e-News bulletin 19 October 2018

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E-NEWS BULLETIN 19 October 2018 Links to present possibilities

SOUTH AFRICA

MbS ramaphosaAs Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic crisis worsens, SA remains silent – because of the Denel deal, critics claim

While international criticism of the Saudi government over the disappearance of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi has been steadily amplifying, South Africa has been silence – raising questions about whether potential Saudi investment in state arms company Denel could be playing a role. dailymaverick.co.za/

Khashoggi’s Brutal Murder: How Safe are South African Critics of Saudi Arabia?

Critics, whether in South Africa or elsewhere are probably aware of Saudi intelligence ties to Israel’s notorious Mossad. They’d also be mindful of the long reach of Saudi Mokhabarat (intelligence agents) as the willful murder of Khashoggi demonstrate. crescent.icit-digital.org/

myciti strikeMyCiti workers to “intensify the strike”

A wildcat strike for insourcing by bus drivers, ambassadors, cleaners, cashiers and security guards working for companies under the City’s rapid bus transport system shut the service down this week and caught the workers’ union off-gaurd. wwmp.org.za/

myciti strikeWorkers stand in solidarity with MyCiTi bus strikers

Members of Municipal and Allied Trade Union of South Africa and the City of Cape Town’s Expanded Public Works Programme have joined striking MyCiTi bus workers. groundup.org.za/

shashiShashi Naidoo was ‘offered’ R1,5-million not to join BDS during ‘Gaza s**thole’ saga

In June, Shashi sparked widespread outrage over her comments about Gaza. Shortly after she was hauled over the coals Shashi held a press conference together with Palestinian solidarity group BDS, who also arranged a “fact-finding” trip for her to Palestine. timeslive.co.za/

indebtYoung, broke and in debt

Buyi Myeni dreads phone calls from unknown numbers and emails from unknown sources. Every time an unidentified caller rings, he fears a debt collector is about to hound him. The 28-year-old IT consultant from KwaNdengezi, south of Durban, is in debt to the tune of more than R280,000. groundup.org.za/

koketsoPoor pay a ‘poverty premium’ on mobile data

In its submission to the Competition Commission’s Data Services Market Inquiry, amandla.mobi is demanding an end to price discrimination in the industry. Winning the #DataMustFall campaign “is not only a small step challenging an economic system built on profiteering from the poor, but could also open the door for millions more people to communicate, access information, services and opportunities which are currently being enjoyed by a few.” itweb.co.za/

The State of the Working Class – can it survive?

The increasing cost of fuel, the VAT hike and climbing food prices have exposed how vulnerable working class households are. Working class organisations are not strong enough to defend themselves from these attacks on their living standards. Ebrahim Harvey, Trevor Ngwane and Henriette Abrahams consider the state of the working class in this week’s Workers on Wednesday. wwmp.org.za/

INTERNATIONAL

students shenzhenChina’s Leaders Confront an Unlikely Foe: Ardent Young Communists

They were exactly what China’s best universities were supposed to produce: young men and women steeped in the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party. They read Marx, Lenin and Mao and formed student groups to discuss the progress of socialism. Then, after graduation, they attempted to put the party’s stated ideals into action. That’s when the party realized it had a problem. nytimes.com/

goma boxingBlood and minerals: Who profits from conflict in DRC?

A miner, a trafficker, an undertaker, and a prostitute offer an insight into life in the Democratic Republic of Congo. aljazeera.com/

gorillasCongo to Destroy UNESCO World Heritage Sites in search for Oil

Congo’s Virunga National Park, the oldest national park in Africa and the Salonga National Park, home to endangered Gorillas have been handed over by Congo’s President to a UK oil company, Soco, to be destroyed for oil exploration. africanexponent.com

exxonmobilAt the Heart of Global Woes, 157 of World’s 200 Richest Entities Are Now Corporations, Not Governments

Multinational corporations continue to reap record profits, giving them unprecedented power to influence policy in their favor and skirt accountability. commondreams.org/

german pro palestineBig BDS legal win in Germany

The boycott, divestment and sanctions on Israel movement in Germany has won a two-year court battle against the German city of Oldenburg that cancelled a 2016 BDS. electronicintifada.net/

Venezuela Drops US Dollar

Venezuela announced this week that the country will stop using the US dollar on its exchange markets, instead adopting the euro. Venezuela says the decision comes as part of an effort to subvert US imperial sabotage of the country. Former UK MP George Galloway joins In Question to discuss how the US uses the dollar as a weapon and why there’s a growing international movement to buck the US buck.
Local news from Khayelitsha, East London, Port Elizabeth, Alexandra and Orange Farm in English and isiXhosa

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES / NEW FORMS OF LABOUR

ill.nkondoWhen Your Boss Is an Algorithm

For Uber drivers, the workplace can feel like a world of constant surveillance, automated manipulation and threats of “deactivation”. When something does go wrong, they can’t tell the boss or a co-worker. They can call or write to “community support,” but the results can be enraging. nytimes.com/

facebook censorFacebook Accused of ‘Full-Frontal Suppression of Dissent’ After Independent Media Swept Up in Mass Purge

Facebook has removed the pages of several police accountability/watchdog groups. The founders of Police the Police, the Free Thought Project, and other now-shuttered pages denied Facebook’s hazy charge of “fraudulent” activity and accused the company of attempting to suppress dissenting voices that refuse to toe the corporate line. commondreams.org/

tech workers uniteHow tech workers became activists, leading a resistance movement that is shaking up Silicon Valley

Employees at Apple, Google, Microsoft and other tech companies are discovering their power to bend the trajectory of multibillion-dollar corporations. fastcompany.com/

Coding and Coercion

Unions have been trying to organize software engineers for decades, with little success. Here’s a look at the organizing campaign that might turn things around. jacobinmag.com/

SPORT

salman unitedManchester United fans excited club could be sold to one of the world’s richest families

Saudi Arabia’s ruling Salmans – who are said to be worth £850bn – are reportedly interested in buying the football giants from current American owners the Glazers. The price would be around £4bn. infosurhoy.com/

Disclaimer:

This newsletter is intended as a special and alternative news, information and knowledge source for all who are interested in issues relevant to promoting political, social and economic equality and the eradication of poverty. The articles contained herein are obtained from various electronic media platforms and do not necessarily reflect the views of WWMP.