I’m delighted that a new edition of “Bandit Country” will hit the streets next Thursday. Hard to believe it was written 25 years ago. The dead can’t sue, so this edition names a few more names…

At least 12 IRA members committed this slaughter in 1975. It was so awful the IRA pretended someone else did it.

'Kingsmill was an overtly sectarian attack by the IRA. It was mounted because the deceased men were Protestants and for no other reason.'

bbc.com/news/uk-northe…

Salman Rushdie on the day the fatwa finally caught up with him.

My first thought when I saw this murderous shape rushing towards me was, ‘So it’s you. Here you are.’
theguardian.com/books/2024/apr…

Rory Carroll Fantastic book, Rory. Thrilling writing!

Palm fronds can save your life.

Pacific castaways rescued after 'HELP' sign spotted rte.ie/news/world/202… via RTÉ

Justifiably glowing The Irish Times review for Twelve Sheep by John Connell

The magic of life over 12 beautiful chapters irishtimes.com/culture/books/…

Thrilled to say Killing Thatcher has become a Sunday Times bestseller. Big thank you to all who bought, read or supported the book.

'If this country were not so influenced by rightwing myths, the romanticisation of her premiership would matter less.'
andy beckett on Labour genuflecting before Thatcher.

theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

A day late for world parkinson's day but always worth flagging this piece from 2002 by the late, great, peerless David Beresford on his brain operation.

'Drrrrrrrr ... drrrrrrrr ... drrrrr. It sounded like a hand drill, I thought idly.'

theguardian.com/society/2002/o…

Irish taoiseach and Spanish PM to discuss Palestine nation state plan dlvr.it/T5PF3M

OJ Simpson, ex-NFL star who was acquitted of murder, dies aged 76 theguardian.com/us-news/2024/a…

theguardian.com/world/2024/apr… By Rashid Khalidi

This from last week but relevant today as Simon Harris TD seeks like-minded allies in Brussels and Warsaw.

theguardian.com/world/2024/apr…

Surfacing from X sabbatical to wish Noel Doran a well-deserved retirement. I started in journalism at the Irish News under Noel and Tom Collins ✍🏻♌️🇪🇺 European many moons ago. A brilliant team to learn from.

Horrific, important piece by my colleague Bethan McKernan

Evidence points to systematic use of rape and sexual violence by Hamas in 7 October attacks theguardian.com/world/2024/jan…

‘The government has forgotten what we did during covid.’ GMB nurses on a Belfast picket. If car horns any guide they have quite a bit of support.

Belfast icy and unusually quiet as the big public sector strike bites. ‘No one wants to be out here on a freezing day but we’ve had enough.’ Paul Andrews of Unison outside City hospital.

Israel is murdering Palestinian journalists in Gaza. Where is the outrage?
By Chris McGreal

theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

If not too late to toot.. thrilled that Killing Thatcher tops this list.

Escape from Mariupol: how one Ukrainian soldier gambled on a stakeout and fugitive
Great read by Luke Harding
theguardian.com/world/2024/jan…