Greetings and welcome to this edition of our Student Hub newsletter. This week, we discuss how UCD students have set up a camp in support of Palestine at Belfield; Irish Eurovision competitor, Bambie Thug’s allegations of an Israeli broadcaster promoting violence against them; Modifications to Dublin’s hazardous intersections, where bicyclists currently share the road with general traffic, are on the cards. We delve into last week’s Trinity College protest, which marks a significant victory for student movements. We bring you news from the US – student protesters refuse to be silenced or intimidated. A guide to 12 new must-watch TV shows is also included. We also consider three major global challenges that could negatively impact Ireland.
UCD students have set a pro-Palestine camp at Belfield: This outdoor site was set up by the UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU) and the campus BDS (Boycott, Divest and Sanctions) group last Saturday evening, near the main lake of the south Dublin university.
Bambie Thug, Ireland’s Eurovision entrant, has criticised an Israeli broadcaster for ‘provoking violence’ against them. Ireland’s Taoiseach praised Bambie Thug’s “impressive” act after the artist secured the sixth place with 278 points in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest – the nation’s best performance in nearly a quarter of a century.
Improvements are on the horizon for Dublin’s perilous junctions, notorious for ‘forcing cyclists to coexist with general traffic’. In 2011, the Dublin Cycling Campaign flagged these junctions as the most unsafe for cyclists who lacked protective measures against vehicles, making them particularly susceptible to car, bus, or lorry accidents. Junctions account for one fourth of fatal cycling incidents. We ponder: Will modifications to traffic layout result in safer urban cycling?
News from the United States: The recent protests against Israel’s Gaza conflict at Columbia University have been escalating since last October. In my residential area in Harlem, the sound of sirens is blaring as police forces emerge in droves on the university ground. There’s been a noticeable rise in the administration’s response to each manifestation.
Meanwhile, looking at the television landscape: Viewers should take note of twelve enthralling new TV shows set to premiere tonight. Among these is a programme by Derek Mooney which delves into the existential climate crisis, and the awaited comeback of popular young miscreants Conor and Jock to our screens.
In other news, Ireland could face instability due to several global situations: Rising geopolitical unrest is predicted to characterise the remainder of the year. The ongoing disputes in Ukraine and the Middle East, combined with an active global election cycle, may result in unforeseen complications. There are three occurrences that pose a particularly destructive impact on Ireland.