It is quite possible that Israel's next Minister of Finance will be none other than Ariel Sharon. Thus once again, inter-cabinet rivalry and bickering sees Israeli premier Binyamin Netanyahu place his own hold on power above any prospects for peace. Free article

An mbeidh sé de mhisneach ag rialtas Tony Blair seasamh in aghaidh na máirseála mire Dé Domhnaigh? Ní hamháin go mbeidh an tsíocháin in Eirinn ag brath ar fhreagra na ceiste sin ach tabharfiadh sé léiriú dúinn ar ionracas an rialtais nua i Londain. Free article

I'll pass quietly over the humiliation of Tyrone. But not too quietly. They were slowly and steadily taken apart by Derry until at the end a handpassing session in the middle of the field made Derry look like the brilliant - and super-arrogant - Leeds soccer team of the 70s - and will have been such an embarrassment for this Tyrone team that every waking moment until next year's Championship will be spent plotting Derry's downfall (and every sleeping moment will be spent having nightmares about it). The Derry supporters were even giving an `ole' as each pass was made. Free article

At seven minutes past four on the morning of 28 June 1922 Free State forces under pressure from Britain over the assassination on 22 June of Sir Henry Wilson, military advisor to the Unionist regime in the Six Counties, shelled the Four Courts which had been occupied by Republican troops since 13 April. Free article

As the British government's devolution bill successfully received its third reading in the British House of Commons last Tuesday (and now passes to the House of Lords) there was uproar when Enoch Powell, MP for South Down, claimed that a senior civil servant had revealed to him the existence of a secret deal with the Dublin government on the constitutional future of the Six Counties. Free article

Mention Derek Davis to most people and they'll say ``Oh yeah, he's that 20-stone Antrim man on RTE who interviews senile people in the afternoon. I saw him once when I was off sick.'' Point out that the station has given him his own prime-time show, and they'll say: ``It's the summer time. RTE will put on just about anything just to stop the screen from going black.'' Free article

Caoimhghín O Caoláin is preparing to move into his new office in Leinster House and already there have been reports that his new neighbour is less than happy that a Shinner is set to lower the tone of his neighbourhood. He is none other than Des O'Malley, former Progressive Democrat leader and Minister for Justice who was responsible for introducing the Offences Against the State... Free article

When governments resort to methods that are illegal, unjust, or inhumane, even when these methods are directed against the guilty or the dangerous the effect is not to preserve law and order but to undermine it.

US Congreesman Christopher Smith in a letter to British Direct Ruler Mo Mowlam on the use of plastic bullets in the Six Counties, which was signed by 22 other US... Free article

This weeks news in brief... Free article