US envoy due to meet McCartneys

US special envoy Mitchell Reiss is to meet Peter Hain

The US special envoy to Northern Ireland, Mitchell Reiss, is due to meet Secretary of State Peter Hain to discuss the NI political process.

"The purpose of the meeting with Mr Hain is to discuss developments in Northern Ireland's peace process," a US State Department spokesman said.

He added it would "serve to coordinate our efforts to advance that process".

Mr Reiss will also meet two sisters of Robert McCartney, who was murdered last January.

The IRA has been blamed for killing 33-year-old Mr McCartney, who was stabbed outside a Belfast bar.

He said he wanted to discuss recent developments in the case, the course of the investigation and "how we can help them and the people of Ireland achieve justice for Mr McCartney's murder".