The release from prison last Tuesday of Ken Barrett, the British agent convicted of the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane in 1989, has been followed by further revelations from former RUC members concerning collusion with unionist paramilitaries and has exposed the fact that sectarian murderers are being protected by the British state. Plus - Focus on Collusion: County Derry, South East Antrim - Collusion victims' families demand truth Free article

Following Ian Paisley's rejection of a Sinn Féin nomination to serve as First Minister in a new power-sharing Six County Executive Sinn Féin Chief Negotiator MARTIN McGUINNESS MP says the move was necessary to test the DUP and expose its rejection of equality or force them to adopt a different view. Free article

Thursday 21 May 1981 witnessed the deaths of two more Hunger Strikers. Raymond McCreesh passed away at 2.30am. Later that evening Patsy O'Hara died. A Mass had been celebrated at Raymond McCreesh's bedside on Wednesday evening by his brother Fr Brian McCreesh. He was semi-conscious and appeared to show some sign of recognition but died just a few hours later. His remains were returned to his beloved Camlough in South Armagh for the funeral the following Saturday. Free article

Sinn Féin this week put a comprehensive motion on drug misuse before the Dáil. Spokesperson on Community Affairs Seán Crowe TD said it was the first time such a wide-ranging motion on this issue has come before the Dáil and the party used its Private Members Time to debate the motion on Tuesday and Wednesday. Free article

The High Court in Belfast has ruled in favour of the Garvaghy Road residents in their judicial review concerning the appointment of two Orangemen to the Parades Commission. The court ruled that the appointment of the two Orangemen had failed to meet the requirement that the commission represented both sides of the community. Judge Morgan said he found the appointment panel's failure to recognise a potential conflict of interest "inexplicable". Free article

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Employment and Workers Rights, Arthur Morgan TD, has described as 'deeply disturbing' the revelation, in reply to a parliamentary question from the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, that there was a five fold increase in the number of employers found to be in breach of both annual leave entitlements and public holiday entitlements. Free article