RUSSIA’S retaliatory sanctions against the West because of its sanctions imposed on Russia as a result of the Ukrainian crisis seem to have taken Western policy makers by surprise – not only because of their immediate impact but, more importantly, because of the long-term significance of the move. Free article

A NEW STUDY commissioned by the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) EU Parliament Group argues that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTP) between the EU and the USA comes with high social costs and limited actual economic gain. Free article

PROTESTS in support of the Palestinian people and against Israel’s horrific onslaught and siege of Gaza have continued across cities, towns and villages in Ireland as peace talks in Cairo in late August collapsed. Free article

Wealth in Ireland in recent decades has become dangerously imbalanced, and successive governments have been criticised for not doing more to create artisanal businesses that would spread that wealth more evenly. Premium service article

Mr Parnell’s Rottweiler: Censorship and the United Ireland Newspaper, 1881-1891. By Myles Dungan. Irish Academic Press and Frank Aiken: Nationalist and Internationalist. Edited by Bryce Evans and Stephen Kelly. Irish Academic Press Premium service article

YOU KNOW a hurler by his hands. Knobbly, gnarled knuckles. Disfigured digits, sometimes swelling from arthritic joints. Icy extremities where the blood supply is waning. Usually, the grip once lashed to a camán remains vice-like long after the hurl is gone. Free article

‘Life springs from death and from the graves of patriot men and women spring living nations’ – Pádraig PEARSE Free article

All notices and obituaries should be sent to [email protected] by Friday 12 September 2014 Free article