#Politics

The Effects of the Arab Spring, Ten Years After it Began

By Ahmed Jouda

In late 2010, almost ten years ago, a Tunisian street vendor who went by the name of Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire as a response to state officials harassing him in an attempt to shut down his business with no valid reason. This hopeless act of one individual, set off a domino effect across the Middle East that consisted of fed up and oppressed youth taking on the streets.

The protests against government corruption started in Tunisia in December 2010, with the goal of reforming the political system headed at the time by Zine el-Abidine, who was in power for 23 years. This was the spark needed for a revolution that spread across North Africa and the Middle East. A combination of political subjugation and poor economies led to the spread of the protests to 19 out of the 22 Arab nations.

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#Science

UCD students and staff to launch Ireland’s first satellite

By Stephen Kisbey-Green - Co-Editor

The first satellite to be fully developed and built in Ireland is being developed by a group of students from University College Dublin’s (UCD’s) Schools of Physics and Mechanical and Materials Engineering, with the support of staff from both schools. The satellite is expected to be delivered to the European Space Agency (ESA) in early 2021.

Ireland’s first satellite to be fully developed, researched and built in the country is known as Educational Irish Research Satellite (EIRSAT-1), and it is funded by a combination of the ESA, the Irish Research Council, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, as well as support from UCD. The project started in 2016, when UCD put together a proposal to the ESA for their ‘Fly your Satellite!’ campaign.

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#Features #Opinion

#MeWho?: How the Coronavirus Pandemic Has Overshadowed Harvey Weinstein’s Conviction

By Amy Doolan

News of Harvey Weinstein’s conviction and sentencing has been overshadowed worldwide by the COVID-19 pandemic and hence his conviction will not have the profound impact on attitudes to sexual abuse and the #MeToo movement that was previously expected.

The Coronavirus pandemic has been dominating headlines worldwide now since February. Most news stories are somehow related to the current pandemic, whether it be the impact of COVID-19 on the economy or the GAA, and there is little media or public attention being given to any non-COVID related news. Many issues that were previously considered very important and warranted much attention are now on the back burner.

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#Features

UCD Purl Jam sharing the love during the pandemic

By Savannah Murray

University College Dublin’s (UCD’s) craft and creative group, UCD Purl Jam, have been making heartfelt gifts and face masks for patients in hospitals and other vulnerable groups in kind gesture. UCD Purl Jam have recently set up two separate campaigns in aid of the Covid-19 crisis.

The UCD group have previously advocated for humanitarian causes, such as their recent project surrounding Climate Change. Their newest projects however, focus on some of the most exposed groups throughout the crisis, those in nursing homes, direct provision  and patients hospitalised due to Covid-19. 

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