Julian Assange lawyer submits new registration under foreign agent law

BY TAYLOR GIORNO 

THE HILL

- 02/08/24 3

Victoria Jones/PA via AP

An image of Julian Assange is projected onto a building in Leake Street in central London on Sunday, April 10, 2022, to mark three years since his arrest and detention in Belmarsh prison while the United States continues with legal moves to extradite him. Assange, 50, has been held in the high security prison in southeast London since 2019 on a series of charges related to WikiLeaks’ publication of a huge trove of classified documents more than a decade ago.


Julian Assange’s lawyer submitted a new registration this week with the Justice Department’s Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) division for his ongoing work on behalf of the embattled Australian WikiLeaks founder.

The U.S. is trying to extradite Assange from London to face criminal charges for allegedly conspiring with former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to unlawfully obtain and publish classified national security documents that “could cause irreparable injury to the United States or be used to the advantage of a foreign nation,” according to the 2018 federal indictment.

Human rights advocates and the New York Times Editorial Board have warned the prosecution of Assange would infringe upon press freedoms.

Assange’s lawyer, Barry Pollack, a partner at Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler, is a seasoned trial lawyer who successfully secured the acquittal of a former Enron executive charged with criminal fraud following one of the biggest corporate bankruptcies in American history.

FARA carves out an exemption for “legal representation of a disclosed foreign principal before any court or law or agency of the United States government.”

But Pollack may engage in “certain services ancillary to the representation,” according to registration documents filed by Harris St. Laurent and Wechsler with the Justice Department, therefore the firm filed “out of an abundance of caution.”

“The services that could even arguably be considered ancillary to the representation rather than part of the registration include providing briefings about the litigation to parties interested in the litigation and participating in public educational events about the litigation,” according to the disclosure.

Pollack declined to comment.

Steve Roberts, a partner at Holtzman Vogel, told The Hill that the Justice Department “has been increasingly narrow on its view of the legal exemption in recent years.”

“They’ve made it clear that it only applies to a lawyer practicing law, but not doing other activities that a lawyer might do in service of a client around those legal services, like PR work or lobbying,” Roberts added.

“His registration calculus was quite possibly an awareness that more scrutiny would be on his work for Assange, and registered out of an abundance of caution for the occasional media briefing,” he added.

Pollack previously registered under FARA for “public advocacy in conjunction with legal representation” on behalf of Assange through the Law Offices of Barry J. Pollack LLC in July 2021.

He joined Harris St. Laurent and Wechsler last February, according to a press release issued by the firm, hence the new registration.

While Pollack’s previous registration notes his legal and advocacy “activity should be exempted” under FARA, he did disclose some public appearances on behalf of his client.

Pollack disclosed meeting with Australian members of Parliament to provide background information on the case in September 2023. He also disclosed discussing Assange’s case on a National Press Club panel in December 2022 and, in March 2023, attending a screening of the documentary “Ithaka” at the University of Maryland’s Merrill College of Journalism and participating in a panel discussion after the screening.

“Some of the activity from last time would not clearly need to be disclosed. Outreach aimed at influencing the views of foreign audiences, for example, largely falls outside FARA’s scope,” Josh Rosenstein, a member at Sandler Reiff Lamb Rosenstein & Birkenstock, told The Hill.

“But making speeches would generally be disclosed,” he added.

Rosenstein pointed to 2020 remarks by Adam Hickey, former deputy assistant attorney general for the National Security Division, regarding limits to the lawyer exemption.

“Representation of an individual client in an adjudication of that client’s interests is distinguishable from advocacy to change U.S. government policies or advocacy on behalf of a foreign government or political party,” Hickey said, adding that “public relations work that has a tangential relationship to pending litigation would fall outside the exemption. Calling a press conference to announce a lawsuit would not.”

Brazil's ex-president Bolsonaro surrenders passport in police probe of 'attempted coup'

Brazil's ex-president Jair Bolsonaro surrendered his passport Thursday as police raids targeted him and his inner circle over allegations of orchestrating an invasion of government buildings last year.

08/02/2024 - 

Federal police officers leave the headquarters of Brasil's Liberal Party during an operation targeting some of former president Jair Bolsonaro's top aides in Brasilia on February 8, 2024. 

© Sergio Lima, AFP

Federal police said they were carrying out 33 search and seizure operations and executing four arrest warrants in an investigation of a "criminal organization involved in the attempted coup" -- a reference to Bolsonaro supporters' storming of the presidential palace, Congress and Supreme Court on January 8, 2023.

