The Royal Irish Regiment is to open a state-of-the-art £12m museum in Belfast which is intended to be an international tourist attraction.

Martin McGuinness told civil servants that the IRA was “nothing to do with Sinn Fein”, according to the NIO minute of the first talks with the party in December 1994.

Northern Ireland’s chief electoral officer estimated that perhaps half of all postal votes cast in the 1992 General Election were fraudulent – and most of that was not by Sinn Féin, declassified files reveal.

Michael Dunlop completed his first lap at the Classic TT since 2017 as the Ballymoney man posted the fourth fastest time in the Superbike session during Friday afternoon’s contingency qualifying session.

Michael Dunlop battled through the pain barrier as he completed his first laps at the Classic TT since 2017 on Friday.

Dean Harrison did not complete any laps on Friday evening after hitting his arm at Laurel Bank.