US colonialism in Africa
The 19th and 20th century history of Africa is one of colonisation by Britain and European powers like France and Belgium. Much of this activity was about the extraction of resources such as gold and diamonds in states which have since gained independence. In the article below from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Matt Field describes how in the 21st century, America has become the new colonial power forming a “transactional” relationship with African states by offering health funding in return for data and minerals.
Community fight back against ICE
ICE, or the US Immigration Control and Enforcement agency, has been a significant part of Trump’s second-term immigration policy. As of 2025, ICE had around 21,800 employees and with a budget of $9.13bn is one of the most lavishly funded federal agencies. The agency has been criticised for acting like an unaccountable paramilitary police force, with its agents infamously having killed US citizens, Renee Nicole Goode and Alex Jeffrey Pretti in January 2026. In an article for Inkstick, Tyler Hicks recounts how a group of activists in a town called Surprise are fighting back against the encroachment of ICE in their community in the form of a proposed detention centre.
Chinese mining disaster
On 22 May 2026 an explosion ripped through a provincial coal mine in China resulting in the deaths of 82 workers. In 2024 the mine was included in a list of others considered to have “severe safety hazards” and the evidence suggests health and safety regulations were lax. In an article for World Socialist Web Site, Peter Symonds looks at the event, the political reaction to it and how the profit motive endangers miners worldwide.
Ukraine holds a state re-burial funeral for a Nazi
The following statement can be found on the official site of the German government: “The existence of Ukraine as a strong, democratic and sovereign state is of central importance – including for Germany’s security. That is why the Federal Government stands in solidarity with the country and is continuing to provide aid.” This statement reflects the general approach of Western governments, generally despite a wealth of evidence demonstrating the contrary, such as the banning of political parties and trade unions. It comes as no surprise therefore to learn that this week Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X about the state reburial funeral for the former second world war colonel Andriy Melnyk (1890-1964), who cooperated with and enacted Nazi policies in Ukraine. The article below from the Dissident sets out the record of Melynk, the funeral’s attendance by the overtly fascist Azov battalion and notes that the event makes it more difficult to ignore the true nature of the Zelensky regime.
Bolivian strikes
In the second week of May, in response to various economic factors such as the cost of fuel, riots erupted in and around the Bolivian capital La Paz led principally by miners but joined by teachers, farmers and other workers. The riots spread across Bolivia. An exacerbating factor has been popular discontent with the centrist government of Rodrigo Paz, elected a mere eight months ago in October 2025, replacing the Movement for Socialism party which had been in power for 20 years. In an article for Truthout, Sam Carliner sets out the political background to the riots, including the Paz government’s support for the US-supporting Shield of Americas military alliance.
The rise of the global south
The war on Iran has not only ended in a humiliating defeat for the United States it has resulted in a big shift in the balance of power in the Middle East and the global south, says Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist Chris Hedges in his latest Substack piece. We flagged this article in The Left Lane last week, but it’s worth the reminder now as it’s such a great piece.
