The deportees back on Irish soil

Today family, friends and supporters welcomed home the five Irish MV Rachel Corrie passengers who were this morning deported from Israel. The five – Denis Halliday, Mairead Maguire, Fiona Thompson, Derek Graham and Jenny Graham – were greeted in Dublin airport by cheers and hugs from the assembled crowd who were there to salute their bravery, as well as a large media presence.

Related Links: At Least 9 Internationals Killed As Israel Attacks And Hijacks Gaza Flotilla In International Waters
Israel to deport all 680 Flotilla passengers - Irishman reported 'roughed up' by interrogators
Gaza Flotilla: Press Conference with Shane Dillon today at 2pm, Central Hotel, Dublin
Freedom Flotilla: Irish on the way home (via Istanbul) / Audio of Shane Dillon / Dublin Demo on Sat
Freedom Flotilla: Fintan Lane speaks of his harrowing experience
Full Steam Ahead for MV Rachel Corriie
MV Rachel Corrie 80 Miles from Gaza
MV Rachel Corrie Boarded by Israeli Forces
Following Flotilla Massacre, Repression Continues Apace in the West Bank

At least 9 international human rights activists may have been killed and dozens more injured after Israeli commandos attacked the unarmed Gaza Freedom Flotilla early this morning in international waters, according to reports from the flotilla organisers, while Israeli military sources confirmed at least 9 dead. This attack is a clear breach of international law.

Related Links:
youtube footage from RT | BBC news | Times report | Cowen condems attack (independent) | Al Jazeera report
Earlier reports as story broke-
Israeli War Ships approaching Freedom Flotilla to Gaza in international Waters | Israeli warships harass Gaza Flotilla in International Waters | Israel forces attack Freedom Gaza flotilla - Activists critically injured
Previous related reports- Gaza Freedom Flotilla in final stages of trip | Waterford IPSC Thanks Local Builders, Trade Unionists, Individuals Who Donated To Gaza Aid Flotilla | Israel continues to threaten Flotilla despite Irish TDs promise to deliver letter to Shalit | Freedom Flotilla of Aid expected to reach Gaza within 48 hours despite threats from the Israeli Navy
Take action:
Express your disgust at Israel's behaviour to your TD here..
Protests on Monday 31st May 2010 in reaction to massacre-
Protest in Cork today at Israeli massacre
Belfast Protest in solidarity with the Freedom Flotilla
Galway demo at M&S
Ramallah Protest Against Massacre of Human Rights Activists in Gaza Freedom Flotilla
Update (Monday 31st 17:48) -
3 Irish safe after Israeli assault on Freedom Flotilla – 2 refuse deportation, still in detention

Two thousand took to the street to protest at the bank bailout.

Anger at the devastation of Ireland in the name of bailing out the Banks was articulated at the Right To Work Campaign protest at the Dail.

This is a short video from when the first forty or so went to the gates to be joined shortly by hundreds more.

In January 2009 Independent Newspapers, in the face of mounting criticism of its commercial exploitation of children, withdrew its 'Building for the future campaign.

Related Links:
Victory for Schools as Irish Independent Scraps Voucher Scheme | 50 Primary Principals speak out against Independent Newspapers’ “Building for the Future” promotion | Call for Students to Boycott A.I.B. School Bank | Schools Out! Stop the Commercialisation of Education | Against Supevalu's Kids in Action Voucher Scheme | Against Commercialism in Irish Education | INTO Calls for End to Commercial Exploitation of School Children

Education Articles on Indymedia.ie

Obama - Hope, No!

A critique of the Obama Presidency from taking office in January of this year to now.

Criticism of the Obama Administration in the United States (and around the world) is more noticeable as is the slide in the opinion polls for the young president. This may seem predictable given the unrealistic levels of global expectation that accompanied him as he swept into the Oval office with the words ‘hope and change’ ringing around America. However, just over nine months on, commentators and supporters alike are disappointed at Obama’s apparent inability to deliver on his campaign promises. The polemicist, Gore Vidal, in several recent interviews went as far as to say that Obama will be a ‘one term President’ who is ‘completely overwhelmed’ by the challenges that confront him.

This unease and anger seem to galvanise after the Administration’s decision to bailout the major US banks and financial institutions in the form of a ‘stimulus’ package, which is pushing close to $1 trillion dollars. The Nobel Prize winning economist, Professor Joseph Stiglitz, commented on RTE’s Primetime programme that this amounted to a massive “theft of the American taxpayer”. The ill feeling surrounding this package intensified when it was revealed that part of this enormous sum of money was used to pay the annual bonuses of senior banking executives who had largely caused the crisis. This was against a backdrop of economic decline with millions of Americans losing their jobs, millions more facing home foreclosure while the dispossessed are filling the growing number of tent cities which are becoming an increasing feature on the outskirts of major American cities.