THE 23rd Odisha State Conference of the CPI(M) was held from December 16-18, 2024, at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, with the clarion call to build a strong CPI(M), strengthen Left unity, and unite Left and democratic parties/forces to counter the onslaught of the communal-corporate nexus and save the Constitution.On the first day of the conference, thousands of people from diverse sections of society –workers, peasants, agricultural workers, women, youth, students, tribals, and dalits – gathered from across the state, and marched in a rally covering 5 kilometres which culminated at Barabati Ki

DONALD Trump is threatening to use tariffs as a weapon against other countries. He has already made three threatening statements: first, he threatened the BRICS countries that if they dared to move away from the dollar, then they would have to face 100 per cent tariff in the US market. Second, he has threatened the European Union that unless the EU bought more American oil and gas as a means of reducing its trade surplus vis-à-vis the US (the surplus on goods trade was $208.7 billion in 2023), it would face high tariffs in the US market.

MAYOTTE, just north of Madagascar, has been part of the overseas French empire since 1843, continues to exist as an ‘overseas territory’ despite the irresistible anti-colonial hunger. France, apart from most of the other European colonial powers, continues to hold large parts of the world under its dominion (from French Guiana in South America to New Caledonia in the Southwest Pacific Ocean. Many of these overseas territories are small islands, which had provided bases and coaling stations to the French navy when it commanded larger territories, such as Indochina and French West Africa.

THE Vietnam War was from 1955 to 1975. But it is an unacknowledged and unrepented catastrophic chapter in history. It left upon the human and environment worlds a deep scar. This was not just any other war – but like many wars – it was a constant and merciless imperialistic attack against a country, its people, and their world. Its sheer extent of destruction and pain cannot be paralleled and resonates through decades.

THE Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) organised a national convention on ‘Safety in Indian Railways’ on December 20, 2024 at HKS Surjeet Bhawan, New Delhi. More than 200 CITU activists and cadres from 16 states along with several members of railway unions participated in the convention, which was held as per the decision of the CITU general council held in Kolkata in August 2024.The national convention was presided over by Hemalata, President, CITU.