An overwhelming vote in favour of repealing the 8th amendment of the
Irish constitution has opened the way for the liberalisation of
Ireland’s abortion laws, with a final result of 66.4% to 33.6%.
The leader of the British Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn visited Belfast
this week to mark 20 years since the Good Friday peace agreement and
added his voice to efforts to circumvent unionist intransigence.
The British government is to be asked to explain the disappearance of
part of the body of Aidan McAnespie in 1988. The 23-year-old was shot
dead by a British soldier close to a border checkpoint at Aughnacloy in
County Tyrone as he made his way to a local Gaelic sports club.
Families who lost loved ones at the hands of unionist paramilitaries
acting in collusion with the state have criticised comments made by a
former Director of Public Prosecutions for an end to conflict-related
prosecutions.
Ghada Karmi is a Palestinian physician, academic and writer. Her latest
book is entitled Return: A Palestinian Memoir. Despite the recent
shocking events in Gaza, she sees hope for the Palestinian cause.
Several hundred republicans gathered in McCreesh park in Newry last
weekend to honour local hunger striker Raymond McCreesh in separate
events organised by Saoradh and Sinn Fein. A tribute
delivered by Saoradh’s Nuala Perry.
Ireland looks set to legalise abortion after an exit poll showed a
referendum to remove the constitutional protection for the unborn
passing by an overwhelming 68% Yes to 32% No.
Theresa May has privately ruled out a vote on Irish unity within the
north of Ireland because it could produce a majority in favour,
according to leaked reports from a secret Tory briefing.
The hugely divisive referendum campaign on the Eighth Amendment draws
to a close ahead of voting day next Friday with opinion polls showing
support for the removal of Ireland’s constitutional protection for the
unborn declining, but still likely to pass.
The ‘New IRA’ has responded to a call by former Sinn Fein leader Gerry
Adams for rival republican groups to “go away”, with posters signed in
the name of “The IRA” appearing in west and north Belfast.
A legal intervention has forced Crown prosecutors to revise a decision
not to bring criminal charges against two former RUC Special Branch
members who are believed to have directed and shielded loyalist serial
killer Gary Haggarty.
Rory Cormac, a professor of international relations specialising in
secret intelligence and covert action, has found archival evidence to
prove Edward Heath’s government directed ‘black ops’ on the streets of
Ireland.
How can the United Kingdom deny a border vote to the inhabitants of
the Six Counties on one hand by claiming that the demand does not exist
for it, while on the other the prime minister herself admits that the
outcome of such a poll is uncertain?
Thousands protested in cities across the country this evening following
a horrific mass murder by Israel of some 60 unarmed Palestinians in Gaza
on Monday. It was the single deadliest day for Palestinians in several
years.
Scores of Palestinians have been shot dead in Gaza as Israel’s
declaration of independence was marked by a mass slaughter of protestors
gathered at the border.
Former members of the British Crown Forces have been sharing photographs
of the assassinated IRA Volunteers of Loughgall and gloating about how
they held “parties” in the van in which three of the martyrs were
killed, it has emerged.
The resignation this week of the head of the 26 County Health Service
Executive (HSE) has added to demands for full accountability in a
scandal over cut-rate cancer testing and a subsequent cover-up which has
claimed the lives of 17 women.
There has been a furious response to a statement by British Prime
Minister Theresa May to her own parliament which deliberately
misrepresented official figures on policing and claimed “the only
people being investigated” are members of the Crown Forces.
Unionists have lashed out at the 26 County Minister for Foreign Affairs
after he raised the two-year internment of republican prisoner Tony
Taylor in the Dublin parliament.
The sectarian nature of the unionist-dominated Irish Football
Association (IFA) has been highlighted by its playing of ‘God Save the
Queen’ at the start of the association’s cup final.
We present two sides of the republican debate on abortion rights ahead
of the referendum on May 25th to remove the Eighth Amendment, which
broadly prohibits it, and to allow the Dublin parliament to legislate
for its provision.
A contemporaneous account of the life of Francis Hughes following his
death on May 12, 1981 while on hunger striker against the Tory
criminalisation of republican prisoners. From the Starry Plough.
A dodgy deal for cut-price cancer tests and a subsequent cover-up
wrecked the health of hundreds of Irish women over the past decade, with
17 deaths attributed to the scandal.
Amid rapidly escalating tensions in Derry, three hoax bomb alerts have
taken place, with two of them directed at the homes of members of the
PSNI police and their parents.
Claims that a deceased unionist paramilitary may have been responsible
for the deaths of victims of the Ballymurphy Massacre have been treated
with scepticism by the relatives of those who died.
The mother of a teenager killed by a plastic bullet fired by the RUC
(now PSNI) police 37 years ago has hit out at British state secrecy
after it emerged that files on his murder are to remain under wraps for
another 41 years.
An independent unionist councillor has drawn attention to the problem
of unchecked hate speech by unionist politicians with an egregious and
ridiculous attempt to insult Irish nationalists.
Former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has spoken of “a historic moment”
in the Basque peace process after the ETA armed group announced a
definitive end to the organisation.
A contemporaneous account of events and sentiment in the aftermath of the
death of Bobby Sands on this day in 1981, from the point of view of a
British socialist. Originally published in Spartacist magazine.
Sinn Fein has retained its Westminster seat for the West Tyrone
constituency after 26-year-old solicitor Orfhlaith Begley polled over
16,000 votes for the party in Thursday’s by-election.