It's summer and trouble continues: in the streets and in the political backrooms, though the real threat to Trimble may come in form of next month's meeting of the UUP's executive. In Belfast Mayor Maskey intends to embrace the Union Jack AND the Tricolour. His taking office after several previously failed attempts, marks the end of protestant Belfast, according to Andy Gimson in The Spectator.

Eilis O'Hanlon highlights the double spin being played around last week's trouble in East Belfast.

Comment continues in the background on the Stevens report. Ruth Dudley Edwards worries about motives behind the pre-mature leak. Kevin Myer speculates that England and the Republic are getting closer.

Despite their exit of the World Cup, apparently Ireland still kicks ass! Was there a great dilemma for northern Loyalists in feeling support for the 'great divil of Rome' to the south of them? Not so in Derry though!