Analysis

Analysis Imperialism United States

New Trump-Rodriguez oil deal: Neocolonial pact and reshaping of Venezuela

Recalling Trump’s infamous meeting with major oil companies to discuss Venezuela on January 9 of this year, the strategy to allay their concerns and guarantee long-term investments becomes clearer: to entrench and secure the mortgage of an entire country for decades to come. Only in this way could that guarantee of stable, reliable, and cheap energy eventually materialize in times of “emergencies” and geopolitical confrontation.

Analysis Social Issues United States

Trump’s mass deportation campaign grinds on—but now away from the cameras

Democrats have pledged to “hold ICE accountable” if they attain a majority in one or both houses of Congress in November. But they have pointedly refused to say they have any plans to “abolish,” or restructure ICE. House Majority Leader (and presumed future House Speaker) Hakeem Jeffries has announced a Democratic agenda that focuses on restoring the administration’s cuts to Medicaid and to the Affordable Care Act.

Analysis Europe World

State election in Saxony-Anhalt: Has the firewall become obsolete?

It is quite likely that significant external pressure will be applied on Die Linke to form some sort of broad coalition to prevent the AfD from being in power. This would be somewhat similar to the popular front approach we saw in Spain in the 1930’s. While it is imperative to prevent the AfD from governing, Die Linke would be better off refraining from being part in such a coalition, precisely in order to shed the image of being just another Altpartei. That is the dilemma.

Analysis Politics United States

Hue and cry over the DSA

The balance sheet for the “socialist” wave won’t be known until November. But there is a good chance that DSA members could add Los Angeles and Washington, DC to New York on the roster of U.S. cities with “democratic socialist” mayors. Democratic primary victories in New York, Philadelphia and Denver could add three to four more DSA members to Congress. And DSA-adjacent progressives like Michigan senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed could boost liberal Democrats in the next U.S. Congress.

Analysis South Asia World

Indian students shake Modi’s regime

Although the movement initially called only for administrative changes and the removal of Pradhan, it broadened to demand the release of detained protesters and the removal of Modi himself, a wide range of anti-Modi chants being taken up by protesters on the streets of Delhi. Like other uprisings over the last few years, slogans to do with the liberation of Palestine and opposing the government’s ties to Israel were raised by the left of the movement. Then, on 20 July, the movement really took off.

Analysis Global Economy World

AI and productivity

In the early 19th century at the start of the industrial revolution in Britain, a group of skilled weavers tried to resist the introduction of machine weaving in the early 19th century by various means, including sabotaging and wrecking the machines. They were called Luddites. Now it seems that a form of Luddism has returned over AI. Just as the Luddites had a case about protecting their livelihoods, so do Gen Z workers now.

Analysis Politics United States

The anti-democratic character of the U.S. constitution

Throughout U.S. history, conservative and reactionary forces have taken advantage of the perfectly legal ways that the Constitution allows political minorities to veto or derail the popular will. That was how the Jim Crow Democrats maintained their control over the South and the federal government for a century. It’s how the loser of the popular vote became president five times, including twice in the last quarter century.

Analysis Social Issues United States

A report back from the Bridging the Gap—Amplifying Incarcerated Voices conference

As the conference closed, what remained was not simply a collection of workshops, panels, or speeches, but a clear call to action: incarcerated journalism cannot survive in isolation. Again and again, speakers returned to the idea that writing is not merely documentation—it is resistance, survival, accountability, and connection.

Analysis Movements United States

Who’s afraid of Richard Hooker to lead the Teamsters?

With a few weeks to go before the start of the Teamsters’ union convention in Las Vegas, a major push is on to deny Richard Hooker the five per cent of delegates needed for him and his Fearless slate to be nominated. While there is still much skullduggery afoot to trash the reputation of Richard Hooker, the first African-American candidate for General President of the Teamsters, most of it is now quite open and increasingly nasty, as he challenges Sean O’Brien, the pro-Trump leader of the union.

Analysis Latin America World

Trump: Cuba in the crosshairs

We oppose any U.S. invasion. We call for an end to the current U.S. blockade of oil deliveries. And we call for an end to the U.S. embargo that dates from the early 1960s. Moreover, if Cubans want to emigrate to the U.S., we welcome them along with all other immigrants who are targets of Trump’s xenophobia.