THE countdown has begun to the crucial Copenhagen UN climate summit in December, which is aimed at creating a new global, binding agreement on carbon emissions to replace the Kyoto Protocol after 2012. Kyoto, which was signed in 1997 and came into effect in 2005, commits signatories to an overall reduction target of five per cent on baseline 1990 levels by 2012. Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún has been extremely active on the issue of climate change in the European parliament and has been a member of Parliament's Committee on Climate Change. Bairbre and fellow Sinn Féin MEP Mary Lou McDonald have argued for a long-term co-ordinated strategy to "map out how Climate Change needs to be arrested sector-by-sector". Free article

IT IS Saturday 30 May and I am at home in Derry, thinking about the past number of weeks as the Convoy of Hope for Gaza struggled to get the medical equipment ashore at Port Said and then across the Rafah Crossing point. Once in Gaza, the next four days were even more exhilarating and devastating as we struggled with the emotions of relief at getting the medical aid in to horror at the scale of destruction and ongoing suffering being endured by men women and children in what has to be described as the world's largest prison. Free article

AS An Phoblacht goes to print, the European election is taking place throughout Ireland. The results will be delivered across the country on Monday and I believe that Sinn Féin will see our share of the vote increase across the board. Regardless of how well we do in the European and local government elections and the Dublin by-elections, the job of building the party in every corner of the island will have to continue. It is clear that there is a tremendous mood for change in Irish society and Sinn Féin must be seen to be listening to what the people are saying. A couple of elections ago we stood on the slogan 'Ready for Government'. Sinn Féin is already a party of government in the North but at the previous general election the southern electorate, perhaps seduced by the so-called 'Celtic Tiger', did not vote for that option on that occasion. But that was then, and following that election Sinn Féin embarked on a party-building process. We are now witnessing the positive results of that exercise and support for the party continues to grow. Free article

Cé gur dhúirt mé an tseachtain seo nach ndéanfainn tagairt ar bith do chanbhásáil ná toghcháin an tseachtain seo, chuir radharc áirithe osréalach a chonaic mé agus mé ar an chanbhás, chuir sé mé ag smaoineamh faoi sport agus cultúr in Éirinn. Oíche amháin an tseachtain seo caite bhí mé ag dul trasna páirc fholamh idir dhá eastáit tithíochta ar imeall an baile nuair a chuala mé clic de slat ag bualadh liathróid. Is dócha go bhfuil daoine ann, saineolaithe de short éigin, a thiocfadh leo aithint láithreach cén sort adhmaid agus cén sort liathróid a dhéanann cén sort fuaime. Cosúil le daoine a aithníonn fuaim feadaíl éanacha, nó fuaim cineálacha inneallacha gluaisrothar óna chéile le linn rás san Oileán Mhanainn nó Dún dTrod nó Rás an Thuaidh Thiar. Free article

WHO would win, right, in a fight between the IRA and the Taliban? If the fanatics of Islamic fundamentalism met the "elusive, hard-hitting masters of Ireland's urban jungle" (begod) head to head, would it be a victory for the Republican Movement or a bunch of lads skulking around the Afghan mountains. And where, come to think of it, is the 'urban jungle' around Cullyhanna? If, like me, you've never even imagined the question, you might be surprised to learn that a US television show has settled this great unanswered debate. Free article

DEFENDERS of Derry's and Monaghan's performance on the basis that it was part of the noble tradition of 'Ulster' football might do well to ponder the Tyrone-Armagh match last Sunday. It was like watching two different sports. There is lots of 'history' in recent years between Tyrone and Armagh and there was a lot riding on the outcome of the game in Clones. Neither, however, used that as an excuse to drag proceedings into the gutter. Free article

The new phase of the Irish freedom struggle which began in 1969 saw Irish republicans imprisoned in all three jurisdictions - the Six Counties, the 26 Counties and in England. While all prisoners endured harsh conditions, the prisoners in England faced isolation from their comrades and their families and were at the mercy of the most hostile of prison regimes. Free article