We publish here two articles about the latest events in Catalonia, which this week sees a regional election imposed by the Spanish state as part of their Article 155 repressive measures. The first article is a statement by the Catalan section of the IMT about the upcoming elections. The second is a summary of the struggle for a Catalan Republic by Jorge Martin.

The Russians and Iranians have declared the successful end of the war on the Islamic State. But the war against ISIS in the Middle East has fundamentally changed the balance of forces in the Middle East. The influence of Moscow and Tehran has grown, whilst that of US imperialism and its Saudi ally has been greatly diminished. For the masses, life in the region remains a nightmare.

Last Wednesday, US President Donald Trump declared that he would officially recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This reveals the real nature of the so-called peace talks – the fact that the Western imperialists have never supported the oppressed Palestinian people. On a capitalist basis, Hamid Alizadeh notes, there will never be an agreement in Israel and Palestine.