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Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Letters to the Editor: Marches show Palestinians that we have not forgotten them
The marches for peace may seem pointless to some observers, but they show the people of Gaza they are not forgotten and to put moral pressure on governments to help end the out-of-control war by Israel's forces on a defenceless 2.2m population; the key word here is 'defenceless'. And it's fewer than 2.2m Palestinians now as no one can say for sure how many unarmed civilians have been killed by Israel's missiles, drone bombs, tank rocket fire, and shootings by Israel's military. The current estimate is 55,000 people dead with far more injured, some with limbs amputated. Many are homeless and many lie dead under bombed buildings. On May 29, volunteers near the Houses of Parliament in Westminster read out names of 16,000 children killed in the war in Gaza. It took 18 hours — 300 names were read out by each volunteer. It was to also highlight the starving children and the indiscriminate bombing in Gaza. On June 7, 300,000 people marched in Rome. They believe Italy's government has also been silent on the war in Gaza. One of their banners read: 'Stop the massacre, stop complicity.' On June 15, The Hague in the Netherlands saw a march of 150,000 people; 100,000 people marched in Brussels, Belgium. The EU is not united in taking action against Israel's horror war in Gaza. EU countries such as Ireland, Norway, and Spain speak out independently. The founders of the ECSC in 1951, later renamed the EEC and then the EU in 1993 worked for economic co-operation for peace in Europe after the Second World War. They are long gone but I hope they would want the EU to be a strong voice for a tormented population in Gaza from a war aimed now very much to possibly push them out of Gaza where they have lived legally for generations, recognised by the UN, and is their home. We hope Hamas will return the remaining hostages taken from Israel in October 2023, some of them are dead, to their families. Hamas needs to show humanity too. On June 17, King Abdullah II of Jordan said of Gaza to the European Parliament: 'If our global community fails to act decisively, we become complicit in rewriting what it means to be human.' Mary Sullivan, College Rd, Cork Parking at Páirc Uí Caoimh Cars, cars, and more cars — yet still no bicycle parking. After years of planning conditions, countless requests, petitions, and patient waiting, it is astonishing that Páirc Uí Chaoimh remains utterly devoid of dedicated spaces for bicycles. Meanwhile, efforts to accommodate motor vehicles continue unchallenged. During a recent visit to a football match with the stadium only half filled, I saw hundreds of bicycles chained to fences, railings, and anything remotely secure. This wasn't an isolated scene — it was a clear sign of public demand. People of all ages want to cycle to the grounds, but the infrastructure simply isn't there to support it. Why does the board and stadium management persist in ignoring this? The appetite for sustainable travel is real. It's time the powers that be took action. Harry Murphy, Blackrock Rd, Cork Unfair taxation The State taxes persons and companies to raise the funds to pay for the services it supplies for the benefit of everyone. Ideally, the proportion of tax on persons and on businesses is fair and balanced. But when large corporations or vested interests lobby the government and get special contracts, or favourable grants or special deals, it's the shareholders, company directors, and princes of industry who reap the benefits in the excess profits that are made by those companies and shareholders. But those grants, special deals and favourable terms must be paid for from somewhere. That somewhere is increased taxes on, you guessed it, Joe and Mary Taxpayer. So the system is designed (rigged) to enrich the already rich at the expense of the poor and ordinary Joe and Mary who suffer on with fewer services, fewer opportunities, and more struggles against systems that don't work for them. The social contract whereby the State guarantees equal opportunity for all and a fair sharing out of the State's resources and services is broken, evidenced by the lack of adequate housing, healthcare, education, recreation, and other services. Joe and Mary get the opportunity to change the system every five years. Use it. Kevin T Finn, Mitchelstown, Co Cork Shame on the West I watched Gaza: Doctors Under Attack, the BBC commissioned but never shown documentary that Channel 4 more bravely broadcast last week. It is hard to understand why the BBC didn't broadcast it. It is beyond inexplicable to me and countless millions of ordinary people of goodwill globally how Netanyahu's regime is quite literally getting away with murder on a large scale in full view of the world. But we have known