zondag 1 november 2026
WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE ITALY ITALIA ROME - news journal UPDATE - (en) Italy, FAI, Umanita Nova #27-26 - War Is Already Here (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
On September 20th in Niscemi, the No MUOS Movement held a regional assembly to discuss the state of the ongoing conflict, the current reality of wartime repression, and the situation in Niscemi regarding the disastrous landslide and its dramatic impact on the daily lives of the town's residents. ---- The public event drew around forty participants, including a fair number of locals and comrades from the No F35 Trapani-Birgi Committee, accompanied by a Mexican comrade representing indigenous organizations.
Unfortunately, we must note the lack of interest in this initiative shown by the rest of the so-called "Sicilian Movement." I understand that, for many, the No MUOS cause no longer satisfies the urge for the limelight or dominance; it is viewed as a failed, rear-guard struggle-and thus unworthy of "revolutionary" consideration or electoral gain. These are shortsighted assessments that pretend not to grasp the gravity of the situation and the dangers of a military attack on our territory.
Beyond these modest observations of mine, the assembly was highly interesting in terms of the speeches and content shared. Discussions covered the psychological damage the war situation is inflicting on the population, the frequent use of psychotropic drugs, and the need for therapeutic support to cope with the fear of war.
This precariousness has been compounded by the landslide, which has further exacerbated the situation, taking a toll on the emotional well-being of children-and young girls in particular. They are struggling to experience their childhoods, finding it difficult to simply be visible and play in Niscemi's public square. There was extensive and blunt discussion regarding the deep disappointment felt by the local community at failing to prevent the construction of the MUOS system. This followed an intense period of struggle that culminated in road blockades intended to stop the vehicles of the Mafia-linked company-contracted to erect the satellite dishes-from passing; these vehicles were escorted and protected by the "forces of disorder," who facilitated the operation by charging at protesters and filing criminal complaints, effectively enabling the installation of these instruments of war. Subsequently, the citizens who had opposed MUOS faced legal charges and smear campaigns aimed at discrediting them.
Many young people left the town to seek work elsewhere; a deliberate campaign of slander orchestrated by those in power sowed discord within families, and many women were branded "whores" simply for participating in the No-MUOS movement.
All of this has generated-and continues to generate-a sense of unease and resignation among the population regarding the threat of war and the presence of the American base.
This repression-waged as if in a state of war-has relentlessly targeted activists; those who took part in the summer and winter protest camps were inundated with criminal charges and served with numerous expulsion orders banning them from the area. This situation was the subject of extensive debate; in particular, two speakers-a comrade from Catania and our own comrade Natale Musarra-discussed the charges of incitement to commit a crime and the expulsion orders served against them. These measures were a response to the speeches they had delivered outside Gate 1 of the base, where they had reaffirmed that, sooner or later, we would return. These accounts vividly demonstrated the true nature of wartime-style repression. Our Mexican comrade reminded us of the similarities between Sicily and his homeland, where drug cartels and the military launch daily attacks against local communities fighting to protect the environment and build a society based on freedom and solidarity.
Here, the Mafia and the State constantly remind us that our present is defined by death and exploitation.
Comrades from the "No F35" movement came to build ties and foster convergence for upcoming demonstrations.
A key contribution came from engineer Albanelli-a native of Niscemi, despite working in the North like so many others-who detailed the history of Niscemi's hydrogeological instability, the current state of the landslide, and potential solutions. As a movement, we have committed to further study and possible future initiatives on this issue.
Above all, we discussed the state of war in which Niscemi finds itself on the front lines-with acts of war launched daily from the MUOS site-fully aware that extremely difficult times lie ahead.
We set several dates for mobilization, mindful that the trial for "incitement" against three comrades-including Natale Musarra-opens in Gela on October 7th. On October 24th, we will hold a public assembly in the town square to oppose war-related repression.
Furthermore, on November 7th, we will return to the base, because the antennas and the MUOS system tell us that war is already here. We intend to resist and halt this. No MUOS until victory.
Antonio Rampolla
https://umanitanova.org/la-guerra-e-gia-qui/
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Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE ITALY ITALIA ROME - news journal UPDATE - (en) Italy, UCADI, #212 - SHUT UP YOU (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
UNTHINKING MIDDLE CLASS ---- Diego Bianchi, the famous "Zoro", declared on September 21st on the programme "8 1/2" (La7) that Putin would win in Italy. There would be much to say about the intellectual level of the character and the programme he hosts ("Propaganda Live" also on La7), but here personal tastes also come into play . I can only say that, exactly like Fazio's programme, these are centre-left identity programmes, designed for that audience that Paul Ginsborg would have called the "reflective middle class"[2], a social class that in reality today has numerically reduced, impoverished and pulverised, but which still thinks of itself, in some way, as the vanguard of moderate progressivism, whatever that means. An often downgraded niche that does not throw itself to the right mainly for sentimental reasons and to identify the term "left" with civic sense and the belief that it is still anthropologically superior.