The raids were authorized by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who also ordered that multiple suspects be suspended from public duties and surrender their passports within 24 hours.

That included Bolsonaro, whose lawyer and adviser Fabio Wajngarten confirmed in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, that the far-right ex-army captain's passport had been handed over to authorities.

Bolsonaro called himself the victim of "relentless persecution," in comments to a journalist for newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo. The former president, who was in the United States at the time of the riots, has repeatedly denied responsibility.

Four army generals were also targeted in the raids, including Bolsonaro's former defense minister and vice presidential candidate Walter Braga Netto, and one of the ex-president's closest advisors, Augusto Heleno.

The head of Bolsonaro's Liberal Party (PL), Valdemar Costa Neto, was also targeted.

Three people have been arrested so far in the operation, according to Brazilian media reports: two army officers and a former international affairs adviser to Bolsonaro, Filipe Martins.
'Plan to subvert democracy'

The riots came a week after President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's inauguration following a narrow election win in October 2022 over Bolsonaro, who served as president from 2019 to 2022.

Tens of thousands of Bolsonaro supporters stormed the halls of power, trashing the premises and calling for the military to oust veteran leftist Lula, alleging, without evidence, that the election was stolen.

The episode drew comparisons to the assault on the US Capitol in Washington almost exactly two years earlier by supporters of Donald Trump, Bolsonaro's political role model.

Moraes said in his ruling the suspects had "executed a plan to subvert the democratic rule of law, with the aim of preventing the installment of the legitimately elected government and maintaining then-president Jair Bolsonaro in power."

Investigators said organizers had drafted a plan to call new elections and arrest Moraes. The high court judge is a frequent target of Bolsonaro's criticism.

Lula called for a full investigation to uncover who organized and financed the January 8 attacks.

"I don't think it could have happened without" Bolsonaro, Lula said in an interview with Brazil's Radio Itatiaia.

"He wasn't ready to give up power, to the point that he refused to hand me the presidential sash and ran off crying to the United States."
'Decisive moment'

More than 2,000 people have been arrested over the riots in Brasilia. Thirty have been convicted so far on charges including an attempted coup, with prison sentences of up to 17 years.

Thursday's raids show the January 8 investigation is "reaching the decisive moment," said political analyst Andre Cesar.

The documents presented by investigators "appear to prove there was in fact a pro-coup movement," and it "will be hard for defense lawyers to explain" Bolsonaro and his advisers' actions, he told AFP.


Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morningSubscribe

Bolsonaro faces numerous investigations of alleged corruption and abuse of office stemming from his time in power.

In June, the electoral court -- which is headed by Moraes -- barred him from running for public office for eight years over his unproven fraud allegations against Brazil's voting system.

The court dealt Bolsonaro a new blow Thursday, fining him 15,000 reais ($3,000) for "spreading disinformation" during the presidential campaign that linked Lula to one of Brazil's most powerful drug gangs, the First Capital Command (PCC).

Bolsonaro's inner circle, including several of his sons, has also been caught up in an investigation into allegations of illegal spying on his perceived opponents and other figures during his presidency.

(AFP)

UK

Amazon staff target Valentine's Day with strike

By Oprah Flash

BBC News, West Midlands

Workers in Coventry were the first of Amazon's staff in the UK to back industrial action.

More than 1,000 Amazon staff are set to stage a three-day strike over the Valentine's Day period.

Members of the GMB union at the firm's Coventry site are locked in a pay dispute with their employer.

The new wave of industrial action takes place from 13 to 15 February, after workers voted to back an extension of strikes earlier this year.

The retail giant said it regularly reviews pay to offer competitive wages and benefits.

Coventry staff were the first of Amazon's UK employees to walk out when industrial action began in January last year.

Workers are set to walk from over the Valentine's Day period

The trade union previously said Amazon had "refused" to increase pay when the cost of living crisis began.


Members are campaigning for £15 per hour, to help with rising costs and reflect the physical and repetitive nature of the job, Amanda Gearing from the GMB told the BBC.

An Amazon spokesperson said that by April the company's minimum starting pay will have increased to £12.30 and £13 per hour, depending on location.

This works out as a 20% increase over two years and 50% since 2018.

The firm added: "We also work hard to provide great benefits, a positive work environment and excellent career opportunities.

"These are just some of the reasons people want to come and work at Amazon, whether it's their first job, a seasonal role or an opportunity for them to advance their career."

