Rakiya Omar, is the Director of African Rights, an eleven-year-old organisation, concerned with human rights' issues in Africa. In contrast with other human rights' organisations, which tend to focus exclusively on prison conditions and torture, African Rights has turned its attention to social and economic rights. Free article

Sinn Féin MLA Francie Brolly has accused the PSNI of, "character assassination". The Dungiven-based politician was speaking to An Phoblacht on Thursday 1 December less than 24 hours after his release from Antrim PSNI Barracks, where he was held for 36 hours and questioned about the 1972 Claudy bombings. Free article

Zapatista evolution

The Zapatista Front for National Liberation has disbanded to allow for the creation of a civil, left-wing political movement. The most prominent public figure in the armed section of the movement will next month initiate a tour of Mexico in an alternative to the Presidential election campaign.

Double standards

In 1995, the Pentagon... Free article

Sinn Féin Chairperson and Dublin MEP Mary Lou McDonald has been selected as Sinn Féin's candidate to contest the Dublin Central constituency at the upcoming 26-County General Election. McDonald was nominated by Councillor Nicky Kehoe and seconded by Councillor Christy Burke at a selection convention in Dalymount Park last week. Free article

Michael McDowell is claiming "sovereign immunity" in his defence in a libel action taken against him by the national newspaper Daily Ireland. Free article

The family of veteran Belfast republican Billy McDonnell, who died on Thursday 1 December, has expressed anger at a priest who refused to celebrate Requiem Mass because the coffin was draped with the Irish National flag. Free article

5{yees of the Comerama textile factory in Castlecomer, County Kilkenny held a protest at Leinster House last Tuesday, supported by Sinn Féin's Carlow-Kilkenny representative Kathleen Funchion and party TDs Arthur Morgan and Aengus Ó Snodaigh. Free article

A British Government initiative to tackle poverty exclusively in unionist areas of Lisburn City Council as a policy of, "economic apartheid". Free article

NIPSA, the largest trade union in the Six Counties representing 20,000 members, is likely to ballot on a recommendation from its Executive Committee for all-out strike action in the New Year. Free article

Sinn Féin Councillor Paul Butler has hailed the lifting of the ban on same-sex couples using Lisburn Council's Wedding Room, for civil partnerships, as a victory for the gay and lesbian community. Free article