(2024-05-17). Good News: The 'American Lessons' From The Labor Notes Conference 2024. popularresistance.org On Friday PM April 19 I was scheduled to chair a Labor Notes workshop on "Organizing in the Construction Industry" I entered the designated hotel meeting room and approached the table in front to begin set up. I heard a vibrant Italian speaker and engaged with him. Turned out it was Salvatore Leonardi from the Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro — CGIL. He had been a panelist for a discussion of international trade union solidarity. Later I met up with him in the lobby of the O'Hare Hyatt as he headed to Chicago to explore labor history and blues clubs. His solid knowledge of both genres really impr…
(2024-05-17). Australian universities moving to shut down student encampments against Gaza genocide. wsws.org The flurry of eviction notices, "emergency meetings," and warnings of disciplinary action indicate a nationally coordinated campaign in line with denunciations of the student protests by the federal Labor government.
(2024-05-17). Sinn Fein to Defy UK Ban on Israeli Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions and Attack Labour's 'do Nothing Position in the Face of Genocide'. bylinetimes.com
(2024-05-17). 'Black Ghost of Empire: The Long Death of Slavery and the Failure of Emancipation'. peoplesworld.org 
When wealthy, Harvard-trained ultra-right Senator Tom Cotton described racial slavery as a "necessary evil" in 2020, he made two crucial admissions. First, the enslavement and consequent genocide of millions of Africans by Europeans and Euro-Americans between 1492 and the 1880s was a necessary feature for the development of capitalism (and consequent European and U.S. imperialism …
(2024-05-17). Headlines for May 17, 2024. democracynow.org "We Don't Want Ships. We Want Safety": Displaced Gazans Reject U.S. Pier; U.N. Calls for Land Access, Spain Bars Ships with Weapons For Israel; 13 Foreign Ministers Warn Against Israel's Rafah Assault, "Israel's Genocide Has Reached New and Horrific Stage": South Africa Requests Urgent ICJ Intervention, Police Raid and Arrest Students at Gaza Solidarity Encampments at UC Berkeley, DePaul University, WaPo: Billionaires and Execs Urged Eric Adams to Send Police to Columbia's Gaza Encampment, SCOTUS Overrules Challenge to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, NYT: Upsi…
(2024-05-17). Call for industrial action to halt Gaza genocide stifled at Australian university union meeting. wsws.org The motion called for a black ban and cessation of work on all university research, education or other projects linked to the Israeli military or otherwise assisting the genocide in Gaza.
(2024-05-17). Labor government attacks its own senator for condemning Gaza genocide, Australian complicity. wsws.org Labor joined hands with the Liberal-Nationals to pass a motion denouncing opposition to the mass murder, exposing the de facto unity ticket they are on in support of genocide and war.
(2024-05-17). A Rebellion Against Law and Civilization: Genocide and Its Accomplices. counterpunch.org Civilization is a process that progressively codifies the rules and regulations necessary for living together in peace, the process that continually engenders associations and commissions, mechanisms for monitoring and implementation of the norms. The United Nations Charter is the best rules-based order we have, a kind of world constitution that all peoples should recognize and
(2024-05-17). Why is Russia's real military spending about to reach over half a trillion dollars. infobrics.org In a recent statement during a meeting with his closest associates, President Vladimir Putin announced that military spending in 2024 will reach 8.7% of the country's GDP. If Russia's GDP PPP of up to $5.8 trillion is taken into account, we can calculate that its real defense spending transcends the unprecedented $500 billion mark.
