After years hidden away, Oldham’s memorial to six local volunteers who died fighting fascism in the Spanish civil war has been restored to public view, marking both a victory for campaigners and a renewed tribute to the town’s proud International Brigade heritage, says ROB HARGREAVES
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How China leads the way in tackling climate breakdown
From leading production in solar panels and wind farms, converting an entire city to only electric buses and taxis to planting forests 'the size of Ireland', the People's Republic is setting an example to the world, writes CARLOS MARTINEZ
While pretending to seek peace, Europe is heading toward a collision course with Russia – using security guarantees, troop deployments, expropriation and censorship as tools, writes SEVIM DAGDELEN
Alba party leader KENNY MacASKILL makes some suggestions on how to save our pubs and reduce irresponsible drinking
The catastrophe unfolding in Gaza – where Palestinians are freezing to death in tents – is not a natural disaster but a calculated outcome of Israel’s ongoing blockade, aid restrictions and continued violence, argues CLAUDIA WEBBE
Opinion polls point to electoral collapse, parliamentary rebellion and a looming leadership challenge as Starmer’s Labour haemorrhages working-class support and the far right exploits the vacuum left by a hollowed-out party, says NICK WRIGHT
The long-term effects of chemical weapons such as Agent Orange mean that the impact of war lasts well beyond a ceasefire
“We will never again seek economic growth at the cost of the environment” – Xi Jinping
The cost of development
Standing in Tiananmen Square on October 1 1949, pronouncing the birth of the People’s Republic of China, Mao Zedong said “the Chinese people have stood up.” In standing up, in building a modern socialist society and throwing off the shackles of feudalism, colonialism, backwardness, illiteracy and grinding poverty, China blazed a trail for the entire Global South.
Life expectancy now exceeds 76, more than double what it was in 1949. Adult literacy stands at 97 per cent (for 15-24 year olds it’s 100 per cent). China is on the cusp of having completely eradicated extreme poverty. One hundred per cent of the population has access to electricity.
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The Communist Party of Britain’s Congress last month debated a resolution on ending opposition to all nuclear power in light of technological advances and the climate crisis. RICHARD HEBBERT explains why
Chinese socialist planning and action over decades have created the world’s greatest reforestation programme, writes CARLOS MARTINEZ, and now its lessons in fighting desertification and climate change are taking root worldwide