- The Guardian
- Issue #2043
GERMANY: Anti-war demonstrations were held in many countries last weekend, a year after the special operation in the Ukraine started. The largest by far was in Berlin, with tens of thousands of people taking part in what was called the “Uprising for Peace.” The protesters called for peace talks to end the hostilities in the Ukraine and urged the German government to stop shipping weapons there. Similar protests were held in France, Italy, and Britain. 4000 people marched in London for peace talks to end the Ukraine conflict. All the protests highlighted the impact of wasting money on weapons instead of looking after the people’s interests and needs in their own countries. Transport union RMT speaker Carlos Barros, addressing the crowd in London, said members of his union were facing “the biggest attack in generations … We are facing that attack because we’ve been told there’s no money.” In other news, everyone saw Rishi Sunak last week in his massive helmet with his shiny new jet. Well shiny new jets won’t fund the NHS (National Health Service); that is currently crumbling or pay teachers, doctors, posties, and nurses the wages they demand which we all know they deserve.
USA: Four weeks after the Ohio toxic train disaster the local department of natural resources increased its estimate of animals killed as a result of the hazardous chemicals to nearly 44,000. The local community is still trying to cope with the aftermath of the disaster and its impact on human health, livestock and crops. Ohio has about 75,000 farms and is a leading producer of Swiss cheese, ranks second in the country for egg production, and third in tomatoes and pumpkins. Water contamination is another major concern not only for the locals but for the wider population as well. Trace amounts of chemicals were found in the Ohio River and though the local environmental protection agency claims that the Ohio River water is safe, dead fish in waterways tell a different story. The locals are also upset that president Biden has chosen a photo opportunity in Kiev instead of visiting the site of the disaster.
PALESTINE: On February 23rd, 2023, Palestinians went on a general strike to denounce the killing of 11 and wounding of about 120 people by Israeli forces in Nablus. Public institutions, banks, shops, schools and universities closed doors as part of the protests called by the Palestinian factions. The Palestinian Authority requested an emergency session of the UN Security Council to address the escalation of violence that Israel carries out with impunity.
