The Six-County economy has been on the political and business agenda over the last week. Peter Hain, George Quigley, Roy Beggs, INI chief executive Leslie Morrison, and chairperson Stephen Kingon have all made interventions, between them a new economic convention is gaining ground and it is a seriously flawed analysis. Free article

May 1 will be a day to remember for Bolivia. After centuries in which the country's rich, natural resources were plunderered by Spain, Britain and the US resulting in death and destruction, Bolivia's newly elected president, Evo Morales, announced his decision to privatise the country's gas fields, as he promised during his election campaign. Free article

"Pray for the dead," that famous Irish born trade union organiser Mother Jones often told workers, "but fight like Hell for the living." In 2005, the families of 73 workers had cause to pray for their loved ones as workplace deaths skyrocketed by 46% in the 26 Counties. While a number of media outlets reported a 20% increase, with 50 deaths in 2005, the figure of 46% is actually accurate. Free article

Sheila Downey was born in the Markets area of Belfast on 23 February 1928. When her own mother tragically died at the young age of 36, Sheila raised the family of whom six sons were blind. At 19 she married Joe, a deep sea docker, and raised her own family in the Markets. Sheila Downey was born in the Markets area of Belfast on 23 February 1928. When her own mother tragically died at the young age of 36, Sheila raised the family of whom six sons were blind. At 19 she married Joe, a deep sea docker, and raised her own family in the Markets. Free article

Thomas Kent, the only Volunteer shot in Cork during the wave of executions immediately following the 1916 Rising was comemorated last week. He and his brothers were arrested after a fierce gun battle on the night of 1-2 May when the RIC and British army came to arrest them in their farmhouse near Castlelyons. He was executed for resisting arrest during which a member of the RIC was killed. Free article

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