The Sunday Tribune editor Mr Matt Cooper is in talks with the radio station Today FM about becoming presenter of The Last Word current affairs programme.
The negotiations are believed to be at an advanced stage and it is understood Mr Cooper, who has stood in for Eamon Dunphy on the show many times, is the preferred candidate for the post.
Last night Mr Cooper denied speculation he had resigned as editor of the Sunday Tribune. This was "absolutely not" the case, he said. Asked if he was considering resigning in coming days, he said he was "not getting into that" and refused to comment further.
Mr Dunphy announced earlier this month that he would step down as presenter of the current affairs programme to concentrate on various publishing and other projects.
Belfast disrupted by hoax warnings
Dissident republicans have been blamed for a series of bomb warnings in Belfast which caused widespread traffic disruption in the city. During five security alerts yesterday, hundreds of shoppers, office workers and retail staff were forced to evacuate buildings. The alerts were at Laganside Court, Glengall Street, Castlecourt and Forestside shopping centres. They were all declared hoaxes.
The Assistant Chief Constable of the Northern Ireland Police Service, Mr Alan McQuillan, said: "Over several weeks, there have been a succession of hoax bomb calls. We must take every call seriously as some bombs have been planted. I'm sure the public understand we have to exercise extreme caution.
"We are also following up investigations to identify the people responsible. The only thing they have to offer is more misery."
Curfew attached to bail conditions
A suspected member of the IRA, arrested in the biggest single arrest operation against dissident republicans in recent history, was yesterday placed on curfew for allegedly breaching strict bail conditions.
The State claimed that Mr Joseph Lynch (60), Ballincurra Weston, Limerick, breached a bail condition that he should not associate with certain republicans while awaiting trial on a charge of IRA membership. Mr Lynch was one of eight people charged with membership of the IRA last December 17th.
Mr Brendan Nix SC, defending, said Mr Lynch was arrested after he watched Ireland play Switzerland on television in a Limerick pub. Some 150 other patrons were in the pub, among them known republicans. Mr Nix said he would contest vigorously any attempt to revoke bail and asked to be allowed to view the pub's security video footage.
Mr Justice Johnson remanded Mr Lynch on continuing bail but ordered him to observe a curfew from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. each day and sign on daily at Henry Street Garda station, Limerick.