Also worthy of note are "Zoro's" statements on the Italian resistance, devoid of any historical dignity.Unless, to bring together distant and diverse events, one says that beings breathe, walk, and eat.
Obviously, the right-wing press has jumped on the bandwagon, going so far as to praise Diego Bianchi, when, generally speaking, even those who ask for a receipt are considered communists. Not to mention the atrocities of the "Foglio" of the "Riformista" (better known as Rifognista).
Aside from these considerations, I would like to focus once again on the true war propaganda that has been trying to convince a reluctant public opinion for almost 5 years.[3]
This toxic propaganda has transformed a tragedy like the war into an Italy-World game, where anyone who tries to use reasoning is considered ipso facto a traitor.
INVADES-INVADERS-INVASED
It's worth recap. On February 24, 2022, the Russian bombing of Ukraine began, but he stated, "Who cares, who cares if public opinion is against military support for Ukraine!" Just as the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand was not the primary cause of the Great War, it's impossible to separate 2022 from what happened in the previous decade. But while this simple fact would seem self-evident to anyone, without necessarily having to choose sides, for nearly five years every attempt at rational discussion about that conflict has been assailed with incomprehensible violence. Previous history doesn't matter. What matters is the fairy tale of the promised land 3,000 years ago, or even the punishment of Versailles for the rise of Nazism. But it doesn't matter if Russia is involved. Where Russia exists, there is no history, but only an incomprehensible and fearful Moloch whose entire existence must be destroyed, including its culture, including its writers, just as in 1935 it was forbidden to perform Beethoven or read Kant (yes... Kant, the one read by the Ukrainian Nazi armies).
WHERE IS THE VICTORY?
In 2022 there were 59 conflicts in the world[4], presumably where one of the two actors was invaded or attacked and the other counterattacked or defended itself. This is to clarify that the terms "invader" and "invaded" can take on very little "value-based" characteristics (e.g. Italy was invaded by the Allies in 1943). Also because it is tautological that war is waged by two. Except for the unique case of the genocide in Gaza where Israel voluntarily and knowingly exterminated the civilian population, with the applause and support of the pure souls who equate Putin with Hitler.
Therefore, 59 conflicts where, in some, there is the hand of the powers (Russia, USA, etc...). But in none of these cases have the leaders of the European Union ever expressed not only the slightest intention of supplying weapons to one of the contenders, but they were also not even the slightest bit interested in the humanitarian situation. Obviously, there has been total silence from the press too.
Ukraine is not in NATO, it is not in the EU, it has no particular agreements with EU countries and EU countries have never had specific interests in that area.
The question arises spontaneously: what is the point of agreements, treaties, commercial and/or military unions, if then every type of diplomatic articulation is bypassed, to put both feet in a war that does not concern us?
Of course, there is the humanitarian question and there is the disgust that every war should cause. But faced with a total lack of humanitarian interest (with the exception of the uncritical and false infatuation of the first part of the conflict where "white and Aryan" refugees were welcomed with great fanfare. Finally, non-black immigrants!)[5]and, above all, a total diplomatic absence, the path of supplying weapons was chosen right from the start, causing an escalation that has now come to the brink of nuclear conflict.
Together with this choice of side, war propaganda has begun. As I mentioned earlier. "We win and we will win!" such obtuse and demented propaganda that, despite the constant harping and harping, every time polls are conducted, even the most ambiguous and convoluted, the Italian population demonstrates that they have no intention of waging war.
THEY TELL ME IT'S NOT TRUE
In the 1970s, the brilliant comedian Alighiero Noschese performed a marvelous imitation of the journalist Mario Pastore. He excitedly announced the most sensational news. Then, after answering the phone, he specified, "They tell me it's not true."[6]
A few days ago, Ansa released a story, taken up by the newspaper El Mundo, which opened the national news, according to which the CIA had discovered a Russian plan to attack Italy, Spain and France with drones. The news, obviously a hoax, was denied almost in real time and was repeated until the evening.
Now, unless we think that the international press has carried out the CIA's plan to pour SD into the sewers, the situation seems much more rudimentary to me. Even if the CIA is always present.[7]
That is, how to prepare the European population for war. Here we really have to think about what is going on in the heads of the European and NATO leaders. We do not know if they are bluffing, if they want to push the accelerator for a stress test, if they really want to go into conflict with Russia. I believe it is always worth remembering the outcomes to which these sleepwalking strategies have led[8]by remembering Caracciolo's words on the half-hour duration of the next nuclear conflict.[9]
RIGHT AND LEFT
Until about thirty years ago, if there was an issue that could unify the ever-divided left, it was peace. The left, any section of it, was against nationalism, fascism, war and in some cases fiercely anti-imperialist.
