inquiry soon into the 1989 murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.

FOREIGN Minister Brian Cowen said yesterday he was very disappointed the British Government was delaying a public inquiry into the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane.