Tue 27 Jun, 01:08

Britain: Grenfell Tower fire – Whole Establishment exposed 23:22 Sun 25 Jun by Socialist Party Reporter 0 comments

Reproduced from the editorial of “The Socialist”, newspaper of the Socialist Party in England and Wales

As more details emerge and the death toll rises, it becomes clearer and clearer what a terrible disaster this is. The fire spread with horrifying speed and witnesses describe heart-breaking scenes as people desperately tried to escape.

It is a huge tragedy for the immediate community. Children have died; three generations of the same family have died. But rather than being torn apart, the community has come together in a remarkable display of human solidarity, supporting each other, collecting donations of goods and money, organising emergency accommodation, coordinating relief.

The heroism, the courage, the self-sacrifice of the emergency services and of local residents is incredible. Who can fail to be moved by the scenes of the firefighters being applauded as they drove away from the scene?

And there has naturally been a much wider outpouring of sympathy with the residents and families affected, with overwhelming donations of money, clothes, bedding, toys, nappies, etc. The true face of humanity has been shown in this solidarity.

Cizre, Northern Kurdistan… After Tragedy – Farce… 19:46 Fri 16 Jun by séamas carraher 0 comments

June, 2017: Firat News Agency (Ajansa Nûçeyan a Firatê) covered one of the first legal cases to result from the Turkish military’s sieges of Kurdish Cizre in September 2015 and December 2015-February 2016.

Turkey Jails HDP MP Figen Yüksekdağ - AGAIN... 12:47 Thu 15 Jun by séamas carraher 0 comments

Figen Yüksekdağ, recently replaced co-chairperson of the Turkish HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party), whose 10 month prison sentence for “spreading terror propaganda” was approved by the Supreme Court of Appeals on September 22, 2016 has now (6 June 2017) been given another 14 months in prison for a 2015 interview with German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle where she made the statement that the “PKK is a people’s liberation movement."

Colm and Dave face Jury Trial 15:44 Wed 14 Jun by Court Reporters 1 comments

On 24 May 2017, two peace activists Dave Donnellan and Colm Roddy were sent for jury trial because the District Court judge finally refused to accept jurisdiction. The judge said the alleged criminal damage newly set at €3,500 was so large as to make it a serious charge.

Towards a Plastic Pollution Revolution in Ireland 23:49 Tue 13 Jun by 1 of indy 0 comments

Originally appeared on June 8th
Today marks World Ocean Day 2017, a global day of celebration honouring the world’s oceans and an opportunity to appreciate, conserve and protect our marine life and habitats.

This year’s conservation focus is on preventing plastic pollution and marine litter, encouraging solutions for healthier seas.

And rightly so. A widely cited study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation for the World Economic Forum warns that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

A separate report in the journal Science estimates that 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans each year – the equivalent of one truckload per minute. One researcher for the study likens this amount to lining up 5 grocery bags of rubbish on every foot of coastline around the globe.

The Struggle for Peace in Northern Kurdistan… 12:38 Tue 13 Jun by séamas carraher 0 comments

A number of voices, it appears, are now attempting to navigate the stormy and dangerous waters of ‘public opinion’ in Turkey in an attempt to invest energy in a renewed peace initiative since the collapse of the original Solution Process in July 2015, followed by the war that has displaced over half a million Kurds from their towns and cities...

TURKEY: More Walls…Less Peace 19:35 Wed 07 Jun by séamas carraher 0 comments

“Build that wall. BUILD THAT WALL! Build that wall!” Donald John Trump chants after Major Endorsement, Anaheim, CA.

IRELAND: New Head Arrives - Same Old Reactionary Politics? 17:46 Sun 04 Jun by séamas carraher 0 comments

As minister-for-poverty in one of the richest countries in the World (or at least one of the most indebted) Minister Varadkar achieved fame in the run up to the Leadership context with his April 2017 Campaign against welfare recipients and the unemployed: ‘Welfare cheats cheat us all“.

PHILIPPINES: Martial Law is Not the Answer! 08:22 Tue 30 May by various groups 0 comments

Statements on the imposition of martial law in Mindanao

IRELAND: New Head on the Way - Same Poison Afflicts the Body 18:02 Sun 28 May by séamas carraher 0 comments

“It is a hate campaign. Never was there a campaign like it coming after a period of austerity.”
— Bernadette Gorman, former social welfare inspector, (Irish Times, May 2017)

A new homeless Initiative by FNB. Jun 22 by Bernie Wright 2 comments

Food Not Bombs recovers and shares free vegan food with the public without restriction in over 1,000 cities around the world to protest war, poverty and the destruction of the environment.
Each group is independent and invites everyone to participate in making decisions for their local chapter using the consensus process.

