Hopes dip for deal on the North

Hopes of an historic agreement in Northern Ireland dipped tonight after the republican leadership resisted demands by the Rev Ian Paisley to allow a weapons handover to be photographed.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern are expected in Belfast tomorrow to make an announcement on the latest phase of the troubled process, but progress may have stopped just short of the deal needed to restore the power sharing executive at Stormont.