An independent United Nations expert has publicly stated that Venezuela is not suffering from a humanitarian crisis following a recent trip to the country.
Alfred De Zayas, an independent expert on International Democratic and Equitable Order at the United Nations (UN), visited Venezuela in late November to assess its social and economic progress.
Representatives of the Venezuelan government and opposition sat down for internationally-mediated dialogue in the Dominican Republic over the weekend in a bid to resolve the South American country’s ongoing political standoff.
Taking place over the course of Friday and Saturday, the talks were mediated by Dominican President Danilo Medina, former Spanish President Jose Luis Zapatero, as well as foreign ministers from Chile, Mexico, Nicaragua, Bolivia, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.Read More »
Several years ago in Cameroon, a country in West Africa, a Western Black Rhinoceros was killed. It was the last of its kind on Earth.
Hence, the Western Black Rhinoceros, the largest subspecies of rhinoceros which had lived for millions of years and was the second largest land mammal on Earth, no longer exists.
But while you have probably heard of the Western Black Rhinoceros, and may even have known of its extinction, did you know that on the same day that it became extinct, another 200 species of life on Earth also became extinct?
This is because the sixth mass extinction event in Earth’s history is now accelerating at an unprecedented rate with 200 species of plants, birds, animals, fish, amphibians, insects and reptiles being driven to extinction on a daily basis. And the odds are high that you have never even heard of any of them. For example, have you heard of the Christmas Island Pipistrelle, recently declared extinct? See ‘Christmas Island Pipistrelle declared extinct by IUCN’.Read More »
The tsarist Russia, the empire-system for which a section of today’s intellectuals feel love, was experiencing rapid capitalist expansion and growth till the World War I. Absence of profit wouldn’t have driven capitalists to the expansion. And, labor pushes up growth. And, having profit is impossible without toilers’ strained muscles and wet brows. And, the Great October Revolution is by the toilers.
Thus, toilers’ tale is essential to grasp the Revolution, the political process loved by the commoners while hated by the upper-class-brain. It – the toilers’ transcript – is a fundamental element required to evaluate the original “sin” Lenin and his Bolshevik “band” committed. Ignoring the toilers in the Revolution enables many theoreticians to equip themselves with “enlightened rationality” – bourgeois languorous concepts in the sphere of politics, an area full with conflict. Their purpose is to blind people so that people fail to define the Revolution aimed at achieving advancement in people’s lives. Read More »
GATHERING to debate, celebrate, criticise, fundraise for and show solidarity with progressive movements across the world has long been a feature of labour movement life in Britain.
But, as several speakers noted from the platform at the weekend’s fantastic Latin America Conference 2017, it’s a newer experience as we salute the achievements of international socialism to feel it may be within reach in our country as well.
To have in Britain “a government that will fight to uphold the principles of solidarity and justice around the world,” as Unite’s Andrew Murray put it on Saturday, would mean a serious upset to the US-led global order.Read More »
The rulers of the United States have a long history of experience in this arena. During WWI, in 1917, the first legal document on economic war was approved by Congress, the Trading with the Enemy Act, which outlined a renovated strategy of financial maneuvers: the creating of difficulties for adversaries in access to banking services and credit; the freezing of funds; prohibitions on sales and purchases, including those involving the acquisition of products produced with U.S. components or raw materials in third countries; as well as coercive measures against ships and crews involved in trade with the sanctioned country, among other tactics.Read More »
This tenet, which along with others is part of Fidel’s conception of Revolution, is rooted in Martí’s idea that “outside of the truth, there is no salvation,” and: “He who tells the truth on time commands. The truth well-spoken, spoken at the right time, dispels his enemies, as if it were smoke.”Read More »
A close reading of Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro Ruz’s speeches and interviews, his concept of Revolution seems to take on a special significance, which for decades has marked, and continues to mark, the political life of Cuba. This definition emphasizes a macro-historical change reflected in the process of decolonization and independence in Latin America.
It is worth recalling that after the conquest and colonization, and the 20th century wars of independence, the countries of this continent were subjected to political and economic domination by the United States. Read More »
In his article,1 Richard calls upon his readers to “change the conversation”. He asks, “What are your thoughts?” He says, if we don’t “come up with a viablealternative, our goose is cooked.” I fully agree. So I join the conversation, in order to improve it.
Let me first say I appreciate Richard’s article very much. It is very useful, indeed necessary, to also present one’s cause in a short article – for those who are interested but, for whatever reason, cannot read a whole book. Richard has ably presented the eco-socialist case against both capitalism and “green” capitalism.
But the alternative Richard has come up with is deficient in one very important respect, namely in respect of viability. Allow me to present here my comradely criticisms. It will be short.
Read More »
Last weekend’s PK80 celebration—a 16-team college basketball tournament in Portland, Oregon—was organized to honor Phil Knight on this 80th birthday. If you watched ESPN’s coverage of the games, then you experienced a big dose of homage paid to Knight, including Bill Walton’s effusive adulation for Knight and his corporate success.
And why not? Knight has been responsible for putting big money in the pockets of universities and head coaches. Nike executes exclusive contracts with schools—“Nike schools” they’re called—to outfit schools with Nike equipment and manufacture merchandise with the “Nike swosh.”
Journal of People 