Salvador Romano, a human rights defender, was fatally shot on July 7 on the island of Negros in Philippines. Peasant leaders, activists, and trade unionists in Negros are facing constant attacks and violence from the state authorities. Rights organizations and unions are often linked to the banned Communist Party of Philippines or the New People’s Army to make them look illegal in a slander tactic called ‘red-tagging’. These kind of attacks are frequent against people questioning the regime and oppressive tactics employed by Rodrigo Duterte.
Multimedia: Multimedia Section
UK joins US efforts to pull Iran into conflict
Newsclick editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha talks about UK’s seizure of Grace 1, the tanker allegedly carrying oil for Syria from Iran. He looks at the legality of UK’s actions. He also talks about the UK and USA’s claims of Iran attempting to capture a British ship passing through the Persian Gulf. Many details of this claim also do not add up. As the events bring back memories of the Iran-Iraq tanker wars, watch this episode of the international roundup to find out more.
Narayan Kaji Shrestha on creating socialist models of development in N …
He also talks about Nepal’s relations with its northern neighbour China, and how the party plans to politicise and train new cadres in socialist ways of thought.
Railway workers’ union protest against Indian government’s …
On June 10, 2019 hundreds of railway employees and members from the working class gathered in New Delhi to protest against Indian government’s railways privatization move. The protest was organized under the banner of All India Central Council of Trade Unions(AICCTU) and Indian Railway Employees Federation (IREF). The Narendra Modi led far-right wing government in India has recently announced it’s “100 days Action Plan” to bring in private players in Indian railways. It has even cleared the decks for privatising the running of important trains and railway coach factories.
Hundreds protest against the sexist citizenship bill in Lebanon
Hundreds of protesters in Lebanon gathered at Riad al-Solh Square in Beirut on July 7 to demand the right for Lebanese women to pass on their citizenship to their children. As per a law dating back to 1925, Lebanese women married to foreigners cannot confer nationality to their children and spouses. Only children born to Lebanese men are eligible for citizenship.
Under this archaic law, children are denied Lebanese citizenship and cannot work in certain fields or access public healthcare. They require a work visa to be legally employed and need a residence permit to stay in the country.
The hidden agenda behind the seizure of Iran’s tanker
They examine the motives behind the impounding and situate it in the context of the US withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal.
Chile teachers stand their ground in defense of public education
All across Chile, teachers are continuing to resist police violence and repression in order to stand for the country’s public education system. Over 90,000 teachers have been on an indefinite strike since June 3 behind the banner of Chile’s largest teachers’ union, Colegio de Profesores de Chile (CPC). Despite continuous mobilisation and demonstrations, the government is refusing to listen to the demands of the teachers.
Evo Morales and the battle for the dignity of the Bolivian people
We spoke to Alpacino Mojica from the organization Los Azules del Oriente to understand more about the context and the importance of the elections in Bolivia this October. Mojica speaks about the need to deepen the process of transformation that began 13 years ago with Evo Morales and the challenges facing the continuation of this process.
[Editing: Mohit, Subtitles: Zoe, Camera: Saurav, Chandan, & Mohit]
US policy vacuum is worsening the West Asia situation
Ahmad also examines the complete failure of the European countries in upholding and preserving the Iran nuclear deal.
Sea rescue is not a crime: Capt. Carola Rackete released
On June 29, Italian authorities arrested Carola Rackete, the captain of an NGO rescue ship, Sea Watch 3 carrying 42 migrants to the Italian port at Lampedusa. She was later released by an Italian judge on July 2, as Rackete had not broken the law and she had been carrying out her duty to protect human life.
‘Millions march’ in Sudan demand for civilian rule
Millions of Sudanese took to the streets across the country on June 30. They demanded that the military junta make way for civilian rule. The march was led by the Declaration of Freedom and Change Forces (DFCF), an umbrella of political parties and unions, which came together to represent the people and their revolution.
Pride is Political: 50 years since Stonewall
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City, USA. Riots at Stonewall inn, an LGBTQ bar in NYC, began when the people inside the bar opposed police raids on June 28, 1969. That event is considered to be revolutionary in the history of LGBTQ rights. The first pride marches in the US began between 1969 to 1970 after Stonewall. Now, 50 years later, pride marchers are returning to the roots of the movement and raising political issues and matters of oppression of the community.