The 8.3% of first preferences won by Sinn Féin's Aengus O Snodaigh in last week's Dublin South Central by-election confirmed that the party is now the fourth largest in the state and the only serious radical opposition to the tired status quo of the established parties. Free article

Sinn Féin Assembly member for north Belfast Gerry Kelly has called for the immediate release of a north Belfast man who was arrested by the RUC on Tuesday morning, 2 November, and flown to London. Free article

Dublin Justice Minister John O'Donoghue faced an embarrassing protest over the deportation of refugees this week, ironically as he launched a government initiative aimed at making Irish society more inclusive. Free article

It would seem that old habits die hard for Maggie Thatcher. Already accustomed to defending war criminals, she has added her voice to the conservative chorus campaigning against any reforms to the RUC. Free article

Three loyalists in the Shankill area of Belfast were arrested on Wednesday morning by London Metropolitan detectives, members of the Stevens' team investigating the murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane in 1989 Free article

The Dublin government is to reassess its approach to the case of murdered Louth man Seamus Ludlow in light of the failure of the Six-County Director of Public Prosecutions to prosecute four men arrested last year in connection with the killing. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern signalled the review of his government's approach when he answered a question from Sinn Féin TD Caoimhghín O Caoláin in the Dáil on Tuesday, 2 November. Free article

Unionist politicians have been embarrassed this week by a newspaper article by former MI6 director Michael Oatley accusing the Ulster Unionist Party and British Conservative politicians of using decommissioning as a pretext to disengage from the peace process. Free article

A COUNTY DERRY nationalist fears for his safety after he was stopped and harassed by the RUC. Free article

TWO WEEKS after two British soldiers in civilian clothes were caught attacking houses in the Short Strand area of East Belfast in the company of loyalists, a further incident has occurred at Divis Tower in the Falls area. Free article

The case of the two North Belfast men jailed for murder on falsified RUC evidence in 1979 and who have finally had their convictions overturned could signal a torrent of similar cases. Free article