UK

Young people increasingly unlikely to vote in general election, survey finds


A voter placing a ballot paper in the ballot box at the polling station at Market Hall in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, May 6, 2010

YOUNG people are increasingly unlikely to vote in the general election expected this year, a new survey has found.

A belief that their vote would make no difference and a feeling that the parties did not represent them may keep nearly half of the so-called “Gen Z” — voters aged 18 to 27 — at home on polling day.

About 43 per cent of the nearly 2,300 young people surveyed by research company Prograd said that they either would not vote or were unsure whether to do so.

The findings are scarcely shocking in the blancmange age of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Tory Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

On the issues found to most concern the young, such as public service funding, tackling climate change and cutting taxes for low-paid workers, it looks like there is little to choose between the major parties.

But the survey is particularly bad news for Labour since its electoral performance has been buoyed by a commanding lead among younger people, particularly under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. If their turnout is low, Labour can only suffer.

Commenting on the survey, a Momentum spokesman said: “Keir Starmer is taking our core vote for granted, whether its young voters concerned about housing costs and student debt, or Muslim communities furious at Labour’s betrayals.

“We need to give people something to vote for, by committing to abolish tuition fees, renationalise key industries to cut bills and carbon, and stand up for human rights internationally.”

UK Rail services return to normal after latest train drivers strikes



With the end of the latest round of strikes, railway services have returned to normal (Danny Lawson/PA)

By Alan Jones, 

PA Industrial Correspondent

Yesterday

Rail services returned to normal on Wednesday after a wave of strikes and other forms of industrial action by train drivers in their long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

Services have been crippled by a series of walkouts and a nine-day ban on overtime, which ended late on Tuesday.

No more strikes have been announced, although there is no news on whether fresh talks will now be held to try to break the deadlock.

A spokesperson for Rail Delivery Group said: “There will be no winners if industrial action continues and causes further disruption for customers.

“We believe rail can have a bright future, but right now taxpayers are contributing an extra £54 million a week to keep services running post covid.

“We want the Aslef leadership to work with us to resolve this dispute and deliver a fair deal, which both rewards our people and makes the changes needed to make services more reliable.”


Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan (Lucy North/PA)

Aslef general secretary said it had been over a year since the union had any contact from the Department for Transport, adding: “It’s clear they do not want to resolve this dispute.

“Many of our members have not had a single penny increase to their pay for half a decade, during which time inflation has soared and, with it, the cost of living.

“Train drivers didn’t even ask for an increase during the Covid-19 pandemic when we worked throughout lockdown as key workers, risking our lives to move goods around the country and to enable NHS and other workers to get to work.”

None of the train companies affected by the latest strikes used new regulations aimed at ensuring a minimum level of service during strikes.

Mr Whelan added: “This new law, as we told officials during the consultation period, won’t ease industrial strife. It will just make it worse.

“The government and train operating companies should come to the table with a realistic offer so we can end this dispute and work together to ensure the future of our railways.’”

UK

Sainsbury’s boss refuses to rule out job cuts under plan to slash costs by £1bn




By Holly Williams, 

PA Business Editor

Yesterday 

The boss of Sainsbury’s has refused to rule out job losses under plans to slash costs by £1 billion as the chain revealed it will cut general merchandise and clothing space and expand its food offering.

The UK’s second biggest supermarket unveiled a strategy update that will see it boost food space across all its near-600 supermarkets, while focusing expansion efforts on 180 of its “highest potential” sites, which will see about 10% more space dedicated to food.

But it will also cut its general merchandise and clothing offering across many shops, with between 20% to 30% less store space for non-food ranges in the 180 shops.

The retailer suggested jobs may be in the firing line, as it said it would cut costs by £1 billion over the next three years, while investing in technology and artificial intelligence (AI).

High-returning investments in technology and automation will drive big steps forward in efficiency - automating, optimising and prioritising high-volume tasks and driving better forecastingSimon Roberts, CEO

Chief executive Simon Roberts refused to rule out job losses as the group plans to use AI to increase automation.

He said the group would look to “protect jobs as much as possible” by being flexible and to “re-skill” and “re-deploy where we can”.

But he insisted “we have to become more efficient”, with automation set to play a big part in delivering savings, increasing productivity and cutting food waste.

“High-returning investments in technology and automation will drive big steps forward in efficiency – automating, optimising and prioritising high-volume tasks and driving better forecasting,” it said.

Sainsbury’s said it had no plans to shut stores under the overhaul, but will press ahead with previously-announced plans to close more standalone Argos shops and bring them within supermarkets as click-and-collect points.

