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The former leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) Dr Ian Paisley has died, his wife said.
Eileen Paisley said the family was heartbroken.
Dr Paisley, who was 88, was a firebrand fundamentalist Protestant preacher and politician who led opposition to compromise with the IRA for decades in Northern Ireland.
He became a peacemaker when he entered government with Sinn Fein at Stormont as first minister following a landmark deal.
He has been ill for some time.
His wife said: "My beloved husband, Ian, entered his eternal rest this morning.
"Although ours is the grand hope of reunion, naturally as a family we are heartbroken.
"We loved him and he adored us, and our earthly lives are forever changed."
Martin McGuinness, Sinn Féin, who was his deputy first minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly, said he had learned of the death with deep regret and sadness.
"Over a number of decades we were political opponents and held very different views on many, many issues but the one thing we were absolutely united on was the principle that our people were better able to govern themselves than any British government," he said.
"I want to pay tribute to and comment on the work he did in the latter days of his political life in building agreement and leading unionism into a new accommodation with republicans and nationalists."