Vote strengthens N. Ireland coalition

BELFAST, Northern Ireland - Northern Ireland's ruling coalition of pro-British and pro-Irish parties strengthened their control of the province's assembly, election results showed on Saturday, in a boost for the peace process.

Former bitter foes, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and nationalist Sinn Fein are set to lead a second coalition government in Northern Ireland after the poll confirmed their position as the two largest parties.

With three seats yet to be filled in a laborious manual count - the election was on Thursday - the two parties held 65 of the assembly's 108 seats, compared with 64 in the previous session.