Today we are faced with a bellicose spirit that cuts across both positions (in many cases differentiated only by nominal topography). And we curiously witness a Salvini, as well as the Nazis of the AFD, who say apparently pacifist things about war. Pro domo sua obviously, but so be it.
On the left, however, we have long witnessed the imperial transformation of its own positions[10]. The last flash was the first Gulf War (1991) during which the PCI, still in liquidation, maintained an almost contrary position despite a thousand distinctions and obviously, amidst the mockery of the "liberal" press ("Il Corriere", "Repubblica").
Advice supported by Cossiga, should not be forgotten.
Thus, to enter the good living room (a bit like Nenni's naive "control room") the price to pay was to practically leave one's own identity outside.
A GENOCIDE AT THE UN
And we come to the other side of the same problem. A genocidal perpetrator indicted for crimes against humanity not only speaks at the UN, but exultantly displays the mass slaughter, while his henchmen threaten and intimidate those present in an institution the criminal despises. Meanwhile, Abu Mazen cannot attend because the US has denied him a visa. This is extremely serious behavior, given that the UN is the international representation.
Yet, faced with this scandalous and criminal behavior, our "free" press has not shown the same indignation it daily expresses against Russia. Indeed, there are journalists and newspapers (not just right-wing ones, because we know who that cesspool is) who praise it. Moreover, the famous "Left for Israel" group is among the most biased in our country (and is part of the Democratic Party).
THE WALKING DEAD
In April 2003, a month before his death, Luigi Pintor wrote a memorable article that seems to me perfectly timed for the current historical moment. Twenty-three years have passed, and someone clearly understood where we were headed.
The Italian left as we know it is dead. We don't admit it because it opens up a vacuum that daily political life cannot tolerate. We can always console ourselves with partial elections or a noisy demonstration. But the representative left, a broken oak tree, a withered daisy, and a trunkless olive tree, is out of the picture.
They are neither an opposition nor an alternative, nor even an alternation, to use this jargon. They have reached a level of subordination and subjection not only to the policies of the right but to its point of view and mentality, both internationally and domestically. I don't believe they are doing this out of opportunism or that it is the fault of individual leaders. Since '89, they have lost their historical position and their reference points and have crossed over to the other side. With some nuances. They want to return to government without any chance and believe this depends on their relations with the dominant groups and with the moderate and right-wing majority opinion. They consider their third of the electorate a hindrance rather than the only available resource. They have put the war behind them with a consensual parliamentary vote. Not the Iraqi war, but the American preventive and permanent war. They use the UN as a formal shelter and fail to see the scenario that has opened up. This also applies to the Italian scenario, where the confrontation is merely propagandistic. It's not a thousand voices and a single soul, as a manifesto claims; the soul has been missing for some time, and now there's no credible political face or physiognomy. It's an observation, not a polemic. We rely heavily on movements where the left's presence and spirit are evident. But they're not an adequate force on an international scale. Our ideas, our behaviors, our words are outdated compared to the dynamics of things, compared to current events and prospects. What's needed isn't a turning point, but a profound upheaval. Humanity is divided in two, above or below the institutions, divided into two parts irreconcilable in their way of feeling and being, but not yet in their way of acting. Nothing Manichean, but we need to draw another boundary and establish a sense of extraneousness with respect to the other side. Right and left are formulas. superficial and vague ideas that do not mark this boundary. Even peace and civil coexistence, our banners, cannot be an option among others, but an absolute principle that implies a conception of the world and of daily existence. Not a banner and an ideal, but a way of life. If the dominant segment of humanity today were to return to the state of nature with all its modern prostheses, it would make killing and the subjugation of self and others the rule and the
lever of history. We must abolish all contiguity with this irreconcilable side. An international, another ancient word that should also be abolished but to which we are attached. Not a formal organization but a myriad of women and men whose nationality, race, faith, political or religious background is irrelevant. Individuals but not atoms, who meet and recognize each other almost instinctively and enter into harmony naturally. In our microcosm we called each other comrades with this spontaneity but in a limited and jealous circle. Now it is an area without borders. It must not win tomorrow but operate every day and invade the field. Its aim is to reinvent life in an era that is depriving us of it in unprecedented ways."
(Luigi Pintor, April 2003, "Il Manifesto")
[1]A word to be linked to the wonderful sketch by Aldo Fabrizi
[2]P. Ginsborg, History of Italy from the post-war period to today , Einaudi 1989 and subsequent editions. But the concept has appeared in his other writings.
