SOUTH AFRICA

Mbizana voter registration weekend: So is this Democracy?

The Xolobeni community of ward 25 Mbizana in the Eastern Cape lead probably the best known struggle in the Eastern Cape. Other communities are equally besieged and for as long, with the ANC enforcing a reign of fear together with the police – most recently to force residents, disillusioned with elections, to register to vote. dailymaverick.co.za/

INTERNATIONAL

Corruption Perceptions Index 2018 points to global crisis of democracy

The Corruption Perceptions Index 2018, released by Transparency International, the global coalition against corruption, is evidence of a world that has not come to grips with burgeoning corruption. This is true for South Africa, as it continues to languish with a score of 43, the same as in 2017. transparency.org/

Hundreds missing in Brazil dam collapse

The collapse of a dam owned by mining giant Vale SA has left over 250 people missing. Authorities were forced to pause rescue efforts amidst reports of a second dam collapse. Rising waters near Brumadinho City and neighbouring towns caused their evacuations on Sunday. This is the second such dam disaster involving Vale in just three years. dailymaverick.co.za/

VENEZUELA

Trump’s Coup in Venezuela: The Full Story

Imperialism, and its neocolonial manifestation in the 21^st Century, is there to pick clean the bones of the Bolivarian dream and return Venezuela to the role of subservient asset, an oil-soaked proxy state ruled by a right-wing satrap eager to please the colonial lords of capital. counterpunch.org/

Before Venezuela: The Long History of U.S. Intervention in Latin America

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro accuses the United States of trying to orchestrate a coup against him, and that allegation has resonance among many in a region where Washington has a long history of interventions—military and otherwise. globalresearch.ca/

ISRAEL-PALESTINE

Abbas and the Farce of Palestinian Democracy

Since Mahmoud Abbas’s accession to the Palestinian Authority (PA) presidency in 2005, he has dominated the Palestinian political scene by consolidating his grip over various institutions while constraining opposition parties and figures. Abbas is now entering a decade past his elected mandated term as PA president. al-shabaka.org/

NEW TECHNOLOGIES / NEW FORMS OF LABOUR

	The Hidden Automation Agenda of the Davos Elite They are racing to automate their own work forces to stay ahead of the competition, with little regard for the impact on workers. They’ll never admit it in public, but many of your bosses want machines to replace you as soon as possible. nytimes.com/
	Does Cuba censor the Internet? Think again Despite US rules that have made phones and connections expensive, many Cubans have free access to global media. 48hills.org/