- The Guardian
- Issue #2162
EU: Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice President, has been criticised by Chinese commentators and others for denying the role of China and the Soviet Union in WW2. Kallas claimed that the “narrative” that Russia and China contributed to the defeat of fascism is “something new.” Kallas then said that “nowadays people don’t really read and remember history,” expressing incredulity that “they buy these narratives.” China was the first country to enter the World Anti-Fascist War through their resistance against Japanese invasion in 1931. China and Russia (as part of the Soviet Union) made massive sacrifice to defeat fascism, suffering the brunt of Germany and Japan’s genocidal actions. Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged all countries to carry forward the correct historical perspective on WW2, recognising the contributions of China, the Soviet Union, and other non-Western countries.
Israel: Israel’s genocide continues to be funded by Western nations. These include Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global which continues to invest in dozens of Israeli companies, including Israeli banks which then invest in arms companies Norway was supposed to have divested from. Australia’s Future Fund has invested hundreds of millions of Australians’ dollars in companies such as Elbit Systems, an Israeli weapons manufacturer and genocide profiteer which has also been handed contracts by the Australian government.
Palestine: The Global Sumud Flotilla is on its way to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza to deliver urgently needed humanitarian aid. Comprised of more than 50 ships with volunteers from nearly as many countries, the Sumud Flotilla represents the largest coordinated attempt yet to break Israel’s blockade. Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza have sent messages of support to the Sumud Flotilla volunteers. Israel’s Ben-Gvir has labelled the Sumud Flotilla volunteers as “terrorists” who will be arrested and placed in high-security prisons. These prisons, full of Palestinians kidnapped and taken hostage by Israel, routinely use waterboarding, dogs, and sexual abuse as means of torture, as detailed in reports such as those from the United Nations. Ben-Gvir has said in response to such reports that he aims to “worsen the conditions of terrorists in the prisons.”
Argentina: One third of Argentinian companies say that they are likely to face job cuts by the end of the year, with 50% of these having already done so during the first half of 2025. Argentina’s working class continues to face challenges such as declining purchasing power and the highest rate of unemployment since the end of the COVID pandemic. Around 42% of Argentina’s workforce is employed on an informal basis, meaning they lack protection from labour laws or employment benefits.
US: Thousands marched in Washington DC to protest the military occupation of the city and the ongoing arbitrary arrests and anti-immigration campaign of ICE. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, more than 1,000 arrests have been made following the federal takeover. The surge in defendants arrested over crime usually dealt with by lower courts but now facing federal offences has resulted in increased strain on the District Court, with one magistrate warning that suspects are being held in detention far longer than they should be due to the excessive numbers. The Trump administration has also threatened to militarise other cities, most notably Chicago, but also Baltimore, New Orleans, and others.