[3]So much so that the possessed Marie Teresa Meli, last September 16th on Aria che tira (La7!)
[4]For details on the conflicts it is a must to read the editions of the Atlas of wars and conflicts, see also the site https://www.unimondo.org/atlante-delle-guerre
[5]In this regard it is advisable to see the film https://www.mymovies.it/film/2023/green-border/
[6]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBYpDqThxqA
[7]In this regard it is worth reading the book by Frances Stonor Saunders, The Cultural Cold War. How the CIA influenced the European imagination , Fazi, 2026 (original ed., 1999). The author passed away on August 31st.
[8]Christopher Clark, The Sleepwalkers. How Europe Came to the Great War , Laterza, 2013.
[9]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpKKoeAADLo
[10]"Imperial Left" is a term coined by the philosophy scholar Stefano Azzarà.
Andrea Bellucci
https://www.ucadi.org/2026/09/29/taci-tu/
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Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
WORLD WORLDWIDE AUSTRALIA CANBERRA- news journal UPDATE - (en) Australia, ACF: Picket Line - The AI gamble (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
Capitalists have turned to AI to keep profits flowing, whatever the cost. But don't blame the computers. ---- Everywhere you look these days you see it. Fake photos and videos. Fake art. Fake music. Fake news stories. ---- Whether we like it or not, AI has become a part of daily life. Type any question into Google and the first result will be an authoritative sounding (but quite possibly wrong) AI-generated response. Students hand in AI-generated essays that are then marked by AI-grading software. Companies use it to generate entire advertising campaigns for products hyped-up as 'powered by AI'. Walk down the street and there's a good chance you'll see an AI poster. Open social media, and good luck finding anything else.
'Artificial Intelligence' is a bit of a misnomer. We haven't found a way to make machines 'think' in the same way that we do. AI models have been trained to harvest (that is, steal) massive amounts of data. They compile words, images, video and sound, and, based on that training, predict the most likely assemblage of words or pixels when faced with a prompt. Ask for a picture of a cat and you'll get a prediction of what a cat probably looks like, based on millions of other images.
The AI companies can nudge models to favour certain kinds of responses, but the general tendency is toward a generic, uncanny 'average' - and with plenty of room for mistakes. The result is that the first big impact made by AI has been to make the world uglier and to make information less reliable.
But AI isn't just generating bad art. Today, it's at the centre of the global capitalist economy.
Nearly $3 trillion has been invested into the technology worldwide, including $300 million in Australia alone. Markets across the world are increasingly being propped up by just a handful of AI-industry stocks.
So how did we get here? Is the AI revolution all it's cracked up to be? Are the robots coming for all our jobs (or maybe even to take over)?
Falling profits...
To understand the hysterical mania around AI, you first have to understand the position capitalism was in when the technology arrived.
For capitalism to survive, the system needs to be constantly expanding. Investors need to be sure that production will lead to profits, and that they will be able to out-compete rivals in the market.
One way to beat the competition is by boosting productivity and cutting labour costs. The bosses are constantly on the hunt for new technologies and forms of automation that can give them an edge.
But the advantage is only ever temporary. When competitors jump on board, everyone is back on the same playing field. Companies can produce more, quicker, and with less labour. But over time this tends to make the value of the product fall.
This has been a major crisis for capitalism since the 1970s, when developed capitalist countries felt the pinch of falling rates of return on investment in industries like manufacturing.
The ruling class tried to solve the problem in a few ways. They privatised public services, turned the financial economy into a casino for bankers and stock-traders, and they sent huge swathes of their industrial economies overseas, so that unions couldn't win as big of a share of the shrinking pie.
This worked for a while. Until it didn't. The financial system built to make up for falling profit-rates crashed in 2008. Since then, capitalists have struggled to decide where best to park their piles of cash. In tech start-ups? Real estate? Ponzi-schemes, like crypto and NFTs?
Actually making stuff is of less interest. The ruling class is obsessed with 'stagnant productivity' - the fact that they haven't been able to squeeze more profit out of workers, particularly in industries like care-work and hospitality, where automation and out-sourcing is trickier.
... Rising bubbles
This is why the bosses are so excited by AI. Capitalists are staking everything on the hope that it will deliver a massive productivity boost across the economy and allow companies to throw millions of workers off the payroll.
The AI-boom, then, is a multi-trillion-dollar roll of the dice. And with all that money sloshing around, everyone wants to get in on the action. The result has been to transform the AI gamble into what is almost certainly a massive bubble.
Apart from the companies making the hardware for data centres, none of these businesses are actually profitable, or delivering on their promised potential. The computer-power needed to train and operate AI is insanely expensive. The sums dwarf the amount of revenue that these companies are bringing in from users.