from quite early on after the terrible massacre of October 7, 2023, that Israel's vengeance against innocent Gazans, including humanitarian workers, would be massively disproportionate and sanctioned by the global powers. We cannot claim ignorance. It is even more incredible to those of us horrified by the plight of the Gazans that, with a few exceptions including Ireland, leaders and governments of the so called advanced nations are doing absolutely nothing to stop the suffering of the Palestinians of Gaza and the West Bank, and in many instances are actively supporting Israel militarily and morally. There is a strong sense that governments are not properly reflecting the humanitarian concerns of their voters for Gazan suffering, in the US, in Britain, and across the EU. The Middle East is on the doorstep of Europe and as the US is currently a political basket case it is even more incumbent on Europe to rigorously respond to the overwhelming humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza. And yet Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas have disgracefully had no problem on several occasions in beating a wimpish path to the Israelis without a mandate from the democratic structures of the EU, and yet only feel able to offer tepid statements of how 'abhorrent and unbearable' the humanitarian suffering in Gaza is without actually condemning the perpetrators of this suffering — the Netanyahu regime. This is so ineffectual and so shameful. Why are officially designated international hospital ships not lining up in the Mediterranean to offer humanitarian and medical aid to the decimated people of Gaza and why is Israel not being forced to back down by the use of diplomatic strong arm methods? Shame shame on the 'civilised' Western powers. Cynthia Carroll, Newport, Co Tipperary Br Kevin Crowley Ireland is a much poorer place following the death of Brother Kevin Crowley. A gentle gentleman who practised what he preached, but was never preachy. Those who queued outside his soup kitchen were fed, regardless of their age, religion, or colour. I hope there is a special place in the hereafter for special souls like him. Next time I am asked what is 'Irishness', I'll just refer them to the life of Br Kevin — RIP. Seán Kelly, Tramore, Co Waterford Sinister removal of President's portrait The removal of a portrait of President Michael D Higgins from Belfast City Hall by Tracy Kelly, the DUP lord mayor, just days before the annual 'Eleventh Night' bonfires, is a sinister development. As we approach the Orange Order marching season and bonfires which are an integral part of loyalist culture, nationalist society is forced to endure the sectarian burning of Irish flags and posters of nationalist political representatives. Many of these bonfires contain vast imitation funeral pyres adorned with nationalist and republican effigies of people who were voted for, in the main, by Catholics. We are told that these bonfires are inclusive celebrations of loyalist culture where everyone is welcome and respected. This 'respect' does not appear to include the thousands who vote for the politicians whose images, names, and symbols are consumed in numerous celebratory conflagrations. It would be most regrettable if images of President Higgins were to adorn these bonfires as a result of the decision to remove his portrait. Were Jewish, Muslim, or black people's representatives so depicted, it would rightfully be called racist. Why is it acceptable for nationalist representatives to be so depicted? In the context of an explicitly Protestant celebration it is sectarian. Incredibly, many grand officers of the Orange Order are also Church of Ireland ministers. If the Orange Order and the Church of Ireland cannot come out and account for itself, are there ordinary members not afraid to openly protest this cancerous scandal? Tom Cooper, Pearse St, Dublin 2
Irish Independent
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Letters: Hundreds of thousands speak up for voiceless in Gaza, but EU can do more
No one can say for sure how many unarmed civilians have been killed by Israel's missiles, drone bombs, tank shells and shootings. The current estimate is at least 55,000 people dead. Many more have been maimed and left homeless. There are also many dead under bombed buildings. On May 29, volunteers near the Palace of Westminster read out the names of 16,000 children killed in the war in Gaza. It took 18 hours. It was to also highlight the starvation of Palestinian children and the indiscriminate bombing in Gaza. On June 7, around 300,000 people marched in Rome. They believe Italy's government has been too silent on the war in Gaza. One of their banners read: 'Stop the massacre, stop complicity.' On June 15, about 150,000 people marched in The Hague. Meanwhile, 100,000 people marched in Brussels. The EU is not united in taking action against Israel's