Negotiations with Greece Close to Breakdown as Budget Strains Worsen

Published on naked capitalism, by Yves Smith, March 18, 2015.

Things are not looking good for Greece.

When Greece and the Eurogroup signed a four-month deal delineating how Greece could get access to desperate needed, so-called “bailout” funds, our reading of the agreement was that it reaffirmed the so-called Memorandum of Understanding, meaning the structural reforms that were part of the IMF loan program. That was very much a minority view at the time.   Continuer la lecture de « Negotiations with Greece Close to Breakdown as Budget Strains Worsen »

Unintended Consequences

… Obama traces origin of ISIS to Bush-era Iraq invasion, President Barack Obama speaks with ICE news – Video published on Russia Today RT, 2.59 min, March 17, 2015.

Obama stated that he is “confident” a coalition consisting of 60 nations “will slowly push back ISIL out of Iraq,” but added that the challenge of stopping extremism won’t stop unless there is a political solution to the internal strife affecting so many countries in the Middle East.   Continuer la lecture de « Unintended Consequences »

Basic income and the anti-slavery movement

Modern-day ‘abolitionists’ need to frame labour exploitation so that it fits the narrative of their funding sources – Published on openDemocracy, by NEIL HOWARD, March 12, 2015:

Unconditional basic income is not only feasible, but it also has more emancipatory potential than any other single policy because it targets economic vulnerability, the heart of all labour exploitation.

Last May, I argued in a piece for Al-Jazeera that the emerging global anti-slavery movement risks becoming no more than a fig leaf for structural political-economic injustice. I suggested that unless it faces that injustice head-on, it will waste a generational opportunity to make the world more just, focussing instead on making consumers and activists “feel better about feeling bad” … //

… Slavery and the market: … //

… Basic income: Continuer la lecture de « Basic income and the anti-slavery movement »

Assange on Asylum – Interview

Published on ZNet (first on teleSUR English ), by Chris Spannos and Julian Assange, March 14, 2015.

Swedish authorities announced Friday their willingness to finally interview WikiLeaks’ editor-in-chief Julian Assange, but a secret U.S. investigation has trapped the insurgent publisher without charge in Ecuador’s London embassy. Monday, March 16 will mark 1,000 days since Assange sought asylum there. In an exclusive interview with teleSUR English, Assange said there is growing recognition that the situation is unjust. Assange spoke with teleSUR editor Chis Spannos//

… CS: So in this larger context, what does the Swedish investigation represent?   Continuer la lecture de « Assange on Asylum – Interview »