AI stock prices are based on hope, hype, and some sleazy accounting tricks. Take the example of 'circular financing': Microsoft buys billions of dollars worth of hardware from a company like Nvidia - Nvidia uses that money to buy a stake in OpenAI (ChatGPT) - and OpenAI funnels that money back to Microsoft, for access to their data centres. A bag of money switches a few hands, expenses magically become revenue, and the stock market celebrates.
Some of the hype takes the form of fearmongering. Senior AI developers have made wild claims that their software is so powerful and revolutionary it could become self-aware and kill us all. The solution? To give them more power and money, obviously.
The trouble is, it's not just wealthy investors who are at risk if this whole thing goes belly up. The major tech companies have already issued around $200 billion in corporate bonds ('IOUs') to help fund AI infrastructure. That debt is being held by banks, governments, and even retirement funds.
So workers lose either way. If AI delivers on the promise fueling all this investment, millions of people will be thrown out of work. If it doesn't, the bubble bursts and the economy tanks - taking superannuation with it.
Burn the data centres?
Despite not quite living up to expectations just yet, the ruling class have still managed to find some uses for AI.
The creative industries are driving out real artists and replacing them with AI-generated slop. Gig-work companies like Uber are using AI-powered algorithms to surveil workers and customers, testing for signs of desperation so they can raise prices and low-ball wages.
States have embraced AI as a tool of repression too. In Palestine, the IDF uses AI targeting systems to carry out it's genocide. In the U.S., ICE uses it to generate possible targets for deportation.
Behind this Orwellian nightmare is the physical infrastructure that makes it all possible: data centres.
Data centres are essentially big warehouses filled with computers, running 24/7. Capitalist governments around the world are racing to get this infrastructure up and running so they can get their hands on some of the spoils of the AI boom.
There are some workers that are keen too. Construction workers and sparkies lucky enough to get jobs on these projects will be glad to take contracts on union-run sites with good EBAs.
Others aren't so happy. What will the extreme temperatures generated by the facilities do to surrounding soil, or the local water supply? And what good are a few union jobs if AI ends up putting the rest of us out of work?
Some of these complaints don't hold up as well as some on the left seem to think. For now, the water usage seems manageable outside of drought-ridden areas, and the 'heat islands' created by centres don't reach very far. As for noise, roads are worse offenders, and far more land is wasted on luxury golf courses.
The real problem is the sheer amount of electricity these things chew through, and the rate at which the demand for data centres is growing.
As we prepare this issue of Picket Line, the AI company Anthropic (Claude) has signed a deal to build Australia's largest data centre in Western Downs, Queensland. That one facility is projected to use up to three times more power than Brisbane's 1.4 million residents combined. That adds up to an extra 6.7 million tonnes in emissions a year.
As long as we're generating electricity with fossil fuel inputs, data centres will be big polluters. And as long as we live under capitalism, there will never be a limit to the amount of energy and raw materials that the system demands.
The future of communist robots
This has rightly led to a lot of fear and anger. Some have gone as far as saying that they want data centres and AI companies shut down entirely.
Slowing down the rate of data centre construction is probably a good idea. But we shouldn't throw the baby out with the bath water. As with prior forms of automation, the real issue is who controls this technology, not the technology itself.
Under the control of capitalists and politicians, AI will be used to put people out of work and wage war. Flooding the internet with ugly, fake garbage, and removing human oversight for crucial tasks is a small price to pay for profit.
But things could be different.
When the port logistics company DP World announced plans to replace workers with AI-assisted cranes and driverless vehicles, dock workers in the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) responded by calling for a 28-hour work week, with no reduction in jobs or pay.
At the heart of the MUA workers' demand is the principle of workers' control - the logical conclusion of which is anarchist communism.
Under workers' control, AI could be harnessed in a totally different way. We could supervise these models to make life easier. We could take advantage of the genuine strides made by AI models in programming, mathematics, and medical science to meet everyone's needs. And it could all be powered by renewables at a sustainable scale.
While we wait to see if the bubble will burst, the capitalists are building a world where robots make the art, and humans do all the work. Our goal should be to turn it the other way around.
https://ancomfed.org/2026/10/the-ai-gamble/
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Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE ITALY ITALIA SICILY SICILIA ROME - (en) Italy, Sicilia Libertaria #471 - ANTHROPOCENE OR CAPITOLOCENE? - On the Dark Present and the Possible Future (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
The sultry summer we're experiencing is further evidence of ongoing climate change. The scientific community has long identified its cause in human activity resulting from industrialization: the term Anthropocene was coined for this reason. While the responsibility is certainly human, not all humans are equally responsible for the disaster we're facing; some, in fact, prefer to speak of the Capitoline cene, that is, the role of the capitalist system, or at least an economic system based on unlimited growth and development that ignores the finite nature and human circumstances. What can we do in the face of all this? While the fight against the capitalist system is central, even small initiatives that local communities can undertake are crucial: to reverse the trend of rising temperatures, to restore space for collective action.
