Northern Ireland’s police chief said ‘bigots and racists’ behind earlier nights of unrest in the region would be arrested.

Forty-one officers have been injured in the unrest, which had resulted in 15 arrests by Thursday evening.

The three, aged 15, 17 and 18, are set to appear before Ballymena Magistrates’ Court later.

Elsewhere, a leisure centre in Larne was set on fire.

A fire broke out at Larne Leisure Centre following vandalism at the facility, amid several nights of disorder in Northern Ireland.

Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the force would be bringing extra officers, vehicles and equipment to areas where unrest has flared.

Seventeen police officers were injured following a second night of sustained violence in Ballymena on Tuesday

The new technology-focused posts will be filled over the next three years.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly stressed that the site of the former prison could only be developed when political consensus is reached.

The DUP minister received support from a number of MLAs at ministerial question time as she revealed the abuse.

Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly took a tour of the facility on Tuesday

Political leaders across the island of Ireland have reflected on the legacy of Pope Francis after attending his funeral on Saturday.

The chairwoman of the Executive Office committee criticised Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly over a lack of Bills.

Micheál Martin also welcomed the ‘fresh consideration’ given to the topic by UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Caoimhe Archibald said she had already engaged with representatives of the UK and Irish governments on the issue.

The North's Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins gave the go-ahead for the signage last week, but it has led to a row among Stormont Executive ministers.

Party leader Gavin Robinson questioned the value for money of spending £145,000 on installing the signs at Grand Central Station.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister has been criticised for not going to Washington while Irish leaders visited ahead of St Patrick’s Day.

Micheal Martin said the Sinn Féin decision was ‘not in the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland’.

The deputy First Minister said she had raised ‘the dangers’ for Northern Ireland in any EU-US tariff dispute.

Mr Trump met Ms Little-Pengelly, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Assembly Speaker Edwin Poots at an event at the US Capitol on Wednesday.

Sinn Féin, Alliance and SDLP are not attending St Patrick’s events in Washington.

Donald Trump will host the Taoiseach in the Oval Office of the White House on Wednesday.

The First Minister and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly started their engagements with a visit to the Research Triangle Park.

Micheál Martin was speaking as he travelled to the US for a visit which will include a bilateral meeting with the president Donald Trump.

An Irish language commissioner and a commissioner for Ulster Scots are to be appointed.

The senior Sinn Féin politician said it is important for people to have a ‘right to remember their dead’.

The Thales plant in Belfast has received an order to supply 5,000 air defence missiles to Ukraine.

Michelle O’Neill previously said she would not attend an event at the White House around St Patrick’s Day.

The DUP leader described the heated Oval Office encounter between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky as ‘appalling’ and ‘destructive’

More than 500 people attended the DBEC event in Belfast on Thursday.

An expert is to be appointed to examine whether a formal process of engagement with paramilitary groups is required for their disbandment.

The two leaders will hold a meeting at around lunchtime.

Ministers signed off on the document during a virtual meeting on Thursday morning.

Micheal Martin was due to deliver a keynote address at the Dublin Belfast Economic Corridor Summit at the International Convention Centre in Belfast.

The families previously accused Stormont’s leaders of ignoring them.

The 10-floor facility will be located within Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital site.

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said she and First Minister Michelle O’Neill have not yet received invitations for St Patrick’s Day events.

Sinn Féin’s Ms O’Neill previously met Charles when he visited Northern Ireland in 2022.

SDLP leader Claire Hanna said the party was taking the stance in protest at the US administration position on Gaza.

First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly have been speaking to mark a year since the return of devolution to NI.

The Tánaiste was making his first visit to Stormont since taking up the role

Emma Little-Pengelly said the President was ‘absolutely wrong’ to raise the issues at the annual Holocaust memorial event