Will North parties go for broke or settle for another drawing board?

FRIDAY the 13th is an auspicious date anyway, but it may have a special resonance today for the future of Northern Ireland, or so we are led to believe.

The summit meeting at St Andrews in Scotland has been described as unique by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair.

They hope it will result in the restoration of the power-sharing executive by November 24 — a deadline both governments are insisting on.