Welcome to The Village Oak Tree for Nov. 29th, 2023
Here I am, your favorite scéalaí back again with another episode. Come sit with me under The Village Oak Tree with a cuppa of something hot as I regale you with bits of news from around the world, and a spotlight on something that I hope will get your attention.
This show is free to subscribe to on all of the major podcast apps, including Substack and Youtube with a donation tab at the end of this newsletter, on The Village Oak Tree webpage at rss.com and my website at www.crann-na-beatha.com for anyone that feels generous enough to support my work. Think of it as passing the hat at the end of my visit.
If you like what I have to say here, please share this podcast with everyone you know as much as possible before it gets too late. My motive is not for money, although I won’t turn it away. I want to make a difference in the world and I can’t do it without your help.
Coming up in the second half, more on the war in Gaza, now after the ceasefire. There is a whole lot more going on away from the spotlight of ‘the moonscape’, as one journalist put it, of Gaza, so stay tuned.
I invite you to listen to the show this week as I delve into quite a lot of things going on that I won’t copy and paste in the newsletter.
And now, this weeks news stories:
Finland to close all but northernmost border crossing with Russia
By Essi Lehto in Reuters
Estonia accuses Russia of weaponising immigration at Europe’s borders
Arrival of hundreds of people at Finnish and Estonian borders claimed to be ‘fully state-orchestrated’ operation
By Miranda Bryant in Stockholm in The Guardian
The EU Overhauls Its Law Covering Environmental Crimes, Banning Specific Acts and Increasing Penalties
The European Parliament is expected to approve the new directive early next year. It’s not clear whether the emission of greenhouse gasses at certain levels could constitute crimes.
By Katie Surma In Inside Climate News
Almost 400,000 deaths in Europe in 2021 attributable to filthy air -EU report
Reuters
Revealed: Saudi Arabia’s grand plan to ‘hook’ poor countries on oil
Climate scientists say fossil fuel use needs to fall rapidly – but oil-rich kingdom is working to drive up demand
By Damian Carrington in The Guardian
Toxic gas putting millions at risk in Middle East, BBC finds
By Owen Pinnell and Sarah Ibrahim in The BBC
Some migrants are swapping their American dream for a Mexican one
By Laura Gottesdiener and Daina Beth Solomon in Reuters
Former soldiers say they fear Iraqi trainees committed war crimes with allies' weapons
Speaking publicly for the first time, military whistleblower says Canadian commanders were warned
Murray Brewster · CBC News
Israel-Lebanon border: The Irish troops watching Israel’s hidden conflict
By Nafiseh Kohnavard in The BBC
‘Remember who we are’: riots, race, and the end of the ‘Irish welcome’
By Rory Carroll and Lisa O'Carroll in The Guardian
Russia vows retaliation over Moldova decision to join EU sanctions
Reuters
Largest First Nation in B.C. votes to take authority over child and family services for its members
Cowichan Tribes calls decision a 'defining moment' for children and self-determination
The Canadian Press
Idaho asks US Supreme Court to allow near-total abortion ban
By John Kruzel in Reuters
‘Archaic’: the Tennessee town that made homosexuality illegal
Republican lawmakers in the US are leaning into outdated definitions of obscenity to outlaw drag and ban books too
By Ava Sasani in The Guardian
Millions of U.S. apples were almost left to rot. Now, they'll go to hungry families
By Alan Jinich on NPR's All Things Considered radio segment.
Cross-country skier's private parts freeze in sub-zero Finland event
Reuters
That is all of the stories I have for the first half of the show. This is where I normally insert my commercial for my website so listeners can find out a little about what I am about and some other items of interest.
Welcome back to the second half of The Village Oak Tree.
I have decided that I will keep summarizing my editorial for the brevity of this newsletter. You have two choices. The easiest is listen to the podcast with the link in this newsletter. I will also post the complete editorial in the blog section of my website a little later tonight or tomorrow for interested readers.
Meanwhile, my piece today is more about Gaza and Palestine again. This week, the focus on media censorship, U.S. hypocritical support of Israel while pleading for the ceasefire and exchange of hostages, a.k.a. kidnapped Israelis and Palestinian prisoners.
I have several articles that I reference for what I have to say, which I will list here for you to read.
Three Palestinian students shot in Vermont, families demand hate crime probe
By Gabriella Borter in Reuters
Biden seeks to expand Israeli access to US weapons stockpile
If White House request granted, it would enable Israel to access US weapons with less congressional oversight.
In Al Jazeera
Israeli forces carry out deadly raids in the West Bank amid Gaza truce
Five Palestinians were shot dead in Jenin, while three others were killed elsewhere in the occupied West Bank on Sunday.
In Al Jazeeera
Israeli settlers steal Palestinian farmers’ land in occupied West Bank
Emboldened by curfews and raids on Palestinians, illegal settlers have stepped up violence and property theft.
By Synnes Furnes Bjerkstrand in Al Jazeeera
Trudeau offended Israel with call for 'maximum restraint,' says Israeli president
Isaac Herzog says his country cares about civilians in Gaza but is fighting an 'empire of evil'
Peter Zimonjic · CBC News
The war in Gaza has been an intense lesson in western hypocrisy. It won’t be forgotten
Nesrine Malik in The Guardian
I talk about the back door deals likely being made right now with the Israelis to try and get them to back off, and how afraid a lot of developing nations are afraid of the United States, for good reason.
I mention some of the political wheeling and dealing going on with the Chinese and how, in my humble opinion, the U.S. needs to stand down and spend some of that military largesse on infrastructure and renewable energy projects at home.
The U.S. has way too many hungry and homeless people now for them to be spending billions sucking up to the Israelis and the Arab nations. Unless there is a butt load of money to be made that the American citizens will never see a dime of.
That is all I have today. I hope I have given everyone something to think about as you finish out your work week.
Stay safe, stay informed to best protect yourself and your families because the governments certainly do not have your best interests in mind anymore.
T. Ó Domhnaill — Gaelic Seanchaí
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