(2024-05-17). Europe's energy supply in danger. infobrics.org Current political developments are jeopardizing Europe's energy supply and accelerating the deindustrialization of Germany. What influence does America have on European energy policy?>
(2024-05-17). Friedman, Biden and US Weapons Sales to Israel. counterpunch.org 
In a long oped on Sunday titled "Biden's Error in Pausing Military Aid," Thomas Friedman buys into Israeli propaganda that describes Iran as an "existential threat," and harshly denigrates President Joe Biden for announcing a pause in U.S. weapons sales to Israel. Friedman is critical of Biden for announcing the pause in the transfer of
(2024-05-17). Hezbollah targets two Israeli military-industrial facilities. albawaba.com ALBAWABA- Lebanese Hezbollah fighters announced an air attack using drones targeted industrial facilities belonging to the Israeli Ministry of War. The attack focused on the "Elbit" military industries company and the "David Cohen" factory in "Tel Hai" (north of Kiryat Shmona). The David Cohen factory specializes in producing electronic systems for the Israeli army.According to the Hezbollah Resistance, they successfully targeted spy equipment carried on a crane in Tallet Al-Tayhat with precise weapons, resulting in its destruction.Hezbollah Resistance in Lebanon further announced that they targeted an Israeli en…
(2024-05-17). Trump's Corporate Tax Cuts Paved the Way for Inflation. scheerpost.com 
(2024-05-17). Seven Features of Ancient Enterprise. counterpunch.org 
There are multiple differences between antiquity's economic practices and those of the modern world, and these should be borne in mind when considering the changing context for enterprise through the centuries. Whereas modern business largely operates on credit, in archaic and classical times handicraft workshops were located on basically self-sufficient landed estates, including those of
(2024-05-17). Saudi Arabia's US Treasury holdings rise to $135.9B, ranked 17th globally. albawaba.com ALBAWABA – Saudi Arabia's holdings in US treasuries grew for an eighth month in a row, hitting $135.9 billion in March, an increase of 3.66 percent from the month prior, putting the kingdom in 17th place across the biggest investors who hold such financial assets, according to official figures disclosed by Washington.In contrast, data from the US Treasury department showed that Saudi Arabia had $108.1 billion in Treasury securities as of June of last year, considerably lower than the $119.7 billion it held at the end of 2022. When compared to the same month last year, the Kingdom's foreign reserve assets increase…
(2024-05-17). Stuck on Stupid, Biden and the Democrats Face Disaster in November. counterpunch.org 
"Let them eat cake," Marie Antoinette once famously said, disdaining the immiseration of peasants in pre-revolutionary France. Joe Biden didn't use those exact words last week during his interview with CNN's Erin Burnett, but his tone-deafness about the suffering of millions of Americans grappling with high food and gas prices and unaffordable rents was palpable. Burnett
(2024-05-17). The Wilderness Act at 60: A Brief Overview. counterpunch.org 
On September 3, 1964, humanity's unrelenting quest to tame, civilize, industrialize, and obliterate wild nature crashed into the Wilderness Act, signed into law by President Johnson on that momentous day. This visionary legislation—written primarily by the late Howard Zahniser of the Wilderness Society—created a federal policy to secure for the American people "an enduring resource
(2024-05-17). Selected Articles: Western Liars Aggressively Promote WWIII in Europe. globalresearch.ca 
By Now facing the worst economic collapse ever, unable to heat their homes and factories during the winter, the West is undergoing the elites' controlled demolition, gutting …
(2024-05-17). Cuba will continue advancing in social digital transformation. plenglish.com Havana, May 17 (Prensa Latina) Advancing the digital transformation in all areas of society, according to the National Economic and Social Development Plan until 2030, is a priority for Cuba, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez said today.
(2024-05-17). Squeaky Plastic Pet Toys Found Contaminated with Toxic Chemicals Banned in Children's Toys. pressenza.com 
EcoWaste, PAWS: Keep Harmful Chemicals Out of Pet Toys: | 17 May 2024, Quezon City. The EcoWaste Coalition has discovered elevated levels of toxic phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) in soft plastic toys for cats and dogs. These health-damaging chemicals have long been prohibited in children's toys and childcare articles, but are not regulated in pet toys. | For starters, phthalates refer to a group of synthetic chemicals that are added to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic to make it soft and pliable, reduce brittleness, and improve durability. Six specific phthalates (namely DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP and…
(2024-05-17). Ukrainian President Signs Law to Send Prisoners to Front Lines. telesurenglish.net On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the law approved on May 8 by Parliament that allows certain categories of prisoners to sign contracts with the Army. | RELATED: | With the approval of this law, Ukraine seeks to increase the number of soldiers in its ranks to reduce the gap in personnel that separates its army from the Russian Armed Forces. | The regulations allow prisoners who wish to shorten their sentences if th…
(2024-05-17). Service platform for regional economic cooperation China-SCO is presented in Moscow. tvbrics.com 
Experts spoke about the development of business ties between Russia and China…
(2024-05-17). UN raises India's growth rate projection. tvbrics.com 
India maintains its position as the fastest growing major economy in the world…
(2024-05-17). Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin pledge to develop even closer China-Russia ties in energy and finance. scmp.com Bilateral trade, an important lifeline to Russia since it invaded Ukraine, is already at a record US$240 billion, with China its largest customer for crude oil.
