Piattaforma – October 30: An important day of strike and mass struggle against austerity and war policies + news

The Moon was amid the Pleiades star cluster on October 27th.'

Jupiter, Mars, and the star Regulus are/were lined up amid Gemini and Leo.  Venus is somewhere in the southeast in or near Virgo near dawn, but I haven't seen it yet.

The waning crescent Moon is next to Mars this morning, November 2nd, closing to only about one degree apart near dawn.   The Moon and Jupiter are more than 5 1/2 degrees apart, while the Moon is about 5 1/2 degrees from Regulus.  They will be about 2 1/4 degrees on the 3rd.  It looks overcast here on the morning of November 2nd.  Jupiter, Mars, and Regulus will be together again on November 30th, with Venus, Spica, and Mercury nearby.  The Moon will occlude Jupiter as seen from the far Southern Cone.

The Southern Taurid meteor shower peaks November 4-5th (?), the Northern Taurids November 11-12th, and the Leonids November 16-17th.  Even more?  I saw a meteor on the evening of Halloween one year.

The Moon and Venus will be in conjunction on November 7th, the best for 2026 and 2027?  The star Spica will also be close by.  Spica and Venus will be nearly one degree apart on the 9th (or 10th?).

Jupiter and Mars will be about 1.2 \degrees apart on the 16th.  Mars and Regulus will be under 2 \degrees apart on the 26th.

Uranus will reach opposition on November 25th, near the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters.  Closer to the Earth, too, but still 2.6 light-hours apart ?

Mars will reach opposition February 19, 2027, but still far from the Earth. 

"NASA's Swift observatory is about to fall out of the sky. The 201.5-ton spacecraft spent nearly 22 years observing gamma-ray bursts. Now it is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere within days, creating a fireball that could even be visible in daylight (magnitude -8 to -10)." – November 3rd-4th, but south of here? – spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=01&month=11&year=2026

Tracking information:  tohuvavohu.com/swift-last-light/

See China's "spaceplane" in orbit:  spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=30&month=10&year=2026

November 2, 1847 – August 29, 1922:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_Sorel 

Recently deceased:

Dolores Huerta

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Stewart 

In Mexico:  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuauht%C3%A9moc_C%C3%A1rdenas

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Koenig

"Iran-backed" (and "Hamas-run") can be heard very often on NPR, but very rarely or never will the propagandists say "US-backed" Israel (or "US-backed" ethnic cleansing by Israel and other entities ), "US-backed" jihadism, "US-backed" terrorism, "US-backed" Ukrainian fascism, "US-backed" Taiwanese secessionism, the "US-backed" Arab royal dictatorships, etc.

Around October 29th on NPR's afternoon/evening All Things Considered Scott Detro introduced a report from John Otis with something very much like 'the US-backed authoritarian government of Venezuela,' of all the things they could refer to as "US-backed."  Whatever Delcy Rodriguez's official title is, NPR usually refers to her as Venezuela's "interim president" and at least once or twice recently they referred to the "unelected" government of Venezuela, but I think Rodriguez is no more unelected than Kamala Harris would have been if she had replaced Biden as president before Trump entered office.  

Earlier in the week NPR's Carrie Kahn said that the defeated Flavio Bolsonaro of Brazil had referred to 'liberation figures' such as - and Machado, one of Venezuela's 21st century Quislings, of all people.   He left out quislings Edmundo González Urrutia and Juan Guaido.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela

NPR and the Democratic Party (see below) are so awful, though the BBC is warmongering right now and I think they were praising HTS' Syria a few days ago.

A great betrayal? – An ELN encampment inside Colombia (?) was bombed by Venezuela (19-20 alleged guerillas were reportedly killed?) last week (but not mentioned by the BBC until November 1st?)?

Around October 28th, near 3pm, Russiagate true believer and warmonger Scott Tong interviewed an information warrior or censorship official woman from the Biden administration on Here and Now regarding election "interference" and meddling or whatever by our "adversaries" or "enemies," not including Israel, NATO, the UK, the EU, or western Ukraine.  I didn't hear them get into any specifics about how nefarious Russia is.  She didn't seem as sure as Tong, but I stopped listening before the end. 

The Democratic Party's brand is so "toxic" that they are apparently pushing "independent" candidates, yet they very much don't like "Independent" Bernie Sanders or third parties.  The Democratic Party demanded that its own candidates drop out in favor of the allegedly "independent" candidates in 5-6 states (?), and a Puerto Rican veteran/police woman running for US Senate in Montana is refusing to do so, after winning the primary, aided by a mysterious "dark money"-funded ad campaign she says she had no contact with.  This American Life covered the story on the 29th.  A Democratic Party politician bowed out – after their house burned, or was it set on fire?  

The Democratic Party has pushed early voting so much, but I don't think that votes can be 'recalled' if an early voter gets second thoughts.  Several days ago I think a Libertarian candidate in Wake County (in Cary?) had a long standoff with the police (I assume it was a mental health issue), and that might influence how people vote, but it is too late if people already voted.  On the other hand some people online seemed to support his tweets and he might be a 'protest' candidate, so maybe it isn't a huge problem.  Voting early also leaves ample time to interfere with votes. 

All Things Considered on Sunday had a story about a board game based on WWII in North Africa that, amazingly, has never been played to the end.   Two relatively young guys are about to try (for YouTube or a podcast?), and anticipate that it will take them 20-30 years (!!) to get to the end.  The real war took far less time...