Sainsbury’s has already shut a raft of sites to bring many within supermarkets since it bought the retailer in 2016, saying late last year that it would reduce the estate to 180 by March.

“We have further to go in terms of Argos store estate changes and we will also further refine the store operating model, with clustered stores replacing a one-size-fits-all approach,” the group said.

Mr Roberts added the group will “keep looking at our (Argos) store estate”, but said it needed to retain a number of standalone stores, particularly where there is not a Sainsbury’s supermarket or convenience store nearby.

The strategy revamp, named Next Level Sainsbury’s, will see it look to attract more shoppers into its stores by increasing its fresh food ranges, expanding rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging points and ramping up Nectar loyalty card offers.

Sainsbury’s said it only has a full food range across 15% of stores currently.

Expanded ranges will be tailored to each store, but will include the rollout of more ready-to-go meals, such as its Kitchen Deli offering, as well as charcuterie and cheeseboard products.

In its strategy update, the group said it will also “tighten the focus” of its non-food ranges, cutting duplication of products that are also sold in Argos stores within supermarkets.

And Sainsbury’s will open another 75 convenience stores, to add to its existing 821-strong estate, while it will spend £70 million rolling out rapid EV charging points to more than 100 stores by the end of its 2024-25 financial year, up from 27 currently.

Mr Roberts said: “We’re determined to be first choice for food, ensuring more customers in more of our stores can enjoy more brilliant Sainsbury’s food.

“That means more space for our food offer, while still delivering the general merchandise products customers want from us.”

It will also focus on expanding its Nectar loyalty offering, with goals for it to deliver another £100 million of profit by March 2027.

The chain said it will increase returns to shareholders alongside the plans, with the launch of a £200 million share buyback programme over the next financial year.

The update comes just after the group announced, last month, it would wind down its banking operation to focus on the retail business.

Shares in the supermarket fell more than 4%.

William Woods, a retail analyst at Bernstein, said the strategy update was “more evolution than revolution”.

He added the “commitments are a bit fluffy, such as delivering profit leverage from sales growth”.

UK Greenpeace activists scale Unilever HQ in plastic pollution protest


Greenpeace UK scale the company’s HQ by Blackfriars Bridge in London and unveil a huge banner reading PROFIT WARNING - Plastic Polluted Money 

Photo: © Kristian Buus / Greenpeace

ELIZABETH SHORT
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024

GREENPEACE activists scaled Unilever’s London headquarters on the eve of its profit announcement today.

The activists unfurled a banner reading “Profit Warning — Plastic Polluted Money” in protest against the company’s destructive use of environmentally harmful packaging.

The protesters then set up a pollution warning zone around the entrance to the headquarters, warning passers-by about the company’s overwhelming plastic pollution problem.

A previous Greenpeace investigation revealed the consumer goods giant as the biggest seller of some of the worst polluting packaging, multilayered plastic sachets. According to the report, Unilever sells 1,700 sachets every second.

The sachets are typically used to package products such as soap, shampoo and laundry detergent, and are virtually impossible to recycle.

Greenpeace say they exacerbate devastating floods when they enter the environment as they jam local waste systems and waterways.

The activists levelled charges of hypocrisy against Unilever, pointing out that its brands like Dove claim to be “passionately committed to being one of the brands making the biggest impact against plastic waste.”

Greenpeace is demanding that Unilever halt sachet sales and phase out single-use plastic within 10 years.

The activists are also calling on the company to use its influence to advocate for these targets at the United Nations Global Plastics Treaty negotiations, where it is a co-chair of the Business Coalition.

Greenpeace UK head of plastics Nina Schrank said: “Unilever’s profits are drenched in plastic pollution.

“Brands like Dove might give them a clean public face and a healthy bank balance but the truth is the billions in profit Unilever will announce tomorrow is matched only by the billions of pieces of plastic they flood into the world.

“From devastating floods to toxic fire fumes, it’s communities far from their London HQ in places like the Philippines and Indonesia who are paying the price of plastic pollution.

“That’s why we’re here issuing Unilever with their own profit warning — profiting from plastic pollution is a dead end, they have to change.

“They must stop selling plastic sachets now, commit to phasing out single-use plastic within a decade and advocate for this same level of ambition at UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations.”