(2024-05-17). How Iranian — Chinese friendship benefits Türkiye. uwidata.com In 2023, the People's Republic of China purchased 91% of the oil produced by Iran. Anxious with that, US President Biden is working on passing a law to impose sanctions on China for its oil purchases from Iran. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Iran has transformed into a construction site. What we see is an extraordinary …
(2024-05-17). UK Labour Party rail policy: A pro-capitalist rescue plan. wsws.org Labour's rail plan is not a programme of "renationalisation" but an effort to save a collapsed privatisation strategy and to safeguard the interests of British capitalism.
(2024-05-17). From De-Risking to De-Dollarisation: The BRICS Currency and the Future of the International Financial Order. dongshengnews.org 
The weaponisation of the US dollar has prompted 'de-risking' efforts across the Global South, a development that may lay the foundation for an eventual BRICS currency.
(2024-05-17). Putin Touts Economic Ties on Final Day of China Trip. themoscowtimes.com At the opening ceremony of a China-Russia trade expo, Putin hailed his country's energy ties with Beijing and promised to "strengthen" them.
(2024-05-17). Labor 2024 budget shows no heart, no guts and no vision. greenleft.org.au 
(2024-05-17). Oliver Eagleton: Stakeholder Capitalism, Again. newleftreview.org Oliver Eagleton on Will Hutton, This Time No Mistakes. Lessons for the incoming Labour government on humanizing British capitalism, from a proselytizer of Blair's Third Way.
(2024-05-17). West must bridge its internal divides or risk becoming irrelevant. scmp.com Regardless of external challenges like China, the future of the West is imperilled by decaying political institutions and stagnant economic growth. Once havens for freethinking and the exchange of ideas, Western universities have succumbed to extremist viewpoints and an absence of debate.
(2024-05-17). Anti-work is anti-socialist. cpusa.org 
This piece is a contribution to the Pre-Convention Discussion for our 32nd National Convention. During Pre-Convention Discussion, all aspects of the party's program, strategy, and tactics are up for consideration and debate. The ideas presented here are those of the author or authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Communist Party USA, its membership, or their elected leadership bodies. — Editors | There is a peculiar trend in the western left. It goes by many names, by many different modes of expression, but it remains the same essential thought: Anti-work. Whatever one wishes…
(2024-05-17). Fujian opens one-stop service center for Taiwan people, firms. ecns.cn The Chinese mainland's first labor security and service center for Taiwan compatriots and enterprises was founded in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, in mid-April, providing better services to companies and residents from the country's biggest island.
(2024-05-17). Travelling to Cambodia, Laos for jobs? Read Indian Embassy advisory before moving abroad. ptcnews.tv Indian Embassy Advisory on working abroad: As Southeast Asia continues to develop, Cambodia and Laos have become increasingly attractive destinations for job seekers from around the world. Both countries offer unique opportunities across various sectors, driven by tourism, textiles, mining, tourism, and hydropower making them appealing for professionals looking to work abroad.But before travelling abroad for jobs, you should read the advisory issued by the Indian Embassy.
(2024-05-17). India's economy to grow by 7 pc this year, attracting more investments than China: UN expert. ptcnews.tv PTC News Desk: An expert at the UN stated that although "less and less" foreign investment is flowing into China, India has demonstrated 'very robust' economic growth and has emerged as a viable investment destination for many Western corporations. The UN also raised upward the country's GDP growth estimate for 2024.As less and less foreign investment is moving into China, India is also benefiting from greater investments pouring into India from other Western sources. For many Western corporations, India has emerged as an alternative source of investment or as a destination. Chief of the Economic Analysis and Po…
(2024-05-17). Protesters say Labor's bill will give minister 'Trump-like' anti-refugee powers. greenleft.org.au 
(2024-05-17). What are the 14 Chinese items on the US tariff list, and how important are they to China's exports? scmp.com The US announced plans on Tuesday to increase tariffs on 14 categories of products from China under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, covering US$18 billion in imports.
