DUP MP Sammy Wilson has said his party is currently ruling out the prospect of a time-limit on the Irish border backstop – but indicated it may be open to backing such a move if no other alternative can be agreed.

The PSNI has made a number of arrests following the sexual assault of a female child in Lurgan.

In a ground-breaking paper that he wrote for the influential centre right Westminster think-tank Policy Exchange, and reproduced here, Lord Bew, an advisor to David Trimble at the time of the 1998 Belfast Agreement, says that Ireland’s partial reading of the implications of that peace deal is a major obstacle to a compromise on the Brexit backstop — which, he says, must be time limited in explicitly legally binding terms:

The 2019 International North West 200 has confirmed new title sponsorship for the 90th anniversary year of the event, with two Northern Ireland companies coming on board for the famous road race.

Last year’s top Isle of Man TT newcomer Davey Todd has signed for the Penz13.com team to contest this year’s international road races.

Linfield have suffered a massive blow in their pursuit of the Danske Bank Premiership as goalkeeper Roy Carroll has been ruled out for the rest of the season.