Irish loyalists call it a day

After inflicting almost 1000 deaths and engaging in nearly 40 years of terrorism in Northern Ireland, loyalist paramilitaries announced yesterday they were disarming.

The Ulster Volunteer Force, the Red Hand Commando and the Ulster Defence Association said their guns and explosives were being disposed of.

A rebel faction of the UDA, the South East Antrim Brigade, is the only loyalist group not disarmed but is in negotiations to disarm before the August deadline.