Czech government votes to ban communism: they fear the future, not the past On Friday, 30 May, the Czech Chamber of Deputies approved an amendment to Section 403 of Czechia’s criminal code that could make the “promotion of communism” punishable by up to five years in prison. This scandalous attack on democratic rights cannot go unanswered. The labour movement must organise to defend free speech!
Cuba: ETECSA's rate hike, the bureaucracy and the threat of capitalist restoration On Friday 30 May, the Cuban Telecommunications Company (ETECSA) announced an increase in its rates, provoking unprecedented indignation in Cuba. This has brought to the fore discussions on a series of issues central to the future of the Cuban Revolution.
United States: Trump ramps up attacks on universities In February, the Trump administration announced the “Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism.” Its supposed goal is “to root out antisemitic harassment in schools and on college campuses.” In reality, it’s nothing but a smokescreen for attacks on democratic rights and cuts to education funding.
COP30: the circus returns to town Round 30 of the UN’s annual climate summit COP has joined its predecessors as another farcical circus, this time months before it is even set to take place. Perhaps COP30 will be the star of the hypocritical show, as this year’s organisers have already plumbed new depths of cynicism in preparation for the event in November.
Romania: victory of establishment candidate will only deepen the crisis After six months of political crisis, electoral charades, and mass disillusionment with the establishment that followed the cancellation of December’s election results, Romanians finally elected a new president on 18 May. Nicușor Dan, the pro-EU liberal candidate and mayor of Bucharest, was elected with 56.6 percent of the vote in the second round, defeating the anti-establishment, nationalist candidate George Simion.
When US imperialism invaded Soviet Russia Following the victory of the Bolsheviks in October 1917, the imperialists of the world did their utmost to strangle the new workers’ state. As well as arming, financing, and supplying the counter-revolutionary White armies, they directly committed troops to intervene in the developing civil war. In this article, John Peterson uncovers the little-known history of the US imperialists’ involvement, and how the Bolsheviks responded on an internationalist class-basis to win the war.
Sweden: dockers go on the offensive after union leader fired for blocking military cargo to Israel In February, Erik Helgeson, the national deputy chair and spokesperson of the Swedish Dockworkers’ Union, was fired. The reason? The union voted to block the handling of military equipment destined for Israel.
Global debt: a ticking time bomb For decades, the world economy has been kept afloat by the life support of credit. For a time, it appeared as if there was no limit to what governments could borrow in order to stabilise the system. Problems were simply kicked down the road, as if there were no tomorrow. In this way, they have fed a monster, which now threatens to devour its master.
Who is the obstacle to peace in Ukraine? and Trump's "big beautiful bill" Since the negotiations to end the Ukraine war began, the liberals and their mouthpieces have been at pains to present Putin as a stubborn obstacle to peace, and Zelensky and his allies as begging for a ceasefire. Now, Trump’s remark that “Putin has gone absolutely crazy” has seemingly vindicated their warnings.
US weakness exposed as US-China trade war paused On 12 May, little more than a month after Trump launched massive tariffs on China on 2 April, a ceasefire in the US-China trade war was declared. The crippling tariffs, which effectively meant each country’s economy was sealed off from the other, have now been paused for 90 days.
Estonian state strips Russian minority of voting rights – no to national division! On 26 March, the Estonian parliament – the Riigikogu – voted through a new addition to the constitution. The amendment revokes the right to vote in local elections for non-EU citizens, as well as stateless people residing in Estonia from the next election. This means the loss of voting rights for over 15 percent of the population!
Colombia: the referendum has failed – let’s escalate the struggle! On Wednesday 14 May, the Colombian Senate rejected a proposal for a referendum to vote on key aspects of the labour reform proposed by the Pacto Histórico, the ruling coalition composed of left-wing parties.
Netherlands: ‘The Red Line’ against the Gaza war puts mounting pressure on the government The Red Line demonstration in The Hague on 18 May attracted more than 100,000 participants and was the largest demonstration in the Netherlands since the trade union demonstration on Museumplein in October 2004, more than 20 years ago. It is clear that the mood in the Netherlands is shifting.
DC embassy shooting: the US-Israeli imperialists are the real murderers Elias Rodriguez has been charged with murdering two low-level Israeli embassy staffers in an apparent act of protest in solidarity with Palestine. Already, the imperialists and their media have cynically used this to justify their support for the ongoing genocide in Gaza and their anti-democratic attacks on the pro-Palestine movement.
Kneecap: who are the real terrorists? The British establishment have ramped up their witch hunt against Kneecap. Band member Mo Chara was charged with a terror offence for arousing “reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation, namely Hezbollah.”