Latest: British Prime Minister Theresa May has urged Stormont's leaders to make one final push to strike a deal to salvage powersharing in Northern Ireland.

Fears of an imminent crash of power-sharing in the North have receded somewhat after Sinn Féin backed a budget plan that pushes the crunch point further down the tracks.

Defendants in court cases in the North would have the right to give evidence in Irish under new proposals to protect the rights of Irish speakers launched today.

The North's Executive will meet today for the first time since June after the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin agreed an end to their stand-off.

The rift at the heart of the North's Government appeared to deepen today when the DUP accused Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams of withholding information on the whereabouts of the "Disappeared" victims of the Troubles.

The North's First Minister today pledged not to walk away from the troubled powersharing government no matter what the difficulties facing it.

People struggling to heat their homes were today urged to deluge Sinn Féin offices with copies of their energy bills in protest at the Stormont stalemate.

Sinn Féin today warned its patience will eventually run out over the delay in the devolution of policing and justice in the North.

The Irish Government tonight vowed to do everything it can to help resolve the long-running impasse regarding power-sharing in the North.

The US Special Envoy is meeting politicians in the North today over the stalemate which is threatening to collapse devolved government.

US envoy Paula Dobrinsky is due in the North later today as a major stand-off between the DUP and Sinn Féin continues to impede the work of the power-sharing Executive.

Ulster Unionist leader Reg Empey has warned that disagreements between the DUP and Sinn Féin are so deep that the Stormont Executive might not meet before the end of the year.

Former PSNI assistant chief constable Peter Sheridan today challenged the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) to lead people towards reconciliation in the North.

First Minister Peter Robinson has accused Sinn Féin of harming the North's economy by continuing to block meetings of the power-sharing Executive.

Elements of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) remain opposed to sharing power with Catholics, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams controversially claimed tonight.

The North has taken huge steps towards delivering the peaceful and just society dreamed of by the civil rights movement, President Mary McAleese said today.

Elements of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) hark back to the days of unionist rule and hope to undermine Northern Ireland's power-sharing government, Sinn Fein claimed today.

The Northern Executive has been held hostage to Sinn Féin’s demands on policing, Peter Robinson said tonight.

Former Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Ian Paisley clashed with former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern today over the devolution of policing and justice powers to Stormont.

Leaders in the North were today edging towards a deal to ensure they can attend a high profile political meeting planned for Scotland on Friday.

Devolution in the North will perish if urgent concerns about fuel and food poverty are not addressed, Democratic Unionists warned today.

Moves to distance Fianna Fáil from merger talks with the SDLP will not prevent northern nationalists from reaching out to parties across Ireland, Mark Durkan insisted today.

Sinn Féin’s coalition partners united against the party tonight after it blocked a crunch meeting of the North's Cabinet.

A crunch meeting of the North’s Cabinet was cancelled today, but parties met for talks in the absence of Sinn Féin ministers.

A council by-election will provide the latest litmus test for Northern Ireland's faltering power-sharing government today.

Sinn Féin boycotting the North’s ministerial Executive would leave them adopting old unionist tactics linked to the Government’s collapse, the Assembly heard today.

A minister in the North minister has banned officials in the Republic from sitting on committees advising his department, it was confirmed today.

British prime minister Gordon Brown is to meet political leaders in the North next week as negotiations aimed at stabilising the power-sharing government intensify.

First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness have been called before a Stormont committee to explain their plans for a new justice ministry.

Ulster Unionist leader Reg Empey called today for early talks with his SDLP counterpart over his proposal that mandatory power-sharing between nationalists and unionists at Stormont should be ended.

Enforced power-sharing between nationalists and unionists at Stormont should be scrapped, SDLP leader Mark Durkan said tonight.

If the Northern Executive fails to meet next month there will be serious consequences for the future governance of the region, First Minister Peter Robinson warned today.

Barack Obama would consider whether a special US envoy to the North was still necessary if elected president, a statement from the Democratic candidate said today.

The DUP is demanding that Sinn Féin clarify whether it is really threatening to pull out of the power-sharing Executive in the North.

Fresh disagreements over policing and justice have plunged the Northern Ireland Executive into crisis, it was claimed tonight.

Representatives from Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party are to meet British prime minister Gordon Brown in Downing Street today.

The North's power-sharing government has been salvaged tonight after Sinn Féin agreed to resume governance with the Democratic Unionist Party.

Stormont's power-sharing executive has delivered stable government to the North, First Minister Ian Paisley claimed today.

The historic agreement which saw the restoration of devolution in the North and and long term political enemies Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionists working together in government is 100 days old today.

Soldiers will pull out of south Armagh today on a day of reflection for fallen comrades, the army said.

Police applicants in the North shunned under the controversial 50/50 recruitment practice could apply to Europe for compensation, an MLA said today.

Another major milestone in the North’s return to normality was being reached today with the last soldiers leaving the former IRA stronghold of South Armagh.

Sinn Féin's three nominees are due to attend their first full meeting of the North's Policing Board later today.

Sinn Féin is due to launch its latest initiative today for reaching out to the unionist community.