Sinn Féin's call for the introduction of a special emergency payment for recipients of Fuel Allowance to help them cope with continuing fuel costs in the wake of January's freezing weather conditions has been rejected by Social and Family Affairs Minister Mary Hanafin. Free article

Responding to the latest live register figures which were published on Wednesday showing an increase of 13,000 people on the dole, Dublin Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh said the government has left many thousands of Irish people with no option other than to emigrate. Free article

Encouraging signs that progressive left politics are alive and well in London and beyond were on show last Saturday, when over 700 activists and observers alike crowded into the annual 'Progressive London' conference. Free article

Is é An Droichead, Béal Feirste a bhuaigh céad áit i gcomórtas Ghlór na nGael 2009. Fógraíodh torthaí an chomórtais ar chlár Seán Bán Breathnach ar Raidio na Gaeltachta an tseachtain seo agus ba chúis cheiliúrtha é do Bhéal Feirste nuair a bhuaigh An Droichead €50,000 agus trófaí. 'Sí Roinn Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta príomh urra na duaise náisiúnta agus Foras na Gaeilge urra an trófaí. Free article

Speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday evening, during a debate on serious and organised crime, Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh said the current rise in organised crime shows that serial legislative change by the government has failed to deliver. Free article

Sinn Féin's Dublin West representative Paul Donnelly has severely criticised the government's further 11% cut in drugs task force funding. "I am dismayed at the lack of strategic thinking emanating from the present government," said Donnelly, who is also chairperson of his local Mountview/Blakestown Community Drugs Team. "It is well known that during times of unemployment, drug misuse increases. There are indications from young people and others of a huge explosion in the use if benzodiazepines and 'skunk'. Free article

Is nós é anois ar an teilifís go mbíonn 'sraitheanna' ag críochnú ag pointe ana-drámatúil (an cliffhanger) ar nós Lost, Sopranos agus araile agus 'seo cad chuige, mar sin, nach mbeadh sraith teilifíse Ghaeilge mar an cheanna. Thosaigh an tríú sraith de Seacht le craoladh arís ar BBC 2 Thuaisceart Éireann agus ar TG4 ó lár mí Eanáir, le haird an lucht féachána a fháil láithreach le filleadh Pádraig (Marcas) ón uaigh. Free article

The ongoing trial of five people who were involved in publishing the Basque-language newspaper Egunkaria, which was shut down by the Spanish government in 2003, is an outrageous attack on the basic civil rights of the Basque people, a campaign leader has told meetings in Ireland. Free article

Deir Siobhán Seoighe, Bainsiteoir Imeachta Rith 2010 go bhfuil 'momentum iontach le scéal Rith 2010 agus is léir go bhfuil an spéis ag daoine ann'. Bhí sí ag caint ag cruinniú i nGaillimh leis an choiste atá ag eagrú na himeachta i gCathair na dTreabh, an áit a mbeidh an rith ag críochnú i ndiaidh ocht lá agus oíche ar an bhóthar (agus ar mhuileann coise) ag taistil 1600 cileamadair ar fad. Free article

Philadelphia City Council in December approved a resolution calling for a united Ireland as outlined under the Good Friday Agreement. Free article