Of the dark present and the possible future
During the scorching nights when you can't sleep, during the days at the beach when you can't find any relief even by submerging yourself in the water, during the violent summer and winter storms and cyclones when all that remains is to assess the damage and the victims, during the water supply outages when you vainly promise yourself to take action, during... during... during... The list of emergencies attributable to climate change is endless, and many of them are now part of everyday life, even though many more await us just around the corner. If anyone still doesn't know what we're talking about, just take a look at the website of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security.
Climate change refers to the significant and persistent alteration of the Earth's climate. According to the international scientific community, this phenomenon is directly or indirectly attributable to human activities that alter the composition of the global atmosphere, particularly through increased concentrations of greenhouse gases. The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon that allows the Earth to maintain a temperature compatible with life. However, increased anthropogenic emissions have intensified this mechanism.
The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has now exceeded 420 parts per million (ppm), reaching levels not seen for hundreds of thousands of years.
According to the latest available data from the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), updated to 2023-2024: - the average temperature in Italy has increased by more than 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels, with a growth trend above the global average in the Mediterranean area; - recent years have been among the warmest ever recorded in national historical series; - there has been an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including episodes of intense precipitation, heat waves, and prolonged droughts; - Alpine glaciers continue to experience a marked reduction in surface area and volume; - critical issues related to hydrogeological instability and water stress persist, with significant impacts on ecosystems, agriculture, and infrastructure; over 94% of Italian municipalities are exposed to landslide, flood, and erosion risks. Other consequences of climate change include: rising average ocean levels (approximately 3.4 millimeters per year over the past two decades) and the advance of salt wedges in coastal areas; reduced freshwater availability (which decreases by 20% for every degree of increase in temperature) and river flow (with increased drought risk); an overall decrease in annual precipitation of 10-30%, increasing the risk of fires and greenhouse gas emissions, both directly and through the destruction of vegetation cover. Desertification will also spread, understood as both the emergence of new desert areas and the decline in soil productivity due to a reduction in organic matter, which is estimated to affect approximately 39% of the total land surface, 21% of Europe's, and as much as 70% of Sicily's. The increase in temperature and the intensity of related phenomena will not be homogeneous; the Mediterranean regions, especially Italy and even more so Sicily, are hot spots, that is, areas where the phenomenon could exceed the global average by 20%.
But the consequences don't stop there. Already in 1990, the first Report on Climate Change compiled by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), the UN scientific commission established in 1988, established the link between the climate crisis and the forced relocation of millions of people | climate or environmental migrants | acknowledging a phenomenon difficult to quantify due to its complexity. The conservative estimates made by the IPCC, the IOM (International Organization for Migration), and the World Bank predict that, by 2050, the number of people who could become permanent environmental refugees will be between 150 and 200 million. The already significant migration phenomenon will therefore become central in the coming years, and what Christian Parenti calls the "policy of the armed lifeboat," which Meloni and the right in general, both European and national, trumpet as a success | namely, the militarization of borders and an aggressive anti-immigration policy | will not be enough to stem it. A policy that today concerns individuals from so-called poor countries, but which in the not-too-distant future could also affect populations in developed countries, Italy first and foremost, given the greater impact of climate change on our country. Then perhaps we will be able to admit that a nation's wealth or poverty depends not on the laziness or industriousness of its people, but on a specific economic system that bases the privilege of a few on the exploitation of others. And we will no longer be able to ignore the fact that it is impossible for every family in the world to have two cars, a washing machine, and a refrigerator, not for economic reasons, but because otherwise humanity would risk self-annihilation. Just as we can no longer turn a blind eye to the fact that the current accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is due to excessive production in developed countries, the developing nations that have recently joined have only accelerated the ongoing process. Therefore, if, as would be logical, climate justice were applied, the reductions would benefit some much more than others. Geologist David Archer estimates that if a truly equitable solution to the emissions problem were to be found, "in the developed world, cuts of around 80% would be necessary. For the United States, Canada, and Australia, the cuts would be closer to 90%." Because it's undeniable that cuts are necessary, and even if the burden of climate change is to be borne by the poor and vulnerable, both internationally and within individual countries, it's clear that the consequences will also be felt by that segment of the population that is still privileged today, because infinite economic growth and environmental protection are incompatible, despite the vaunted resources of technology. This raises the question, albeit a legitimate one,that global inaction on the climate crisis is not due to confusion or poor planning but to a deliberate intent to maintain the status quo, as negotiations on climate change could alter the current balance of power and poor countries could begin to demand compensation for the disastrous environmental conditions they find themselves having to contain even though they are not directly responsible for them.
