(2021-10-10). Collective Punishment as War Crime: 90% of Afghan Families Lack enough Food because the West is Punishing the Taliban. juancole.com By John Sifton | — ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) — Afghanistan's humanitarian situation is spiraling into catastrophe. Millions of Afghans are now facing severe economic stress and food insecurity in the wake of the Taliban's August takeover, set off by widespread lost income, cash shortages, and rising food costs. Officials with the UN …
(2021-10-10). What is Imperialism and what can we do to stop it? anchor.fm In this episode I go into a discussion of the material and economic basis of imperialism as best as I can. I discussed briefly the historical development from early agricultural societies, to slave societies, to feudal society is, all the way up until capitalism as briefly and correctly as I can. I then discussed the "differences" between colonialism and imperialism, and argued that they are in fact two sides of the same coin. they both exist to exploit and oppressed the working people of the world, and they both do so for profits and power. Such is the capitalist, bourgeois system itself. This is why we need to…
(2021-10-10). Venezuela Evaluates Traffic Light for Health Scheme to Allow Entry to Public Spaces. orinocotribune.com On Friday, October 8, the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, informed that a technological platform that would allow the progressive normalization of commercial life in the country during the pandemic, is being evaluated. This platform, called "traffic light for health," will make it possible to determine whether anyone who wants to enter certain public areas, such as restaurants, have been vaccinated or have recently tested positive in a PCR test. | At a working meeting in the Miraflores Palace, the president explained that this traffic light "will be green when you are vaccinated; yellow when you are not v…
(2021-10-10). Colombia-Venezuela Border Reopening on Hold: Freddy Bernal's Latest Update. orinocotribune.com On Friday, October 8, Freddy Bernal, the head of the protectorate of Táchira, reiterated that the Venezuelan government has all the political will for the progressive commercial reopening of the Colombia-Venezuela border in a biosecure manner. | "We have all the political will, as said President Nicolás Maduro, for a progressive and biosecure commercial opening of the border," said Bernal in a video posted in his Twitter account. "We wait, with all due respect, for the response of the Colombian authorities. Facts and not words. Meanwhile, we go on working for the prosperity, unity and peace of the state of Táchir…
(2021-10-10). Cate Faehrmann: Support the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill. greenleft.org.au In part three of our series on the draft Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill (NSW) 2021, Suzanne James interviewed NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann, co-sponsor of the bill to be introduced by Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich. | Faehrmann gives an insight into the inner workings of the parliamentary machine, including: what happens between now and the final vote on the bill; what people can do to ensure their views are considered; and the underhanded tactics the far right have deployed in the name of the high moral ground.
(2021-10-09). Pandora Papers reveal finance minister profited from offshore account as misery ravages Brazil. wsws.org The revelations stand as a testimony to the rampant social inequality that is the defining trait of Brazilian capitalism, provoking deep nervousness within ruling circles.
(2021-10-09). Capitalist dilemmas and The Greed for More. indybay.org The overexploitation of nature did not remain without resistance. However, these were ignored by both the left and the right due to the hopelessness of the capitalist form of wealth. The "requirements of shipping and agriculture" destroy original functions of the floodplain landscapes. "And if solutions within the system are so impossible to find, maybe we should change the system itself," said Greta Thurnberg…
(2021-10-09). Wall Street cracks the whip and Senate passes short-term extension of debt ceiling. wsws.org When it comes to the basic financial interests of the corporate-financial oligarchy, and Wall Street gives the marching orders, partisan gridlock in Congress suddenly dissipates.
(2021-10-09). Finance capital and the World Economy. mronline.org
THE period of neo-liberalism witnesses an increase in the share of economic surplus in total output both in individual countries and also for the world as a whole.
(2021-10-09). Memphis Kellogg's workers on the picket line. fightbacknews.org Memphis, TN – At midnight on Tuesday, October 5, workers at Kellogg's factories across the United States went on strike. Union workers in Memphis say the company made an unacceptable offer at contract time. | Rob Eafan, a member of the local union's leadership, said of the contract, "The company wants to have a permanent two-tier wage system, with reduced wages and benefits for our new employees. The bottom line: it's all about corporate greed. The company made record profits throughout this pandemic while working us record hours," he said. "And they had record bonuses of 158%." | The Bakery, Confectionery, Toba…
(2021-10-09). Kellogg's workers on strike in Michigan. fightbacknews.org Battle Creek, MI – Workers on strike at the Kellogg's plant in Battle Creek walked the picket line Thursday, October 7. They discussed two major issues leading to the strike. The first, a proposed two-tier payment system, where lower seniority employees have significantly lower pay and worse benefits. The second issue workers cited was overwork during the COVID-19 pandemic, with many employees working seven days a week with no days off, for months on end. | One worker explained he worked 3700 hours in a single year, or more than 70 yours per week without a vacation. His motivation to strike is so he can spend mo…
(2021-10-09). Media Coverage of Reconciliation Fight Is Corporate Con Job. zcomm.org "There's a big disconnect between the corporate media and working people," said Bernie Sanders…
(2021-10-09). In historic vote, 60,000 Hollywood workers authorize first ever countrywide strike. mronline.org
Workers employed in major film and television production houses have complained of abysmal working conditions such as long hours, often exceeding 12 hours a day, low wages and low healthcare contributions from producers.
(2021-10-09). Ticket-sellers' dispute with concert venue forces Baltimore Symphony Orchestra to relocate performances. wsws.org The dispute between the IATSE ticket-sellers union and the Music Center at Strathmore in the Maryland suburbs of Washington D.C. is part of a rising wave of working class struggle which has been building against the corporate efforts to force workers to bear the burden of the pandemic.