In the first of four articles examining the positive effect Community Restorative Justice can have when dealing with anti-social behaviour, Ned Kelly reports from a conference where experts from New Zealand and South Africa explained how the system brings real justice to communities. Free article

Ulster Unionist MP John Taylor sheltered behind parliamentary privilege during a debate on the murder of Pat Finucane in the House of Commons on Wednesday, 5 May, to make allegations about the solicitor and his family. He had to be warned by the Deputy Speaker of the House and by Northern Ireland Minister Adam Ingram about the nature of the language he was using. Free article

Cobh Sinn Féin Councillor Kieran McCarthy has sought legal advice with a view to taking a civil action against the gardai and the DPP after he was charged last week with threatening behaviour. The Cobh man says the entire affair is designed to hinder his election campaign. Free article

The Court of Appeal in London turned again last week to the libel case brought by Sean McPhilemy, author of ``The Committee'', against the Sunday Times. At the heart of the case is an article published in 1993 alleging that McPhilemy's earlier, similarly titled, television documentary hoaxed the public into believing in a murder conspiracy involving collusion in the Six Counties. Free article

``This is just another twist in the RUC's campaign against Collie Duffy'', said Sinn Féin Assembly member for Upper Bann Dara O'Hagan, commenting on the latest conviction against the well-known Lurgan republican, whom was found guilty on Wednesday 12 May on what she said were ``trumped up'' charges of assaulting RUC officers. Free article

An RIR unit in Lurgan brutally assaulted a Lurgan man on Tuesday, 11 May, as he made his way from North Street to a computer shop in the town. Free article

Talks between elected representatives in the Craigavon area, including First Minister David Trimble and Garvaghy Road Residents' spokesperson Breandán MacCionnaith, aimed at solving the siege of nationalists on the Garvaghy Road, broke up on Monday 10 May without any major breakthrough. Free article

A 29-year-old Lurgan Catholic was badly beaten by loyalist youths after an Orange march in the County Armagh town on Friday, 7 May. Free article

The following article was penned for the 24 May issue of The Nation magazine, a progressive opinion-making weekly American magazine which also counts among its contributors Edward Said, Noam Chomsky, Katha Pollitt, and Christopher Hitchens. Free article