In conclusion, it's legitimate to ask what paths we can take to emerge from the current crisis and seek a solution that will allow the women and men of tomorrow to continue inhabiting the Earth. First, we need to overturn the reality that is presented to us as the only possible one: the capitalist system and the consumerist society in which, in order to maintain the economy, we must consume daily, consume indiscriminately, even what we don't need, to the point of reaching the paradox that we don't produce to consume, but consume to produce. Human existence has thus transformed into a production of goods and services that satisfy continually expanded, artificial needs, attacking the earth and everything animate and inanimate upon it. In this system, based on social injustice, we have lost control of our lives: we depend on industry, specialists, the market, and technology. Meanwhile, we are blithely heading toward self-destruction. If we don't like this, we can resist it by becoming the change we wish to see. We can begin by promoting bottom-up resource management practices that place the environment and its rhythms at the center and ensure that every living being, human and otherwise, has what they need to live, not to consume. From this perspective, production will no longer aim for profit but to make essential goods available to all, freeing up resources for useful work such as agricultural practices, healthcare, or waste management. It is also important to change the organization of work so as not to separate intellectual from physical labor, to provide for a collective reduction in working hours and to rotate everyone across different activities, including those that are strenuous or unpleasant. This would create a society in which decisions are not made by a few to protect their own interests, but by many to promote collective well-being. A world in which words like profit, competition, and competitiveness are replaced by cooperation, collaboration, solidarity, and harmony.
Brunella Missorici
https://www.sicilialibertaria.it/wp-content/uploads/luglioAgosto2026_compressed.pdf
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Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE GERMAN BERLIN - news journal UPDATE - (en) Germany, Die, Platform: Against their wars, against their peace: Report and evaluation from the Rheinmetall Disarmament Camp 2026 (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
At the beginning of September, the anti-militarist alliance Rheinmetall Entwaffnen (RME) held its protest camp in Cologne. Although not part of the alliance ourselves, we also participated in the protest camp this year. With this text, we want to report on the camp and our participation, and attempt a brief evaluation.
The campAs in 2025, the alliance pitched its tents on Cologne's green belt again this year. After several days of setup with numerous helping hands, the camp was officially opened on Tuesday of the protest week. Besides the large circus tent, the park area was filled with kitchen tents, event tents, a children's tent, a first-aid tent, a press tent, the sleeping area, and information booths from numerous organizations. The level of self-organization among the more than 1,000 camp participants, with daily plenary sessions and a shift system for all kinds of tasks, was impressively high. The breadth of the camp participants is also noteworthy. Organizations, groups, and individuals from all parts of Germany and many neighboring countries were represented, comrades of all ages-although youth clearly dominated-and various political currents within the antimilitarist and revolutionary movement in Germany-although there was a clear numerical preponderance of Leninist organizations. The camp was thus largely able to live up to its own claim of being a cross-spectrum meeting place for an antimilitarist movement.
The downside was probably predictable and indeed came to pass: Although the camp had chosen a central and lively location in Cologne's greenbelt and although there were attempts to establish a connection with the neighborhood, it regularly attracted the interest of passersby, but in our estimation, it practically failed to establish any real contact with them. To achieve this, other formats will be needed in the future.
The content program
A central component of this year's protest camp was once again a comprehensive program of substantive events. Every day featured lectures, panel discussions, and workshops, usually five taking place simultaneously in the various event tents. A wide range of organizations and individuals presented, covering an equally broad spectrum of topics related to the overarching issue of resistance against militarization and war. These included, among many other topics, the connection between war and gender oppression, youth organizing, the militarization of healthcare, and the situation in West Asia. While not always consistent, analyses were frequently presented that, encouragingly, aligned with our assessments of the current political situation or from which we gleaned compelling insights. Particularly gratifying was the inclusion of several events addressing grassroots organizing in neighborhoods, education, and workplaces. These included a lecture by the Cologne-based trade union Kalk Solidarisch, discussions on the current perspectives of the school strike movement, and an event organized by antimilitarist trade unionists. At the same time, we must acknowledge that the question of grassroots organizing, given the urgent need to extend the struggle against militarization and war to broad sections of our class, clearly did not receive enough attention at the camp. On the other hand, we were largely impressed by the culture of discussion. All the events we attended were followed by lively and often controversial discussions, in which the debates were generally conducted with appropriate vigor but on equal footing. The camp thus truly succeeded in being, as intended, a space for exchange within the antimilitarist movement.
