Statement: R2K strongly condemns MRC’s corruption and bullyism!

R2K is appalled to learn that Mineral Commodities Limited (MRC), an Australian mining company is suing a West Coast community activist and two Centre for Environmental Rights attorneys for defamation. r2k.org.za

SA faces review of surveillance policies at the UN Human Rights Council

On 10 May, South Africa’s human rights record came under scrutiny at the United Nations Human Rights Council. This will include a review of South Africa’s surveillance policies, following a submission by Right 2 Know (R2K), Privacy International and the Media Policy and Democracy Project (MPDP) that raised concerns over state spying and lack of privacy protections in South Africa. r2k.org.za/

Media Statement: NEHAWU Welcomes Constitutional Court Judgement on Matter Between NEHAWU and the Department of Home Affairs

Home Affairs refused to remunerate Saturday work and also blatantly refused to put mechanisms in place to help workers to perform their duties when they report for duty on Saturdays. This led to a protracted disputes between the two parties that also involved both the Labour Court and the Labour Appeal Court. The matter ultimately ended at the Constitutional Court. polity.org.za/

Can the Homeless and Hungry Steal Food? Maybe, an Italian Court Says

Stealing food from a supermarket may not be a crime in Italy if you are homeless and hungry, the nation’s highest appeals court has ruled. nytimes.com/

New Mexico Outlaws School ‘Lunch Shaming’

What is “lunch shaming?” It happens when a child can’t pay a school lunch bill. In Alabama, a child short on funds was stamped on the arm with “I Need Lunch Money.” In some schools, children are forced to clean cafeteria tables in front of their peers to pay the debt. nytimes.com/

PALESTINE

The new labour struggle: less work, same pay, and basic income for all

Today more and more people around the world are facing precarity, casualisation, inequality and unemployment. It’s time to pursue a new agenda for a new global labour movement – or rather, to update the old agenda of the 19th century: less working time and more money for all, in the form of shorter work days and a universal basic income. timeslive.co.za/

Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft Battle for K-12 Market, and Loyalties of Educators

Apple, Google, and Microsoft along with Amazon are vying for big chunks of school business, most notably in the sale of devices and operating systems. marketbrief.edweek.org/

Young “gig economy” worker hounded to his death over debt repayment

Jerome Rogers was only 20 when he tragically took his own life, by hanging, in March last year. He had earned his living as a self-employed courier for City Sprint, using his motorbike to deliver blood supplies to hospitals throughout London. wsws.org/

Facebook has deleted “tens of thousands” of accounts and made changes to its newsfeed algorithm in an attempt to battle fake news, responding to criticism over the distribution of false information on its massive network. aljazeera.com/

How Fascism Takes Over

What is Fascism, a dusty museum relic, a black and white film of men marching in military uniforms and giving straight armed salutes? A nasty thing, but one from long ago and far away, that no longer has relevance? That sort our thing doesn’t happen in our country! whistlinginthewind.org/