Robinson successfully defended his school from closure, fought for the unification of the teaching unions, mentored future trade union leaders and transformed teaching at the Marx Memorial Library, writes JOHN FOSTER
Brics – the genie is well and truly out of the bottle
With the recent meeting in Kazan providing a glimpse of freedom for the global South, we must develop local, regional and international networks that can apply meaningful pressure on those who could steer this new grouping awry, writes ROGER McKENZIE

I WAS alone and noticed that I was laughing out loud. This would normally not be a good sign on so many levels.
But on this occasion my outburst of hilarity was to do with the latest expression of annoyance by Western nations over last week’s summit of Brics nations in the Russian city of Kazan.
The established Brics members — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, joined by a new cohort as of January of this year — Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates — obviously caused some fretting among the self-appointed masters of the universe led by the United States.
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