UK

Workers and students protest and walk out against Israel’s slaughter of Palestinians

Wednesday was far bigger than the two previous days of workplace action for Palestine

SOCIALIST WORKER
Wednesday 07 February 2024

Issue 2891

Students march through south London on the day of action for Palestine

 (Picture: Guy Smallman)

Workers and students staged protests for Palestine on Wednesday at hospitals, schools, universities, council offices and other workplaces.

The day of action, called by the Stop The War Coalition (STWC), began with postal workers protesting outside Whitechapel office in east London.

In Oxford, too, postal workers showed brilliant support for the day of action. They took dozens of selfies of themselves holding signs demanding a ceasefire and showing support for Palestine.

Keith Hamilton, an area union rep for the CWU, was central to the action. He told Socialist Worker that he’d spoken to dozens of people about Palestine in the run-up to the day of action.

“I explained my take on the situation to them and they responded,” he said. “I said what was happening in Palestine was a slaughter. Thousands of children are being killed by a doctrine of collective punishment.

“And I invited people to do their own research, rather than just take their news from the BBC.”

Keith printed up placards for the day and, outside work time, he took lots of pictures of his colleagues holding them. “I was taken back by the size of the response,” he said. “It all goes to show that if you talk politics in the workplace, you can make a difference.”

Dana, UCU rep at Oxford Brookes University, organised a rally outside her workplace. She told Socialist Worker, “Around 20 people attended the demonstration at Brookes. We thought we had to come out and protest for Palestine.

“At the organising assembly I met other people at Brookes who wanted to do something. We set up a WhatsApp group and the Brookes rally developed from that. I was out on the last set of strikes at Brookes and now I’m out for Palestine.”

Rebecca, an NHS doctor in Oxford who visits Gaza regularly, told Socialist Worker, “As people watch Gazans being killed, people need to raise their voices.

“I’ve been part of Gaza Medic Voices which has been holding vigils for killed healthcare workers across Britain. I can’t describe how positive the solidarity has been for Palestine. They’ve commented to us how much of a difference solidarity makes. So unions have a huge role to play.”

Health workers protested outside around 15 hospitals, organised by Health Workers For Palestine and other groups

Around 60 health workers and medical students protested at St George’s hospital in south London. Organiser Max said the mood was “energetic”. “It was a great turnout, especially as there was some difficulty giving out leaflets in advance,” he said.

“We focused on the health workers in Gaza that have been killed–and the need for international solidarity. Everyone wanted Britain to stop arming Israel.”

The protest at Poole hospital, in Dorset, was a success with over 50 people joining in. “We got a lot of health workers there, mostly doctors from the hospital but also some from local GP surgeries,” organiser Carrie told Socialist Worker.


Full coverage of the struggle in Palestine


“This is the first protest I’ve ever organised and the first one at the hospital, so it was a big step. Management tried to shut it down. They even called me to ask me to call it off, but I refused.”

People at the protest were so happy at the chance to speak out that they’ve decided to make the Palestine protests monthly. “The mood around the hospital was very supportive. Staff were grateful that we were doing something in solidarity,” says Carrie.

But the mood of intimidation did put some people off attending. “I’ve had calls from people saying they really wanted to come, but didn’t want their managers to know,” she added.

“There are many people here that have family in Gaza, or have other connections to Palestine, that we are now discussing a local public meeting too.”

Hospital workers at the Homerton in Hackney, east London

Over 30 health workers protested outside St Thomas’ Hospital in central London. They stood with banners and flags to demand a ceasefire in Gaza, and action from their NHS trust.

Noor, a doctor in A&E, told Socialist Worker, “As healthcare workers we have to be the voices for those Israel has murdered, especially healthcare workers.

“Healthcare is no longer functioning in Gaza and Israel is targeting health workers on purpose.”

Noor added, “We’re limited on our own but at a trust level we can make a difference, but it’s up to us to push and mobilise to make that happen.”

Doctor Nasrine added, “We have to make our workplace somewhere that can support Gaza. We will hold our trust to account because it’s supported previous conflicts, but not this one.

“We’re going to continue to pressure our trust to come up with solid plans that can support the rebuilding of healthcare that’s been torn to the ground in Gaza.”

Up to 30 civil service workers in Nottingham held a lunchtime rally in support of Palestine. A speaker for the PCS union attacked the government, saying that the Tories had money to help arm Israel but no money for improving pay.

“The question of social justice is bound up with the question of economic justice,” she said.

In Edinburgh, around 30 PCS civil service union members at the Scottish Government Group joined with members from Leith jobcentre for a rally outside the Victoria Quay building.

