Israel using dogs to abuse Palestinian prisoners
Israel’s psychopathic cruelty to Palestinian prisoners, in contravention of the Geneva Convention, has been well evidenced by many sources. Most recently the New York Times, much to the fury of the Zionist lobby, published an article by journalist Nicholas Kristof detailing Israel’s systematic abuse of Palestinian prisoners. A Substack article by The Dissident sets out how, despite Israeli denials, dogs are being used to abuse Palestinian prisoners and historical precedents for such behaviour.
Italy goes on strike in support of Palestine – again
During September and October last year, Italian workers organised a series of general strikes against what they defined as prime minister Meloni’s complicity in genocide. The well-supported strikes were implemented under the slogan Blocchiamo tutto (“Let’s Block Everything”) and aimed at implementing a nationwide block of ports, roads and workplaces to stop the shipments of military equipment to Israel. On 17-18 May, Italian workers took to the streets again and This Wanted in Rome gives details of how this latest action in solidarity with Palestine was organised.
Bolivia protests against president Paz
Violent protests demanding that Bolivian president Rodrigo Paz resign intensified in La Paz on Monday 18 May with riot police clashing with demonstrators, government offices looted and mounting anger over a deepening economic crisis gripping the Andean nation.
CPGB leader arrested at Africa Forward summit in Nairobi
Historically Kenya was part of the British colonial possessions in Africa, gaining independence from the UK in 1963. France was also a colonial power over a number of sub-Saharan African states during the same period. The present government of Kenya under William Ruto has signalled its desire that the former British colony be a strategic partner for western powers. France under Macron, its relationships with former colonies in tatters (notably in Burkina Faso under Ibrahim Traoré), has chosen to host its Africa Forward summit, usually held in Paris, in Nairobi. As the Red Herald article below relates, this has attracted opposition, given France’s colonial past, principally from African communists who have been joined by international comrades at the summit, resulting in 19 arrests of protestors including Joti Brar leader of the Communist Party of Great Britain.
Socialist Ramsey Robinson runs for governor of California
The socialist Ramsey Robinson is running to be governor of California and his campaign promises include a rent freeze on day one, “homes for the people, not for profit”, Medi-Cal for all, fully funded public schools, full rights for immigrants, environmental safety from capitalism, a $30 an hour minimum wage, reparations and defence for Black Americans, women and the LGBTQ+ community. You can read his full election programme below and more details about his campaign.
North Korea foreign policy alliances
It has often been observed how western imperialism is selective in its choice of victims based on whether or not they possess nuclear weapons. It may well explain for instance why the US is happy to bomb Iran, but since the end of the Korean war in 1953 has not troubled North Korea (a nuclear power) despite there being no peace treaty. In this Foreign Affairs article, Oriana Skylar Mastro, assistant professor of political science at Stanford University and (for context) also a reservist colonel in the US Air Force, analyses North Korea’s foreign policy and its relationship with China and Russia.
Post-Orban Hungary
On 13 May this year, Victor Orban was swept from power after 16 years to be replaced by Péter Magyar (curiously Peter Hungary when translated) and his Tisza Party. Tisza’s victory is seen as a move away from Orban’s more Russo-centric state-moderated neo-liberal economic policies and towards the EU. However, as Erdost Akin from the Central European University maps out in this article for Social Europe, this change in political direction may not make any difference for workers at the bottom of the food chain.
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