(2024-05-17). China's retail sales grow 2.3% in April. ecns.cn China's retail sales increased 2.3 percent year-on-year in April, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday.
(2024-05-17). Plans to establish government service delivery points in Durban townships. sanews.gov.za Plans to establish government service delivery points in Durban townships | The Department of Employment and Labour in KwaZulu-Natal has announced plans to establish service delivery points within the township communities of Durban. | Provincial Operations Chief Director, Edward Khambula, made the announcement during an Employer Breakfast Session held at the KwaMashu Indoor Sports Centre, north of Durban, on Thursday. | Khambula said the Employment and Labour Service Delivery Office Points programme is in the pipeline for areas covering Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu (INK); and Umlazi township. | Khambula said the est…
(2024-05-17). China's insurance market to double in 10 years, Swiss Re CEO says. ecns.cn The size of China's insurance industry is expected to double in the next 10 years amid strong economic growth, making the country an even more important market for the group, said Christian Mumenthaler, group CEO of Swiss Re.
(2024-05-17). Inflation eating up your paycheck? Blame Trump's corporate tax cuts. peoplesworld.org 
Next year, when key provisions of President Trump's 2017 tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations expire, we have an opportunity to get our money back. I'm not just talking about all the foregone tax revenue we've lost because the rich have paid so little since 2017—though we should get that back, too. I'm talking …
(2024-05-17). 'Beyond the Wall' brings the GDR's contradictions to life. greenleft.org.au 
The German Democratic Republic (GDR) is often painted as a "walled-in, Russian-controlled Stasi land". However British-German Historian Katja Hoyer's 2023 book Beyond the Wall: East Germany 1949-1990 presents a more interesting and contradictory picture of a state where socialist solidarity, secret police, central planning and barbed wire co-existed, writes Alex Salmon.
(2024-05-17). UK families hit by highest price rises in G7 countries, says TUC. leftfootforward.org Workers have been 'brutally exposed' to the highest inflation and lowest economic growth in the G7, analysis finds…
(2024-05-17). Something stinks about Labor gas policy protest statements. independentaustralia.net 
(2024-05-17). Envisioning socialism with American characteristics. cpusa.org This piece is a contribution to the Pre-Convention Discussion for our 32nd National Convention. During Pre-Convention Discussion, all aspects of the party's program, strategy, and tactics are up for consideration and debate. The ideas presented here are those of the author or authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Communist Party USA, its membership, or their elected leadership bodies. — Editors | In envisioning the future of socialism in America, it is crucial to understand it not as a utopian reconstruction of our economy from scratch, but as a pragmatic evolution of existin…
(2024-05-17). Travel to Russia to be visa-free soon? Here is all you need to know. ptcnews.tv Travel to Russia to be visa-free soon? According to a Russian minister, consultations between Russia and India regarding a bilateral agreement to simplify travel will commence in June. The minister also mentioned that Moscow and New Delhi are poised to enhance their tourism relationship by initiating visa-free group tourist exchanges.Director of the Department for Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Project, Nikita Kondratyev, opened up on the consultations and said, "India is at the final stage of internal state coordination. The process with group visa-free trips has moved a little. The Indian side r…
(2024-05-17). Labour Won't Stick to Conservative Spending Plans, Ed Miliband Confirms. bylinetimes.com The most senior Labour figure yet has confirmed that the party will not follow Conservative spending plans if elected later this year. | Speaking to Byline Times, Shadow Climate Change and Net Zero Secretary — and former Labour Leader — Ed Miliband addressed concerns that the party might not promise enough to inspire voters, claiming that its plans are both realistic and necessary. | It comes as Labour faces criticism from some on the left of its new '
(2024-05-17). Thomas Sankara remains a global icon. mronline.org 
His vision of a socialist, pan-Africanist model of development‚Å was not buried with him.
