VIJAY PRASHAD looks at the web of militias and drug-trafficking gangs that emerged in the Sweida region through the Syrian civil war, and how they relate to recent clashes and Israel’s intervention
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The IMF must grant Venezuela’s bid for funds now
Venezuela’s appeal for an emergency loan worth $US5 billion to help it tackle the coronavirus crisis has been turned down. We cannot accept this, writes Unite's TONY BURKE
A woman wearing a mask walks wearing her cross at sunset during Holy Week in the Catia neighbourhood of Caracas, Venezuela, on Easter Sunday
by Roger D Harris and John Perry
VINCE MILLS says Scottish Labour has adopted better positions than its Westminster counterpart — but unless it starts to fight for them that will count for nothing
Labour MSP CAROL MOCHAN calls for Britain to follow France’s lead and recognise the Palestinian state as part of efforts to end this war
A Chilean court ruled that funds were illegally taken by the dictator to accumulate family wealth that is now disputed among his heirs, writes PABLO MERIGUET
The shock suspension of socialist MPs and Diane Abbott’s re-suspension reveals a leadership intent on crushing internal debate — but MERCEDES VILLALBA MSP warns against surrendering party democracy without a fight
THE Venezuelan government wrote to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) seeking funds from its rapid financing instrument (RFI) to “strengthen its detection and response systems” during the coronavirus pandemic.
The IMF claims that RFI loans “can be disbursed very quickly to assist member countries implement policies to address emergencies such as the coronavirus” and has allocated $50 billion (£40bn) to the fund.
This decision not to grant an RFI then, seems to illustrate that it is really the US Trump administration, with its unremittingly hostile policy of securing illegal regime change through sanctions against Venezuela, that is calling the shots at the IMF.
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