SOUTH AFRICA

From New Dawn to dust — the implosion of Ramaphoria

The ANC lists are evidence of the poisoned Nasrec chalice, of the fact that Ramaphosa’s Nasrec unity mandate should have been read all along not as building a united ANC under the banner of a cleaned-up party, but rather of an ANC that cannot clean itself up, something akin to the president’s ill-advised resort to rail travel this week which left him stranded between Soshanguve and Pretoria for three hours. He may have read the signs in the public protector’s 2015 report on the passenger rail agency but chose to ignore them for a tilt at the ballot. dailymaverick.co.za/

This is why we don’t have water

The department of water and sanitation is crippled. Where water should be flowing, it isn’t. Where sewage shouldn’t be flowing, it is. The leaps made to give people water after 1994 are being reversed, and some 20-million people no longer get regular clean water. mg.co.za/

Democracy’s surplus people

Like apartheid forcibly removed people, so does democracy have its own surplus people – those who are facing removal for mining-related activities. Their position is now under greater threat than ever from bills about traditional leadership and expropriation. city-press.news24.com/

‘Internet censorship bill’ set to be signed into law by Ramaphosa

The Films and Publications Amendment Bill is set to be sent to President Cyril Ramaphosa for assent. It introduces a number of changes including harsher rules to protect children from disturbing and harmful content, and to regulate the online distribution of content such as films and games. businesstech.co.za/

INTERNATIONAL

New Zealand Massacre & Labor Fighting Back

WorkWeek radio in New Zealand looks at the rise of fascists and racist terror in the country after the massacre of 50 Muslims and the wounding of many others. Speaking to a union organizer for casino and security, the discussion turns to how even Trump’s incitement of xenophobia and attacks on immigrants in the U.S. goads violence in far-off New Zealand. soundcloud.com/

And Now Algeria

The country has been ripe for revolution. Economic conditions have worsened since the 1980s with declining oil prices. Unemployment is high. While during the Arab Spring Ben Ali in Tunisia, Mubarak in Egypt, Gaddafi in Libya and Abdullah in Yemen left power, Abdelaziz Bouteflika has remained president of Algeria. His end came as he reached to cast his vote for himself and failed. counterpunch.org/

Socialism Curiously Trumps Fascism in U.S. Political Threat Reporting

Don Veto Trumpleone has said in not-so veiled ways that efforts to impeach or un-elect him will be met with white police- and military-state violence and carnage from right wing thugs. This warning was consistent with Trump’s toxic history of promoting violence against his political enemies. counterpunch.org/

Why Did Bush Go to War in Iraq? The Answer Is More Sinister Than You Think

VENEZUELA

The people, the party and the state: A critical left perspective on the Venezuelan crisis

While it is correct to condemn the imperialist manoeuvring of the US and defend the right of the Venezuelan people to decide their own political and economic future, the mistakes of the past like blindly supporting Mugabe/ZANU-PF’s Zimbabwe, Ortega/Sandinista’s Nicaragua, Dos Santos/MPLA’s Angola or indeed, the ANC’s South Africa, should not be repeated. dailymaverick.co.za/

ISRAEL-PALESTINE

East Jerusalem cleansing continues: Israel removes more Palestinian families, hands over their homes to settlers

In recent years, the number of settlers moving into the heart of Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem has been on the rise, with the settler population there now in the hundreds. They had done so with the approval, backing, budgeting and assistance of all Israeli authorities. btselem.org/

Vienna museum cancels Palestine event with leader of South African anti-apartheid struggle

Ronnie Kasrils was scheduled to speak as part of the annual Israeli Apartheid Week. The museum caved to pressure from Austria’s Israel lobby. The cancellation comes amid Israel’s ongoing repression of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights. bdsmovement.net/

NEW TECHNOLOGIES | NEW FORMS OF LABOUR

HUMANS vs ROBOTS

A Honduras native and LA-based freelance journalist, high-school-turned-college-professor, and longshore worker considers the impact mechanisation and automation will have on her industry and life. medium.com/