The campaign to have Ardoyne republican Seán Kelly released from Maghaberry Prison has intensified with pickets and protests growing in size and number across the Six Counties. In the latest moves to secure Kelly's release Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and party spokesperson on policing Gerry Kelly met British Direct Ruler Peter Hain at Stormont on Monday 18 July and demanded that Kelly be freed immediately. Free article

Gerry Adams was in Dublin to meet Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on Friday 15 July to discuss the Peace Process, Seán Kelly and the post-Ardoyne situation. Speaking afterwards to journalists in Parnell Square he said that a very dangerous situation had emerged in Ardoyne, Dunloy and Derry last week but.....read on Free article

The imprisonment of the Rossport 5 has brought protests, pickets and demonstrations to towns across Ireland over the past three weeks. There have been huge rallies in the West, reflecting the outrage felt at the government's betrayal of Irish interests and the jailing of the five men. The campaign is holding a national Day of Action on Friday 22 July. Free article

The Police Ombudsman's Office has confirmed that an investigation has been launched after the PSNI admitted to firing 22 of its new plastic baton rounds at nationalists during disturbances in Ardoyne on 12 July. Free article

Sectarian attacks against the nationalist community have continued in the wake of the 12 July marches. Unionist gangs have attacked nationalist homes throughout Belfast while nationalists in Ballymena, Derry, Coleraine and Castlederg also bore the brunt of the violence with hoax bombs left at one home and a number of Coleraine nationalists being warned of loyalist threats against them. Free article

North Belfast Sinn Féin Assembly member Cathy Stanton has said the Orange Order needs to recognise that its activities result in serious violence and cause massive disruption to many people. Stanton's remarks come after a week of violent incidents directly linked to the Order's 12th activities and which are covered extensively in this week's An Phoblacht. Free article