horrific war in Gaza. EU countries including Ireland and Spain speak out independently. So does Norway. The founders of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which came into being in 1951 and evolved into the EU, worked for economic co-operation for peace in Europe. They are long gone, but I hope they would want the EU to be a strong voice for a tormented population in Gaza. The war is aimed very much at them, possibly to push them out of Gaza where they have lived legally for generations, as recognised by the UN. I hope Hamas will return the remaining Israeli hostages. It needs to show humanity too. ADVERTISEMENT Mary Sullivan, College Road, Cork Complex history of Israel's war in Palestine goes back a lot farther than 1948 Your editorial of July 1 ('Netanyahu must be stopped, and only the US has the power to do it'); Sam Kiley's comment piece ('Trump isn't the guide out of horror landscape that Palestinians and Israelis so desperately need', July 3); and Raymond Deane's letter ('Peace does indeed need two sides to make it work, so why let Israel off the hook?', July 3) all illustrate clearly the frustration of people all over the world at the atrocious and by now undeniable genocidal attacks on innocent Palestinians, our fellow human beings. Mr Deane, like many, thinks the Israel war on Palestine began in 1948. In 1960, Jamal Nasir (1922-2014), a former justice minister and acting foreign minister of Jordan, published The Embittered Arab: The Bitter Story of the Holy Land. In it, he stated that the war began in 1920. This book details historical events in Palestine, from the Sykes-Picot Agreement to the aftermath of World War II (the British-Palestine Mandate) and the UN Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The only respite from violence in Palestine was from 1939 to 1945, because of Arab support for the Allies. Chapter five in the book finishes with Dr Nasir's warning: 'Public opinion in the world should realise that Israel is marching with dreadful certainty to a clash over her determination to embezzle and to encroach on Arab territory and rights in the Middle East, which is more likely, than any other single event, to precipitate a Third World War.' I sincerely hope this is not a prescient warning. Declan Foley, Melbourne, Australia Jews were expelled from Arab countries en masse over two millennia ago The history of Israel did not begin in 1948. The Jews were twice expelled from their lands over time, in 586BC by the Babylonian empire and in 70AD by the Romans. They spread throughout the Middle East and Europe. Over 950,000 Jews were expelled by the Arab countries between 1925 and 1950, when 70pc of Jews returned to Israel. Let's not forget the Hebron Massacre in 1929 when 69 Jews were slain by Arabs. The history of this complicated conflict between Arabs and Jews started long before 1948, but it suits some to suggest otherwise. Anthony Costello, Galway Kneecap failed to see that profanity can be a useful tool when used sparingly Mary Kenny is right to argue that swearing, when used sparingly, can carry weight ('Swear words can signal lack of respect, but foul language sometimes has its uses', July 3). I've always found that when someone who never curses suddenly does, it makes me focus. The word lands differently. It means something. That's precisely why I found the Kneecap Glastonbury performance so off-putting – it was not the sentiment, but the sheer volume of profanity. It was gratuitous, repetitive and ultimately dull. It reminded me of Madonna on the Letterman show in the 1990s, when she used the F-word 13 times in a single interview. Swearing may have its place, but like most things in life, less is more. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh A memorable seven-day forecast on dreary Ireland from a sorrowful mother Reading Ian O'Doherty ('Welcome to the Irish summer, when the showers of rain become slightly warmer', July 2) reminded me of a story from many years ago. It goes as follows. A young man, an only son, emigrated to America, leaving behind his sorrowful mother, who had been recently widowed. His mother, in a letter to her son, said the weather hadn't been too bad in recent times. It had only rained twice last week, once for three days, and then for four days. In his return letter to his mother, the emigrant son replied that she was very lucky indeed that it hadn't poured rain for the whole week. Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo Reeves's tears are reminder of Thatcher's comment on politics lacking sympathy There is much we still don't know or understand about what happened in Westminster on Wednesday, when UK chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves was in tears beside prime minister Keir Starmer. I am reminded of the words of former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher: 'There are no personal sympathies in politics.'
