The death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Maryland, USA is just the latest in a string of police killings of black men to hit national headlines. But it seems that it may mark the end of a national ebb in the #BlackLivesMatter movement. As things heat up in the coming months, an important question must be asked: what is the way forward for the movement against racism and police brutality?

The war in Yemen, which has killed and wounded thousands, is bringing out the contradictions in the Middle East as Saudi Arabia finds itself increasingly isolated. Tension between the different players and powers across the region is increasing, provoking instability on all levels.

The recent death of more than 800 people as a result of a capsized fishing boat near the Italian island of Lampedusa brings the death toll of people attempting to reach Europe by boat in 2015 alone to 1,600. As Hamid Alizadeh explains, this tragic event highlights the dramatic situation that has developed in Africa and the Middle East after years of imperialist meddling.