Socialist Correspondent

Neither truth nor honestly held opinion are defences against prosecution under the current anti terror legislation which seeks to stifle public debate about Palestine and other matters under alleged national security concerns.

Jurors are temporary actors in a judicial system designed to protect property and profit. At the same time, they are admitted into that system in a role that accords them real powers as well as access to privileged information that exposes the workings not just of the British state's legal apparatus but also of the world it serves.

Podcast 152 - Latin America - The United States and China by Socialist Correspondent

Trumps radical foreign policy marks a seismic shift in US strategy and leaves the pretence of a rules based order reeling.

The world is more dangerous than it's ever been. The US has escalated a campaign of reckless violence across the globe to try to offset its long-term decline. This strategy is not a Trumpist aberration but is fully backed by the whole American machine. The extreme adventurism we are witnessing is more dangerous than US warmongering up to now, not only because it's so widespread, fire-raising in multiple theatres simultaneously, but because of the utterly brazen and provocative way it's being conducted. All pretence at restraint has been removed.

Class division remains a key element of Britain's political picture, but in a new way. Whereas working class people once formed the heart of the class structure and the focal point of political competition they now lack representation.

Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the South African Freedom Charter, adopted on 26 June 1955 by the Congress of the People at Kliptown, near Soweto, South Africa.

For centuries the Caucasus region has been fought over by various empires, most recently under the influence of the Soviet Union. The region comprises Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, along with the autonomous republics Nakhichevan, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia. Current US actions and the expansion of NATO have threatened the sovereignty and security of the region.

The Department of War Studies at Kings College London is ostensibly a university department but the function it performs for the British State goes well beyond the academic study of military science and strategy.

In a climate of austerity, stagnation, and uncertainty about the future, along with the Tories and Labour both trying to draw support back from those now attracted to the Reform party, hostility towards immigrants has risen as have harsher attitudes towards them.

European powers have dramatically increased theirs arms budgets under pressure from the US. Europe's focus is on supporting the war in Ukraine while the US concentrates on China.

Labour and the Tories, both parties of the political establishment, are mired in problems they have failed to address. They cannot resolve the contradictions of neo-liberalism that alienate them from the electorate and halt the decline in living standards and decaying services whilst they also vigorously support a drive to war.

The challenges and successes of a planned economy focussing on the experience of the Soviet Union.

The US government under Donald Trump has recently been escalating its campaign to destabilise South Africa including false charges against the South African government as regards its treatment of the Africana population and fake videos claiming genocide against the white population. Trump is supported in these strategies by a group of ultra wealthy US individuals of South Afican origin who are determined to protect white privilege, waekjen the ANC and silence South African support for the Palestinian people.

A review of BAE systems, a private company in which the UK government holds a 'golden share' which gives it a veto over decisions. Its principle business is with the US, the UK and Saudi Arabia and it operates in all sectors of the defence market. With growing global tensions and rising military budgets the BAE share price is rising ever upward as the world gears up for war.

The current global trade war initiated by the US government is having a serious impact on European economies and other nations but has not managed to weaken its main target, China, which has demonstrated it can resist caving in to any sanctions the US tries to impose. As China moves towards achieving self reliance in energy and parity in technological innovation we will witness the West's two centuries of global capitalist military and technical supremacy unravel.

While the UK economy stagnates at home, the government plans to increase military spending to 3% per annum. To pay for this funds will be taken away from social welfare services and further austerity measures seem inevitable. Claims that increasing military expenditure is necessary to defend the UK in a hostile world lack credibility. The reality is that it is an attempt to maintain and strengthen Britain's imperial role in the world and prevent fundamental changes in the world order.

Britain's relationship with Russia abruptly changed with the ousting of Ukraine's President Yanukovych in 2014 from one of close trade and investment partnership to naming Russia as Britain's principal enemy. This sudden pivot is tied to the struggle to secure access to Ukraine's valuable mineral assets. In promoting and prolonging the war in Ukraine Britain also hopes to promote its global arms exports and become an important player in central and eastern Europe.

Although German Democratic Republic (GDR) ended 35 years ago its achievements demonstrate what is possible in a society committed to the welfare of its citizens. It did this against enormous odds. It was economically disadvantaged after the end of the second world war and faced the West's attempts to isolate it from the rest of the world. Significantly it was determined that war would never again emanate from German soil and advocated for peace.

There is a long history behind the West’s objective of destroying the government in Syria. The long campaign of military action and sanctions which eventually led to Assad’s defeat. His overthrow will have a profound impact on future prospects for Syria and the region, including the Palestinians whose cause has been weakened by these events. The West backs the terrorists who now control the country and who are oppressing and killing people from ethnic and religious minorities and women from all groups. Meanwhile the United States is still involved and Israel and Turkey are vying to carve up bits of Syria for themselves. The future looks grim for Syrians.