Food Not Bombs is dedicated to taking nonviolent direct action to change society so no one is forced to stand in line to eat at a soup kitchen expressing a commitment to the fact that food is a right and not a privilege. With over a billion people going hungry each day how can we spend money on weapons or war.

A new initiative has been started in Dublin. we appeal for volunteers.

Fruitarianism: Healthy or Hazardous? Jun 21 by Paula 0 comments

We all know that fruit is good for us. Recent studies suggest we should be eating up to ten portions of fruit and veg each day. But how much is too much?

The Large Corbyn Labour Vote shows Socialist Polices resonate with the Masses Jun 12 by T 0 comments

The large vote for Corbyn's Labour socialist type policies shows that moving to the Left rather than the centre resonates with the masses and shows that things like issues of health, education and jobs are core issues and perhaps shows a sign that a certain section of the population is beginning to notice that practically every political party is infested with banking and corporate favoured policies and shrills and technocrats working on their behalf while the population is being relentlessly screwed by austerity.

The Moorish rule in Spain/How the Moors brought civilization to Europe May 14 by Astrid Essed 4 comments

This article is written as a counterweight against 21th Islamophobia,
since few people realize, how much the European civilization owes
the Moorish rule in Medieval Spain. Without this rule, there probably
should have been no Renaissance, also sciences as Algebra, chemistry,
astronomy etc derived from the Arab [Greek] civilization. You know
a Medieval English King nearly converted to Islam? Read further

Irish Courts - ‘Statutory Independence’ or a Licence to Lie? May 01 by 1 of indy 0 comments

This is opinion & analysis piece comes from Integrity Ireland who are attempting to fight corruption in the legal system and face an uphill struggle in their task and this piece illustrates well what they are up against.
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Well, it has been an interesting few weeks again, with reports of increasingly odd and bizarre ‘developments’ – especially regarding decisions being made by Gardaí, by Courts Service Staff and by senior personnel at the DPP’s Office.

Munitions of War applications processed by DTTAS: 1 Jan 2017 to 31 May 2017 inclusive Jun 25 ShannonWatch 0 comments

In reply to a parliamentary question from Clare Daly TD, the Minister for Transport Shane Ross TD provided details of permits granted to take munitions fo war through Irish airports and airspace over the period 1 Jan 2017 to 31 May 2017.

PEOPLE’S NEWS -Issue No. 169 - 11th June 2017 - The Rapid Development of the EU Army Jun 23 People's Movement 0 comments

This issue of People’s News This issue of People’s News has an unusual number of articles on military matters, and regular readers will have noticed that over the past few months these types of articles have steadily increased in number. This reflects the alarmingly rapid development of an EU army and its support mechanisms. It is a development about which there is very little awareness in Ireland, and one that may have serious implications for us all.

Waste Reduction Bill 2017 – needs all our support Jun 23 Zero Waste Alliance Ireland 0 comments

We are delighted to see the Green Party launch their Waste Reduction Bill 2017. The Bill calls for much needed practical steps to combat plastic pollution. A deposit refund scheme is outlined for glass and plastic bottles and a complete ban sought on single use non-recyclable plastics, such as disposable cups.

We are aware more than most in Zero Waste Ireland that the issue of plastic pollution is a massive global challenge and a blight on our own country. According to the Green Party, every year, over 110 million tonnes of plastic is produced. Of this, up to 43% ends up in landfill.

Minister Urged To Support UN Ruling Suspending Work On New UK Nuclear Plant Jun 13 Friends of Irish Environment 0 comments

Minister Dennis Naughton, TD, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, has been urged to support a United Nations Convention’s ruling requiring suspension of work on the new Hinkley Point UK nuclear reactor until a transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment [EIA] is completed.

The first new nuclear station to be constructed in the UK since 1995, Hinkley C is a 3.2GW nuclear power plant composed of two reactors. The power plant will generate 7% of UK's electricity if constructed. The UK position is that “the likely impacts determined through a thorough EIA do not extend beyond the county of Somerset and the Severn Estuary”.

The Espoo Convention, signed by Ireland in 1991, requires that the opportunity for comment provided to the public of potentially affected Parties is ‘equivalent to that provided to the public of the Party of origin’.

End the charade of safety – 11 hospitalised in Poolbeg incinerator accident Jun 09 Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment. 0 comments

An accident has occurred at the Covanta operated Poolbeg incinerator last night (Wed 7 June) which resulted in the hospitalisation of 11 construction workers.

Reports indicate the cause of the incident was an uncontrolled cloud of lime released inside the flue gas treatment area, which breached a door seal and engulfed the workers, resulting in reports of breathing difficulties, feelings of nausea and blurred vision.

Lime, a highly alkaline, caustic and irritating material with potential to cause blindness and serious respiratory issues, is used in incinerators to ‘clean’ harmful compounds such as dioxins and furans from flue gasses.