The first major decision of the newly elected Lord Mayor of Belfast, Bob Stoker, has been to bar 13 Belfast Sinn Féin councillors from the Lord Mayor's dinner at the end of the month. Free article

It's grotesque. Speaking after attending a service at Drumcree Church, leading Portadown Orangeman David Jones repeats the now well honed denials of the Loyal Orders. ``As far as we are concerned there is no link,'' his homily concludes. It is just a few short hours before the funeral of Elizabeth O'Neill is due to take place in Portadown, but if David Jones feels any kind of remorse he doesn't show it, all we get is the ritual washing of Orange hands. ``We totally condemn any attack of that nature and if anyone misguidedly thinks that they are in some way helping the protest at Drumcree, then they aren't,'' says Jones. Free article

As we go to press, former members of the Parachute Regiment, funded by the Ministry of Defence, are preparing to go to the High Court in Belfast to argue that they should be allowed to remain anonymous when they appear before the Saville Inquiry. At least 17 of the solders have said that, should the appeal fail, they will either lie to the Inquiry or refuse to appear at all, risking imprisonment for contempt. Free article

The past week saw urgent calls from Sinn Féin's Gerry Adams to the British government to take hold of the political situation which has descended inexorably into heightened loyalist violence and increased political tension in the build-up to the now annual Drumcree siege. Free article

Speaking at the party's final press conference prior to this week's local government and EU elections, Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams called on people to change the face of electoral politics on the island by voting Sinn Féin number 1 on 10 June in the Six Counties and 11 June in the 26 Counties. Free article

Organic agribusiness offers survival chance for Western farmers and rural life. Free article