As the Syrian civil war drags on into its fourth year, the war is entering a new phase. US imperialism is losing control in the Middle East as old allies distance themselves and begin to pursue their own interests more forcefully. This is a recipe for inreased instability and turbulence in the region.

The spectre of default is now being raised as a serious possibility by the international bourgeoisie for Ukraine, where the economy – ravaged by over a year of war and decades of corruption – is in a deep crisis. Default on a capitalist basis would be a catastrophe for ordinary people in this war-torn country.

Sunday 24^th May will go down as a landmark in Spanish history. Municipal and regional elections were held across Spain. The right-wing PP (People’s Party) was unseated from most of their historical strongholds. More important, however, was the sharp turn to the left in Spanish society, best exemplified by the rise of Podemos and the electoral fronts that it led.