They were there to say that PCS stands with Gaza. Some of them went on to the main Edinburgh rally outside the Scottish Parliament.

Camilo Arredondo from the Scottish Government branch and Steve West from the DWP branch addressed that rally.

Around 30 PCS union members working in and around Whitehall staged a lunchtime protest outside Parliament.

In Portsmouth, some 14 workers based in the civic offices joined the lunchtime Stand with Gaza meeting. They agreed to hold monthly “Workers for Palestine” lunchtime drop-ins so we can support each other and build the campaign.

In Hackney, east London, town hall workers staged a lunchtime rally for Palestine. The Unison union branch secretary spoke, as did the Hackney NEU education union branch secretary.

Students were central to the day of action. Over 300 students joined a march from the UAL in Camberwell to Goldsmiths. They chanted, “From New Cross to Gaza—globalise the intifada,” and, “London students, it’s out time, shut it down for Palestine.”

Samira, a Goldsmiths student, said, “We rallied at Goldsmiths and then marched to Deptford Town Hall to deliver hundreds of letters with our demands to management.”

They want Goldsmiths management to protect students’ right to protest, walk out and demonstrate. And they demand the university immediately “divest from surveillance company Nice Ltd” and “commit to a BDS investment policy” and “revoke the IHRA definition of antisemitism immediately” which conflates anti-Zionism with antisemitism.

At Bristol university around 200 people joined a march and then about 30 occupied the Senate House. Campus security stopped others from taking part.

Around 130 students joined a 30-minute walkout for Palestine at Greenshaw Sixth Form in Sutton, south London.

Tommy, one of those involved, told Socialist Worker, “We gathered in a field near the school and chanted ‘Free, Free Palestine” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.

Tommy said that he had decided to hold the protest after seeing “Israel killing young people like us in Gaza”. “It’s a policy of genocide where Israeli leaders speak openly of making Gaza ‘unliveable’,” he said.

“It was quite easy to get people involved because they can see the reality every day.”

Tommy built for the day by circulating messages and using a megaphone in the sixth form area on Wednesday morning. He said teachers in the NEU union had been supportive—and, because so many students took part, he didn’t fear disciplinary action.

The agitation for Palestine has brought together students who didn’t know each other before. “We really bonded over this,” said Tommy.

Students plan to go to the next national demonstration in London on 17 February.

“Lots of people want to take action for Palestine, but it takes someone to organise it,” said Tommy. “And then when you do, you can find lots of people who agree with you and want to be part of it too.”

Around 50 people marched down the streets of Oxford chanting for a free Palestine. The march went from Weston Library to Barclays Bank, with students taking over the streets.

An Oxford student said, “I think we need to pressure colleges to call for a cease-fire. Most people are overwhelmingly pro-Palestine but some are fearful about coming out. But we need to mobilise, especially with direct action.”

The bombing of Syria, Iraq and Yemen “is part of a wider escalation of imperialist war”.

Oxford student Joumana said, “We need more direct action. Oxford university has obvious steps it could take. It needs to review all of its financing of Israeli companies. And it hasn’t supported Palestinian students at all. Even in the smallest of steps, it’s falling short.”

“The response to Ukraine was 180 degrees in a different direction. The university is showing that it doesn’t care about Palestinian lives.”

A student from the Palestine Society said, “Actions that demand to be seen and maintain visibility is crucial. When our protests block the streets, it forces people to look.

“But we need to push beyond a ceasefire for Palestinian liberation. Ceasefire is only the first step. The bombing is part of the maintenance of Western imperialism in the Middle East.”

Several areas had Palestine organising assemblies in the run-up to the day of action, including Bristol, Oxford, Liverpool and north London.

Domenica said, “The organising assembly in Oxford helped keep the momentum going. It connected students from an array of colleges and stressed the need for all of Oxford to come out together.”

“It brought together a collection of people. The assembly helped collectively organise and definitely helped in getting more people to the protests.”

Another student said, “The assembly helped to build this protest, especially with getting younger students, and construct the whole day of action in Oxford. We need as many people as possible on board with the cause.

“The organising assembly helped to give people a voice in the conversation. Cross city solidarity is growing.”

Around 200 students and campus trade unionists joined a rally at Glasgow university. They then marched to the central rally at City Chambers.

Olive told Socialist Worker, “We took the road on the march and then blocked the road at Queen Street in the city centre.

“The turnout today was bigger than other recent mobilisations—there’s a real mood for action over Palestine.” The march was organised by the Socialist Worker Student Society and other activists.

