THE British Government this week expressed "deep regret" for the killing of Aidan McAnespie who was shot dead as he walked through a British Army checkpoint in County Tyrone in 1988. Aidan was fatally injured after being shot by a British soldier, Grenadier Guardsman David Holden, as he made his way to a GAA football match. In a statement on Monday, British Secretary of State Shaun Woodward and British Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth acknowledged the "pain and suffering" of the family after their youngest son's death. Free article

TYRONE MPs Pat Doherty, Michelle Gildernew and Martin McGuinness on Monday officially launched the programme of events for this year's 28th Anniversary National Hunger Strike Commemoration. This is the first time that a commemoration of this type has been held in Tyrone and only the second time it has been held outside Belfast. Derry City hosted the event last year which was a great success and the organisers of this year's commemoration have high expectations also. Free article

FOLLOWING her re-election to the European Parliament in the June elections, in which she topped the poll in the Six Counties, Sinn Fein's Bairbre de Brún spoke to An Phoblacht this week about her priorities in Europe, her role on the parliamentary committees, the upcoming United Nations climate change summit, and how the EU institutions can be used to advance progressive change. Bairbre de Brún has said she aims to build on the work done by Sinn Féin in the last EU parliamentary session around jobs and the economy, climate change, rural development and farm families, the Irish language and public services. Free article

THE resignation of four councillors from Sinn Féin for a variety of (some puzzling) reasons immediately after the local elections in the 26 Counties has had the Establishment and anti-republican media jumping up and down with undisguised glee. Sinn Féin has often been depicted in the media as enforcing a Stalin-like suppression of internal criticism. Yet, when Cllr Toiréasa Ferris wrote in this paper - the party weekly - to provoke an open, honest debate on the EU and local election campaign, the media was quick to predict if not Sinn Féin's demise at least a 'split'. In his online blog Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams tells the media to hold off on their celebrations - this party isn't over, not by a long way. Free article

Speaking at a Good Friday Agreement Oireachtas Committee meeting on Tuesday Sinn Féin Dublin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh welcomed the initial finding of the St. Andrews Agreement Review Group but warned against any delay to the end of year deadline for completion of its work. Ó Snodaigh was joined at the meeting by Sinn Féin West Tyrone MLA Pat Doherty. Free article

IN a recent media attack on Gerry Adams, former loyalist leader Davy Adams accused the west Belfast MP of failing the unionist people of the constituency. Davy Adams said that "to the best of my knowledge, [Gerry Adams] has yet to provide a single job, or indeed lobby on their behalf for anything". A few phone calls about Sinn Féin's constituency service would have enlightened a very unenlightened Davy Adams but then perhaps that would have taken away his reason for making his criticism in the first place. Free article

CUTTING the minimum wage in the 26 Counties "is simply not an option", Sinn Féin Dublin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh has said. "The minimum wage has played an important role in keeping Ireland's lowest-paid workers out of the poverty trap. "Finance Minister Brian Lenihan knows that the right to an annual wage of €18,000 has not adversely affected Ireland's competitiveness. Free article