News

In the 2018 United States midterm elections, the Democratic Party have regained control of the House of Representative after they lost it eight years ago. However, the Republican Party extended their authority in the Senate by gaining an additional two seats. The result of the election shows that the Democrats will now have the bargaining power to counter some of President Trump’s controversial proposals such as the immigration policies and constructing a wall on the Mexican border.

Many commentators are stating that the future of America is in the balance over the next 24 hours. The stakes, not just for the US but for global politics could not be higher during these Mid-Term US elections.

We are saddened, shocked and angry about the shootings in Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue.

The Jewish global family is mourning this horrendous hate crime, and many Jews in the US, on mainland Europe and here in the UK will be extremely anxious about their safety.

No doubt Far Right groups across Eastern Europe will be celebrating the news that former news reporter from Hungary who was convicted of assaulting a Syrian refugee carrying his child, had her conviction quashed by the court of appeal in Hungary.

Petra László caused outcry in September 2015 when she tripped Osama Abdul Mohsen who was running with his son Zaid in his arms, and kicked another child near the town of Roszke, close to the border with Serbia.

There's an old saying in the British black community for those in desperate trouble, its one of those old-time, well worn parables, and it says: " when you're in a hole, call for a rope not a shovel." A recent survey conducted by the Metropolitan Police Federation and reported by the BBC, canvassed the use of spit hoods among serving police officers. Over 90% of those who responded said they supported the use of spit hoods.

International support is growing for the Italian MEP Cecile Kyenge, who is being sued for defamation by the Far Right political party, the Northern League. After being likened to an orangutan by senior political member Pablo Raineri, Kyenga called him and the party racist.

The Northern League's leader Matteo Silvini has recently began a purge trying to remove Roma from Italy. In a statement he said;

Unfortunately, we can’t get rid of those Roma that have legal papers."

It is a truly remarkable journey for Bristol City Mayor Marvin Rees. This working class descendent of an enslaved African, who now runs the city that is most infamously known for its enrichment from the slave trade, is today hosting the most ambitious conference ever for city Mayors across the globe.

Mayor Marvin will oversee a two day conference called the Global Parliament of Mayors, that is bold, ambitious, with a vision to unite city legislators to have a universal vision that confronts the challenges of poverty, inclusion, health and migration.

The Guardian has stopped putting up options to comment on any of my articles these days. Actually, that goes for many Black writers particularly those we are writing about tackling race inequality. The reason for this is because they already know that the majority of responses will not engage with the debate but rather hurl abuse instead. One senior Guardian person told me: "Online response is very different to those who buy Guardian. Online is frankly the Wild West".