Euronews
12-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Von der Leyen, Costa and Mesola took private jet to Luxembourg event
Ursula von der Leyen, António Costa and Roberta Metsola flew together on a private plane from Brussels to attend an event in Luxembourg last week, an extraordinary, high-cost decision made due to scheduling constraints between the three presidents, a spokesperson for the Commission said today. The trio were expected to appear jointly in the city to commemorate Europe Day. The trip took place on Friday and saw the presidents of the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament visit the Robert Schuman house, accompanied by Luxembourgish Prime Minister Luc Frieden. The rationale for flying rather than driving to Luxembourg - roughly 200 km from Brussels - was mainly prompted by the appearance of Friedrich Merz, the new Chancellor of Germany, in the Belgian capital. Merz chose Europe Day to make his first visit to Brussels since taking office. He met separately with Costa, von der Leyen and Metsola, in that order, and held press conferences with Costa and von der Leyen, taking questions from journalists. The bilateral meetings stretched over the entire morning, leaving the three presidents with an extremely tight itinerary to move to Luxembourg City and attend the commemorative event, pencilled for early afternoon, at the same time. The teams in Brussels then chose to ditch the car option and resort to air charter, the costs of which were shared among the three institutions. "Due to the scheduling constraints of the three presidents and the prime minister, the only travelling option to allow all of them to attend the commemoration of the Schuman Declaration together and on time was to take a charter flight," Paula Pinho, the Commission's chief spokesperson, said on Monday. "This is the reason why, exceptionally, this was the option taken to get there." The offices of Costa and Metsola voiced a similar message. The event in Luxembourg, hosted at the prime minister's invitation to mark the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, started in the early afternoon and lasted about two hours. The four leaders visited the house where Robert Schuman, the French politician who delivered the declaration on 9 May 1950, grew up. Schuman's proposal to create a new authority to manage the production of coal and steel from France and West Germany paved the way for the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and kick-started the project of European integration. Luxembourg was one of the six founding members of the ECSC and served as host of the independent High Authority, the precursor of the European Commission. During Friday's trip, the four leaders also visited the old seat of the High Authority. Once the event was over, von der Leyen and Costa returned to Brussels using the rented plane while Metsola and her team flew commercial to Cyprus. Although air flights are frequent for long-distance travel, using the same option for such a short-distance trip is likely to raise eyebrows, given the EU's commitment to sustainability and the pressure from member states to control expenses.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The birth of the EU: Europe celebrates 75th anniversary of the Schuman declaration
9 May 2025 marked the 75th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration, the proposal by French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman (1886-1963) to pool the production of coal and steel – vital raw materials for Europe's industry and economy – with Germany. This was done through the Economic Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), and though they did not know it at the time, the creation of this market planted the seeds that would eventually grow into the European Union (EU). Given the current climate of economic turmoil, this may seem an inopportune moment to remember such an anniversary. However, our current geopolitical scenario makes it all the more important to remember the enormous significance of the integration process sparked by the Schuman Declaration, both for Europeans and for the world at large. Leer más: The ECSC's proposal marked a major step towards reconciliation for France and Germany, two enemies who had been at war three times between 1870 and 1945: the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), the First World War (1914-1918) and the Second World War (1939-1945). It was time to pursue lasting peace between these historically bitter rivals, one based on economic ties and mutual interest. It worked, so much so that the ECSC became the starting point for the 'Franco-German axis' that still underpins European cooperation to this day. Indeed, when he received the new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the Elysée Palace on 7 May 2025, French President Emmanuel Macron made reference to the Franco-German 'réflexe' – the natural instinct for the two countries to cooperate. Moreover, the seed planted by the Schuman Declaration bore fruit in the form of a long period of peace in Western Europe – there has never been war between EU member states. This is an unquestionably huge achievement for a territory that had been in an almost permanent state of war since the fall of the Roman Empire. After this start, France and Germany invited the other democratic countries of Western Europe to join their project. Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg accepted, and the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) would form the next step in shaping today's European Union. In 1953, three years after the Schuman Declaration, Europe's nations sought to strengthen their economic and trade agreement with a political and institutional foundation. To this end, they considered creating the European Defence Community. However, the treaty drafted by Alcide De Gasperi, who served as Italian Prime Minister from 1945 to 1953, was rejected by the French National Assembly (even though it had been originally suggested by the French). The impetus for a common defence came from the existential threat that the Soviet Union posed to European security. Today history is repeating itself, as Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine is fuelling the need for Europe to mount a common defence. The difference now is that EU member states have decades of experience in cooperating with one another – the decision by European leaders to use EU funds to finance common defence-related projects is proof of this. Without the creation of the ECSC, and all it stood for, such an agreement would be unthinkable. Leer más: From the outset, the ECSC was a project of European cooperation. This cooperation was openly promoted and supported by the United States through the Marshall Plan and the Organisation for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC), known today as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This economic cooperation, which eventually took the form of the EMU, made it possible to put an end to the market fragmentation that had been so damaging to Europe after the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As early as 1926, the Austrian politician and Count Richard von Coundenhove-Kalergi was asking the question 'how can European companies compete with American ones if they operate in a market divided into sealed-off compartments, as opposed to the large single market in which their American rivals operate?' Thanks to the process of economic integration launched by the Schuman Declaration, this disadvantage has been significantly reduced. European companies owe much of their competitiveness to the continental base that the EMU has provided. Moreover, having achieved such integration may now give Europeans – if they are able to speak as one – the ability to negotiate in the multipolar world of economic and political giants that is currently taking shape. None of this would have been possible if Jean Monnet, then Planning Commissioner in the French Government, had not proposed the idea of creating the ECSC to Minister Robert Schuman, and if Schuman had not had the vision, and the boldness, to present it in the form of the Schuman Declaration. As Europeans we owe our present, and quite possibly our future, to this decision. Este artículo fue publicado originalmente en The Conversation, un sitio de noticias sin fines de lucro dedicado a compartir ideas de expertos académicos. Lee mas: Europe is moving to reposition itself in Donald Trump's new global order The EU was built for another age – here's how it must adapt to survive Germany's new government wants to be a foreign policy power Emilio José González González no recibe salario, ni ejerce labores de consultoría, ni posee acciones, ni recibe financiación de ninguna compañía u organización que pueda obtener beneficio de este artículo, y ha declarado carecer de vínculos relevantes más allá del cargo académico citado.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Virginia Beach to vote on revised budget that scraps boat tax for annual fee Tuesday
VIRGINIA BEACH — An armada of mariners spoke out against a hefty boat tax in Virginia Beach this budget season leading the City Council to retract the proposal. Instead, council members have informally agreed to charge boat owners an annual licensing fee. Multiple other changes have been incorporated into the proposed fiscal year 2025-26 budget during a last-minute process called reconciliation. Funding redirected from other parts of the budget, as well as increases in the estimated reimbursements from state revenue, will cover most of the changes, according to city Budget Director Kevin Chatellier. The city's total proposed operating budget remains at $2.8 billion, a 4.7% increase over the previous year. The Capital Improvement Program budget, a six-year plan, is $5.6 billion. The City Council will vote on the budget Tuesday. Some of the last minute changes and additions include: A pleasure boat annual registration fee will be charged in 2026. The fee will be tiered based on size of the vessel and will range from $20 to $500. The revenue generated will be applied to future dredging needs. Rudee Park development funding will be reduced by $10 million, bringing the total budgeted cost of the project to $50 million. The reduction aims to preserve bonding capacity in the Tourism Investment Program Fund for future needs. The economic development department will be provided an increase of $250,000 to facilitate a Façade Improvement Grant program specifically for business along Atlantic Avenue. The East Coast Surfing Championship (ECSC) will receive an additional $75,000, bringing the total city support up to $100,000 for the event. The Neptune Festival will receive an additional $50,000, for a total of $525,000. A controversial tax increase — upping the city meals tax by half a percentage point to 6% — will likely remain in the budget, despite some council members pushing back against it. The increase is projected to generate more than $9 million annually, which will be dedicated to public safety projects and judicial administration, according to the reconciliation document. Dozens of other reconciled changes can be viewed on the city's online budget page at Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125,
