THE DISENGAGEMENT from the talks process by political unionism came as no great surprise to either their political opponents or the local media. Premium service article

YEHUDA SHAUL was born in Jerusalem in 1982. The son of an American-born father and Canadian-born mother who immigrated to Israel following the 1973 Arab-Israeli ‘Yom Kippur War’, at the age of 18 he was drafted into the Israeli Army for the mandatory three years’ national service. He served as a combat soldier and later a company sergeant right across the occupied West Bank. Free article

WHATEVER your views of the Garth Brooks fiasco and the role of the Dublin City Council City Manager (or ‘Chief Executive’, as he is now styled), the underlying issue is the lack of democratic control by the people of Dublin over their own affairs. Free article

THERE IS A LOT OF TALK of Sinn Féin in government these days. Gerry is telling us to get ready. Micheál and Enda are saying no way. The Indo is in panic mode. Things seem to be getting serious. Premium service article

FLICKING through the pages of the June edition of An Phoblacht, retired Garda John Wilson laughs: “Having a copy of this was enough to get you a fair bit of unwanted attention from the Garda.” Free article

FOR most of the world, 1969 was the year of Neil Armstrong’s moon landing and “one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind”. For us in this part of the world, it marked the beginnings of our ‘Troubles’. But for another group of people it marked the launch of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Free article

ANNA LO is down in the beautiful Gaeltacht village of Baile Bhurine, County Cork, to take part in a Sinn Féin Summer School debate, ‘Women in Politics – Towards Equal Representation’. She argues strongly in favour of gender quotas to increase representation of women in politics. It’s the first time Anna has visited County Cork. “I previously did the Ring of Kerry,” she says, adding, “it was beautiful.” Premium service article

Eugene McCartan, General Secretary Communist Party of Ireland. Continuing our series of opinion pieces by progressive figures on ‘After the elections — what now?’ Free article

John Douglas, President, Irish Congress of Trade Unions, General Secretary, Mandate. Continuing our series of opinion pieces by progressive figures on ‘After the elections — what now?’ Free article

After Sinn Féin’s election triumphs in May, one community and trade union campaigner urges activists to keep the party’s focus on being an agent for change Free article