(2024-05-17). R1.5 million irrigation system to boost vegetable farmers. sanews.gov.za R1.5 million irrigation system to boost vegetable farmers | Vegetable farmers in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, are set to increase their agricultural productivity and income, thanks to a brand-new irrigation system received from the Provincial Rural Development and Agrarian Reform Department. | Eastern Cape Rural Development and Agrarian Reform MEC, Nonkqubela Pieters handed over an irrigation system worth R1. 5 million to vegetable farmers at Nonkobe in Orange Grove village, Mthatha, in a bid to support the enterprise to access formal markets. | The enterprise has 24 members, including 18 females and six young people p…
(2024-05-17). GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks drift on uncertainty over timing of US rate cuts. devdiscourse.com Asian stocks slipped on Friday as traders pondered the near term U.S. monetary policy path after Federal Reserve officials suggested that interest rates may need to stay higher for longer even as inflation shows early signs of easing. Data on Wednesday showed cooling U.S. consumer price inflation, prompting markets to swiftly price in at least two rate cuts this year but the excitement soon fizzled out as the latest report showed the labour market remains tight, while central bankers were still cautious about inflation.
(2024-05-17). Corporate profits soar by 30% higher than pre-pandemic levels. leftfootforward.org An extensive study by Unite the union has found that the UK's average corporate profit margins soared by 30% compared to pre-pandemic levels, exposing a profiteering crisis that is 'far from over'. | Analysis of nearly 17,000 companies in the UK found that thousands of companies of all kinds have seen profits boost during the cost-of-living crisis with the most fruitful industries including big banks, oil and gas, electricity generation, supermarkets and shipping companies. | The four big banks — HSBC, Barclays, Natwest and Lloyds — upped their profit margins by 75 per cent on their pre-pandemic marg…
(2024-05-17). China seen continuing to cut U.S. debt holdings. ecns.cn China is likely to continue to reduce the share of United States debt in its overall foreign exchange reserves as it ramps up efforts to diversify foreign asset portfolios to reduce risk exposure, experts said on Thursday.
(2024-05-17). China's foreign trade hits record high in April. ecns.cn China's foreign trade recorded a new high in April, with trade with traditional and new emerging markets such as the EU, the US, and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries all showing a growth trajectory.
(2024-05-17). China aims to improve policy measures for 'whitelist' projects. ecns.cn Apart from easing purchasing restrictions, China can also adopt stronger policy measures to boost financing for the real estate industry to ensure the stable recovery of the sector, experts said.
(2024-05-17). Menace on the menu: The financialisation of farmland and the war on food and farming. mronline.org 
Between 2008 and 2022, land prices nearly doubled throughout the world and tripled in Central-Eastern Europe.
(2024-05-17). The Plan is Working: Rishi Sunak Races Up the Rich List as Homelessness Soars. bylinetimes.com Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty have added £120 million to their personal fortune over the past year, bringing their estimated wealth to £651 million, The family's rise in wealth has been largely linked to Murty's shares in her family firm Infosys, which was co-founded by her billionaire father, with her shares reportedly growing in value by £108.8m to nearly £590…
(2024-05-17). OPINION: Freedom Is What Gaza Needs, Not Economic Prosperity. themedialine.org 
(2024-05-17). NSW Labor's new deamalgamation law fails local communities. greenleft.org.au 
(2024-05-17). Develop "healthcare struggles" cpusa.org This piece is a contribution to the Pre-Convention Discussion for our 32nd National Convention. During Pre-Convention Discussion, all aspects of the party's program, strategy, and tactics are up for consideration and debate. The ideas presented here are those of the author or authors alone, and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Communist Party USA, its membership, or their elected leadership bodies. — Editors | Let's update and expand our party's analysis of "Healthcare Struggles." The party program should emphasize the role of special oppression in this discussion. Racist medical experimen…
(2024-05-17). China's economy continues to improve despite challenges. ecns.cn China's economy continued to rebound in April while pressures persisted amid an uneven recovery, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Friday.
