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The forthcoming report by Metropolitan police commissioner Sir John Stevens into the Finucane murder finds collusion between the RUC and Loyalist paramiltaries and is causing it’s first rumbles today. Meanwhile leading Unionists claim that links between the Columbian leftist paramilitary group FARC and the IRA, indicate that Provisionals may have been over there testing new weapons. The Daily Telegraph suggests this is a breach of the IRA ceasefire. Perhaps the unseasonably early runctions on the streets of Belfast may mean …

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A bit further from the current street action and the cost of the Holy Cross dispute becomes clear. Johnny Adair’s brother is jailed for riotous behaviour at the time. New Lord Mayor Maskey visits the Presbyterian church. One Alliance counsellor pays the price for having street murals removed. Elsewhere famous Seamus Heaney warns of the disaffection and fury of the Protestant youth. Meanwhile further afield, a rock star from the south is more concerned with development of Africa than the …

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Argentina leave the World Cup and England under the cool hand of their Swedish manager fight on. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Looks like Reid is standing firm on the status of the ceasefires. Meanwhile the rioting has tempted the normally anti-Republican Malachy O’Doherty to make a strong attack on Loyalist tactics. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Full time: 3:0 It wasn’t always pretty, but it should do the team no harm to score three in open play. And what about England tomorrow? Here’s a Scottish perspective on the attitude of supporters in the Celtic Fringe towards England teams. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

The big match against Saudi Arabia is coming up soon. Looks like controversial journalist and ex Republic of Ireland player Eammon Dunphy will be cooling his heels for a while after a controversial week or two trying to attack the Ireland manager Mick McCarthy. He has put his head above the parapet once too often and nearly (unfairly according to some) had it shot off. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

The Short Strand has it’s back to several walls whilst East Belfast loyalists’ ceasefire is being strained to the limit. Nationalists call Unionists to account for loyalist violence as Gerry Adams claims much of the violence is down to a weakness in Unionist leadership, a claim disputed strongly by Ian Paisley Junior. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

Threads of the backstory to the Short Strand troubles are beginning to emerge from the Catholic and the Protestant perspective. Looks like the loyalist paramilitaries are in breaking out in many different areas. Even as the peace process ‘continues’ David McKittrick points out that this has brought a split level reality in which the middle classes enjoy a kind of peace and prosperity whilst those caught in working class areas have to put up with an acceptable degree of lawlessness. …

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Threads of the back story to the Short Strand troubles are beginning to emergefrom the Catholic and the Protestant perspective. Looks like the loyalist paramilitaries are in breaking out in many different areas. Even as the peace process ‘continues’ David McKittrick points out that this has brought a split level reality in which the middle classes enjoy a kind of peace and prosperity whilst those caught inworking class areas have to put up with an acceptable degree of lawlessness. Meanwhile …

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John Cole probes the limitations of the current ‘peace‘. Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

The Short Strand has seen most of the disturbances over the long holiday weekend in which there were shootings and several Protestants moved out of their homes. There will no doubt be a number of different interpretations as to the hows and the whys. Father Des Wilson suspects that the trouble is related to the Maskey’s election as Mayor. The major Unionist reaction was David Trimble’s call for a government review of the ceasefires. There has been some heated discussion …

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The Irish are noted for being true to their identity for generations after they have left the ‘oul sod’, but Brendan O’Neill for one thinks it is time to draw a line under sentimental attachment to the country! Slugger O'TooleA general account used for the daily threads and other things.

The big news of the day was the amazing result for the  Republic of Ireland. The result sent Ireland’s top pundit deeper into despair after his predictions of his own country’s annihilation at the hand of Cameroon and the Germans crashed and burned, very publicly! Cameroon’s 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia makes Ireland’s job crystal clear. Meanwhile in the North David Alderdice of the Alliance party explains why he backed Maskey to become the first Republican mayor of Belfast. Unionist …

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