Protesters occupied also occupied Glasgow Queen Street Station in the city.

Students in central London raged against their universities’ complicity in genocide—and how management has tried to stop students and staff from speaking about Palestine. A dozen students gathered outside Soas university and tied ribbons with the names of those murdered by the Israeli state written on them around campus.

Lina, a student at Soas, told Socialist Worker, “University bosses preach about decolonisation, but it doesn’t mean anything.

“The police arrested a Soas student last week under terrorism charges for supporting Palestine. Our university said nothing. Instead, when we’ve had protests in the past where they’ve threatened to call the police on us.”

Lina added, “I’m part of the Palestine society at Soas, so we’ve been building the action through that and with other groups.”

Students at Soas tied ribbons with the names of Palestinians who the Israeli state murdered around the campus. They then marched to UCL university.

Group UCL action for Palestine went to the university’s learning centre and renamed it the Refaat Alareer Learning Centre. The Palestinian academic and poet who was murdered by the Israeli state last December was a student at UCL in 2007.

After hearing speeches, students marched to the university principal’s office chanting, “Resistance is justified when a people are occupied.”

Students handed a list of demands for the university, including for it to divest from companies that fuel Israeli apartheid.

Grace, a fine art student at UCL, told Socialist Worker, “It’s disgusting that our university won’t say anything about this genocide. It’s frustrating because they would speak out about Ukraine.

“I think people at the moment are still scared. The security at UCL is always very harsh when we protest. But I think if we keep talking, keep growing our networks, people will feel a lot less scared to stand up.”

Around 400 people joined a student demonstration in Leeds joined by university workers, an RMT union delegation, and a convoy of taxis plus other local workers who had got a leaflet and came to join it.

In Edinburgh student groups and staff mobilised for a walkout on campus.

Stop the War Activists joined students from the Justice for Palestine Society, anti-Zionist Jewish students, climate groups, Socialist Worker Student Society members and many others who gathered in Bristo Square. Around 25 UCU union staff members were present, with the branch banner.

Liam reports, “Healthcare workers joined as well, as we marched from the university to the Scottish Parliament, with around 150 people at the peak. PCS members joined the rally at Parliament later on.

“It was a powerful show of solidarity.”

Alongside workplace and student action, Palestine activists held protests in local areas. Jan from north London, says the protest in Islington was “great”. “We began outside Islington Town Hall and marched to Labour MP Emily Thornberry’s constituency office,” she said.

“There were some amazing watermelon placards and children wrote moving poems, which were posted through the office letterbox. There was some ferocious chanting too. We hope Thornberry heard our fury.”

Wednesday was far bigger than the two previous days of action, with more workers taking some sort of action at their workplaces. Grassroots union members organised in the face of fear and intimidation over speaking out over Palestine in workplaces—and inaction of the majority of the union leaders.

It’s good that the UCU universities and colleges union, the NEU education union and PCS civil service workers’ union backed the day of action.

But the majority of union leaders—including the biggest three, Unison, Unite and GMB—didn’t say anything.

Imagine how much bigger the day would have been if the union leaders had called on their members to organise action.

Wednesday was a springboard for more action, which can build workers’ confidence to take bigger and more militant action. It’s up to workers and students to build on Wednesday in their workplaces to make future mobilisations stronger, and push their union leaders into action.

Investigators identify main cause of casualties in Turkey-Syria earthquakes

More than 50,000 people were killed in the disaster last February.

THE EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING FIELD INVESTIGATION TEAM LOOKED INTO THE 2023 TURKEY-SYRIA EARTHQUAKES. (EEFIT/ PA)

SAM RUSSELL

1 DAY AGO

The main cause of casualties in earthquakes that claimed more than 50,000 lives was building stock comprised primarily of reinforced concrete structures, according to a report.

The Earthquake Engineering Field Investigation Team’s (EEFIT) investigation into the disaster that hit parts of Turkey and Syria on February 6 2023 said that “profit drive pushes all players within the construction industry to take shortcuts”.

The report’s authors added: “The auditing and quality control mechanisms embedded in the legal and bureaucratic processes should be strengthened to ensure code compliance.

“The legalisation of non-compliant buildings through amnesties cannot continue.”

Deficiencies were found even in the newest building stock, according to the report, which calls for a review of building stock and infrastructure to assess risk levels for future earthquakes.

They said that building stock was “primarily composed of reinforced concrete structures, which are therefore the main cause of the casualties”.