(2024-05-17). Corporate profiteering is the main source of inflation and people's never-ending cost-of-living crisis. Here's why. leftfootforward.org Prem Sikka is an Emeritus Professor of Accounting at the University of Essex and the University of Sheffield, a Labour member of the House of Lords, and Contributing Editor at Left Foot Forward. | Corporations make obscene profits by squeezing household budgets and workers' pay to enrich a few executive and shareholders who have no loyalty to any place, product or people. Money is their only God and they have no qualms about sacrificing lives, the environment and social cohesion. | This week,
(2024-05-17). Stock market to be more efficiently regulated. ecns.cn Regulatory emphasis on the capital market's support for the real economy and continued efforts to optimize the trading mechanism and infrastructure in the A-share market are conducive to the high-quality development of the Chinese stock market.
(2024-05-17). Parliament passes record Sh72.130 trillion Uganda budget. independent.co.ug 
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament on Thursday passed a Sh72.130 trillion national budget, up from an earlier proposed total of Sh58 trillion. This is a Sh20 trillion increment from the last financial year budget of Sh52 trillion. Parliament Watch @pwatchug indicates that, payment of Uganda's public debt commands the lion's share, accounting for over Sh34.017 …
(2024-05-17). Malaysia to accelerate digital, green development. ecns.cn Chinese companies are expected to play a key role in supporting Malaysia's green and digital economy amid closer China-Malaysia ties.
(2024-05-17). Sahra Wagenknecht: Condition of Germany. newleftreview.org Interview with a prominent leader of the German left on the state of her country, currently the epicentre of converging crises—geopolitical, economic, environmental. With politics swerving right under an SPD-led government, flux and refoundation on the left.
(2024-05-17). Presidente cubano visitó centros económicos de provincia Camagàºey. radiohc.cu Camagàºey, 16 may (RHC) El presidente de Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, visitó este jueves centros económicos del municipio camagàºeyano Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, como parte de los recorridos que realiza por el país para promover buenas experiencias de trabajo.
(2024-05-17). Venezuela y Cuba rechazan medidas de EE.UU. contra Nicaragua. telesurtv.net Las sanciones van dirigidas a la Compañía Minera Internacional, Sociedad Anónima (Cominisa), a Capital Mining Investment Nicaragua y al Centro de Capacitación del Ministerio del Interior de Rusia en Managua.
(2024-05-17). The World Bank and the IMF: the creditors' bailiffs. cadtm.org In July 2024, the World Bank and the IMF will be 80 years old. 80 years of financial neo-colonialism and the imposition of austerity policies in the name of debt repayment. 80 years is enough! The Bretton Woods institutions must be abolished and replaced by democratic institutions serving an ecological, feminist and anti-racist bifurcation. To mark these 80 years, we are republishing a series of articles every Wednesday until July, looking in detail at the history and damage caused by these (…) | – | / |
(2024-05-17). India : popular movements, not elections, will bring transformative change. cadtm.org With the exception of a brief period, India has been more fortunate than many other nations in being able to maintain parliamentary rule over the last 77 years. With 900 million voters—more than the populations of Europe and Australia put together—the Indian elections are hailed as the largest exhibition and celebration of democracy. The nation's economic growth over the past 30 years —one of the fastest in the world—also makes the elections noteworthy on a global scale.
| India is undoubtedly at (…) | – | /…
(2024-05-17). Towards the 6th International Ecosocialist Meeting. cadtm.org
(2024-05-17). Egypt receives second UAE payment for Ras al-Hekma project. newarab.com 
The deal with Abu Dhabi sovereign fund ADQ to develop the 200 km (125 mile) peninsula includes a total of $35 billion in investments and is one of the biggest deals of its kind. | Egypt has also started working with the UAE to waive an Emira…
(2024-05-17). Pakistani Cricket Star's Alleged Rant Against Women Goes Viral: Watch Reactions On Social Media. hindustantimes.com An undated video of former Pakistani cricketer Saeed Anwar making controversial remarks regarding women's empowerment and financial independence went viral on social media. The Pakistani opening batsman, now commentator, stirred social media controversy after a video showed him sharing his opinions about women entering the workforce.