The actions
In addition to the substantive events, street actions were also part of the week of protest. On the first day of the camp, September 1st, a demonstration for Anti-War Day took place through Cologne-Ehrenfeld. During the week, there was, among other things, a blockade of a Bundeswehr barracks, theatrical performances, and spontaneous nighttime demonstrations and paint attacks against those involved in militarization. The large closing demonstration took place on Saturday. It initially covered a good portion of its planned route, but was then stopped and attacked by the police, and a portion of the march was kettled for several hours before the police lifted the kettle and the route could be completed with a spontaneous demonstration.
Throughout the week of protests, numerous acts of resistance took place, despite the massive police presence in the city. At the same time, we must acknowledge that these actions had little impact on reaching broader segments of our class, and in some cases, were not even designed to do so. While some actions did involve engaging in dialogue with students, neighbors, or workers, we believe that these isolated efforts cannot achieve the necessary impact to truly win over broader sections of the class to the struggle against militarization and war. This requires forms of continuous grassroots organizing within the spheres of proletarian daily life-especially in neighborhoods, education, and workplaces.
Our involvement
Although we have participated in individual protest camps over the past few years, our involvement in this year's RME camp represented a new step for the platform. For the first time, we, as a federation, together with affiliated organizations and initiatives within the platformist movement, publicly called for participation in the protest camp and coordinated our attendance across various cities. We maintained a highly visible presence at the camp throughout the week with our own stand and were available at our information and book table. This opportunity was eagerly seized by camp participants, resulting in many productive conversations at our stand. Our preliminary program, available in print for the first time, generated particularly strong interest. The stand also served as a meeting place for comrades from different cities to get to know each other better and rest. Each evening, we reflected on the day's events together, which proved to be very valuable.
Our stand was connected to the "Social Struggle Construction Site," a tent jointly organized and run by various anti-authoritarian, feminist, and anti-colonial groups from Cologne. Among other things, they held their own events there. It also provided a space for people to connect and exchange ideas.
Besides making our own positions visible through our booth, the focus of our participation in the camp was on attending various events within the program. In the subsequent discussions, we endeavored to engage in conversation with other attendees and to present our positions on the issues at hand. We would like to expand on this at future opportunities, as we consider its role as a space for substantive exchange to be a core value of the RME Camp.
Furthermore, we participated together and visibly in the two demonstrations of the protest week. We also distributed flyers with an abridged version of our call to action. At the final demonstration, we formed the rear of the feminist bloc, which was joined by approximately 150 people. As an organization, we see a need for further discussion, both regarding how we acted on that day and regarding the extent to which we ourselves can and want to participate in the actions that otherwise take place during the protest week.
Conclusion
Overall, we look back on an eventful and instructive week of protest. We take away many substantive insights from the events and discussions at the camp, moments of defiance on the streets, and moving cultural moments like the concert on Wednesday evening, where we danced Halay hand in hand with several hundred people under the tent roof. It was evident that a growing anti-militarist movement is forming here, one that wants to confront militarization and war not with resignation or a truce, but with determined resistance, and is already beginning to do so. This gives us hope in the face of the approaching storms.
As an organization, we have taken new steps that have highlighted our increased strengths but also revealed remaining weaknesses and gaps. These need to be addressed and filled.
Ultimately, we draw inspiration primarily for our own practical work in concrete grassroots organizing in our various cities. Here - in the neighborhoods, schools, universities, and workplaces - we want to work with even more energy in the coming months to anchor the struggle against militarization and war within our class. Always with the perspective that fighting against the wars of the ruling class means also fighting against their peace. And that only social revolution and libertarian communism truly offer a way out.
No capitalism without war!
No peace without revolution!
In neighborhoods, education and workplaces: Build grassroots counter-power!
https://www.dieplattform.org/2026/10/06/gegen-ihre-kriege-gegen-ihren-frieden-bericht-und-auswertung-vom-rheinmetall-entwaffnen-camp-2026/#more-4247
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Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
WORLD WORLDWIDE EUROPE FRANCE PARIS - news journal UPDATE - (en) France, UCL AL #374 - UCL News - 6th Edition of the "Red and Black Summer Gathering": Libertarian Communism to Tackle Ecological Crises (ca, de, fr, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]
The 6th edition of our "Red and Black Summer Gathering" took place from August 2 to 7 in the hamlet of Bécours, in the Aveyron region. Sunshine, a friendly atmosphere, and plenty of political discussion marked this self-managed event, where the main workshop theme this year was "libertarian communism to tackle ecological crises."
In total, up to 160 participants attended. It was a great success, largely thanks to the comrades on the organizing committee-we are grateful for the months of hard work they put in beforehand!https://www.unioncommunistelibertaire.org/?6e-edition-des-Journees-d-ete-rouge-et-noir-le-communisme-libertaire-pour-faire
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Source: A-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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