Within one week of the quakes, EEFIT, a joint venture between industry and universities, gathered a team of 30 global experts to assess the damage.

They studied the science, engineering and data related to the earthquakes including geotechnics, the structural and infrastructure impact, and the relief response and recovery.

Cambridge University’s Professor Emily So, who co-led the investigation, said: “The 2023 Turkey and Syria earthquakes were truly tragic, hitting an already fragile population, including migrants.

“Our field work and remote analysis revealed many issues, including the issue of non-compliant buildings with little seismic resilience.

“Building code compliance needs to be strengthened.”

The investigators said the earthquakes caused the “loss of more than 50,000 lives, some 100,000 injuries and significant damage to buildings and infrastructure, estimated to be in the range of 84.1 billion US dollars (£66.9 billion) for Turkey alone”.

Their 354-page report is published by the Institution of Structural Engineers.

UK
What does the public want the Government to do for the NHS?

Hannah Davenport 

Left Foot Forward

Yesterday

Confidence from Conservative voters in their own party's handling of the NHS has dropped from 70% to 27%

Confidence in government policies for the NHS has hit major lows as Rishi Sunak admits to failed pledges and overall satisfaction in care is poor. But support for the founding principles of the NHS remains high and the public want solutions.

Recent polling suggests Britons are not optimistic about the future of the NHS, with a recent YouGov survey showing the majority (56%) believe the public health body will only get worse over the next few years. Only 14% think things will get better for the NHS and 24% think it will stay the same.

But what are the main issues the public wants the government to address regarding the NHS?

Funding

A publication from The Health Foundation on public perception of the NHS found there was strong support for an increase in funding, with the public surveyed by the group in general of the belief that the UK government spends less than other countries on healthcare.

The public were divided on how to fund an increase in spending, as support shifted towards increasing taxes and away from cutting spending on other services. However the majority of those surveyed by the Kings Trust over a similar period believed the NHS should ‘live within its budget’ when it came to additional funds.

Despite challenges, support for what the NHS stands for remains high, with the core principle of having a health system that remains free at the point of delivery for all supported by 87% of the public.

How to spend the money

The majority of the public do not believe NHS staff are treated well, and support improvements to staff working conditions and pay.

Support remains high for striking NHS workers, from nurses to doctors. One year on from the nurses strike a report found nearly seven in ten people continue to support nurses striking over pay. Whilst over 70% support nurses striking over staff shortages.

This suggests that the public would like the government to invest in the NHS workforce and ways of increasing retention of staff while offering a proper pay rise.

Results from the Kings Fund last year found the top priorities for the NHS should be, making it easier to get a GP appointment and increasing the number of staff. With these two remaining the same priorities from the public as previous years.

The report also found a sharp increase in those who want to see A&E waiting times as a top priority with those surveyed also favouring a free, accessible tax-funded service.

The health and social care charity said politicians should look at understanding the factors which saw satisfaction in the NHS grow steadily every year from 38% in 2001 to a high of 70% in 2010 – correlating with sustained investment in health services, a reward and retain workforce and targeted improvements in waiting lists.

Change of Government

There has been a striking decrease in Conservative voters’ confidence in their own party’s handling of the NHS in recent years. Current YouGov polling shows confidence has dropped from 70% in 2019 to 27% now. Whilst Tory voters confidence in Labour grew from 11% to 21% during this period.

The view of the general population is that Labour is the best party to manage the NHS, by 40% compared to 10% who believe the Conservatives are best placed. Meaning the public believe a general election could well be one remedy for the NHS.

(Image credit: Sheila / Creative Commons)


Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward, focusing on trade unions and environmental issues

NHS and ambulance workers demand pay rise and free staff parking in pay deal for 2024/25

BERNY TORRE

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2024

A general view of one of the visitor car parks at St Peter's Hospital near Chertsey, Surrey

GMB has demanded free staff parking and a flat £1.50 pay rise — equivalent to 13 per cent for the lowest paid — as part of the 2024/25 pay deal for its ambulance and NHS worker members.

Research by the union found NHS trusts trousered £46 million from staff parking in 2022-23.

It is also refusing to engage with the NHS Pay Review Body until it is reformed — questioning the body’s independence from the government — making its claim directly to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

The claim is the first after more than 13,000 GMB ambulance workers took part in multiple strike days and won an above- inflation pay rise last year.

GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison said: “GMB will not engage with the NHS Pay Review Body process until it has been significantly reformed — with NHS and ambulance workers confident it’s truly independent.”

The DHSC was contacted for comment.