See the article by Ben Cohen in the current issue of the New York Review of Books on how far the Biden administration went for Israel and Biden's self=admitted great love for Netanyahu.  

theworker.news/2026/10/24/maduro-flores-face-torture-charges-amid-us-aggression-toward-latin-america/

The Maduros have been held hostage by the US for over 300 days (reminiscent of the imprisonment of the Rosenbergs? – Trump has a connection, through Roy Cohn):  diario-octubre.com/2026/10/29/nicolas-maduro-y-cilia-flores-cumplen-300-dias-de-secuestro-terrorista/

diario-octubre.com/2026/10/29/flavio-bolsonaro-o-novo-guaido-de-washington/

insurgente.org/venezuela-el-gobierno-encargado-muy-molesto-con-iran-por-describir-lo-que-ocurre-en-el-pais/

cipoml.net/en/the-law-authorizing-the-execution-of-palestinian-prisoners-is-a-fascist-law/

rt-english.com/news/648181-pentagon-bases-iran-15-billion-damages/

jeremykuzmarov.substack.com/p/uyghur-genocide-psy-op-exposed

rt-english.com/pop-culture/648062-cod-south-korea-backlash/

On Serbia:  rt-english.com/news/648205-eu-serbia-sanctions-kos/

rt-english.com/news/648014-financial-times-putin-call/

rt-english.com/russia/648184-us-warns-russia-planned-terrorist-attack-moscow-fsb/

The BBC interviewed a Ukrainian woman who alleged ("rumors" say...) that Russia used the ceasefire to bring in military supplies while Russia was also blamed for not extending this unique and relatively long truce and not doing more humanitarian aid work there November 1st and a similar man from BFM November 2nd. – rt-english.com/russia/648121-alyoshki-humanitarian-mission-evacuation/

rt-english.com/russia/648128-us-israel-latvia-ukraine-drones/

rt-english.com/pop-culture/648062-cod-south-korea-backlash/

eventsinukraine.substack.com/p/global-death-squads

eventsinukraine.substack.com/p/lindseys-legions

eventsinukraine.substack.com/p/the-peace-trap

rt-english.com/russia/648170-ukraine-corruption-military-embezzlement/

rt-english.com/russia/644551-ukraine-eu-corruption-zelzensky/

rt-english.com/russia/648182-ukraine-debt-130-fold-increase/

rt-english.com/russia/644514-ukraine-35-inside-artificial-economy/

rt-english.com/russia/643584-ukrainian-prosecutor-work-porn/

On Bulgaria:  rt-english.com/news/648211-bulgarian-presidential-election-runoff/

rt-english.com/news/645169-eu-leader-refuses-point-finger-russia-germany-drone-incident/

simplicius76.substack.com/p/toilet-treachery-desperate-to-escalate

simplicius76.substack.com/p/western-analysts-shocked-previously

cipoml.net/en/youth-rises-up-against-capitalist-policies/

cipoml.net/en/only-workers-in-power-will-liberate-humanity-from-exploitation-oppression-and-war/

On Germany:  www.kitklarenberg.com/p/german-imperialism-an-urgent-explainer 

rt-english.com/news/648190-germany-frankfurt-gen-z-riots/

In France:  rt-english.com/news/648188-france-police-molotov-cocktails-fire/

On Poland:  rt-english.com/news/648157-coup-poland-court/

www.moonofalabama.org/2026/10/a-not-very-elegant-coup-in-poland.html

simplicius76.substack.com/p/the-constitutional-crisis-at-the

In Spain:  diario-octubre.com/2026/10/29/29n-elecciones-burguesas-para-legitimar-a-los-explotadores/

By Marianne Williamson:  www.transformarticles.com/p/to-war-or-not-to-war

Satire:  www.normalisland.co.uk/p/met-police-prevent-three-mannequins 

See also Council Estate Media?

Going after Brazil:  www.normalisland.co.uk/p/netanyahu-confirms-lula-is-just-three

rt-english.com/pop-culture/565152-soviet-and-russian-animation/

rt-english.com/pop-culture/625630-sesame-street-on-antidepressants-

rt-english.com/russia/620782-doomsday-radio-russian-signal/

rt-english.com/pop-culture/627187-from-pagan-shadows-to-soviet-nightmares/

On Gogol:  rt-english.com/pop-culture/615213-man-who-taught-russia-fear/

rt-english.com/russia/602572-alexander-pushkins-225th-anniversary/

psralbania.ca/2026/10/moscow-and-the-albanian-people/

rt-english.com/russia/610620-top-russian-memes/

rt-english.com/news/648135-russian-ice-hockey-admission/

On the US elections:

merylnass.substack.com/p/60-ish-congressional-candidates-running

covertactionmagazine.com/2026/10/21/sixty-seven-democrats-with-a-national-security-background-are-on-the-november-ballot/

theworker.news/2026/11/01/workers-speak-on-the-midterm-electoral-farce/

theworker.news/2026/09/10/on-the-2026-midterm-electoral-farce-part-1-elections-legitimize-imperialist-dictatorship/

theworker.news/2026/09/13/on-the-2026-midterm-electoral-farce-part-2-boycott-the-elections-reconstitute-the-communist-party-usa/

Is Green Jill Stein still being prosecuted? – jillstein.net4835/

On the US Senate campaign in Michigan:

 

On Haley Steven’s betrayal for Israel:  stephenzunes962006.substack.com/p/michigan-senate-race

Democratic Party rightist Greg Palast – "Will Black Zionists Sink El-Sayed?" – gregpalastinvestigates.substack.com/p/will-black-zionists-sink-el-sayed

On North Carolina's pro-Israel current governor and Democratic Party US Senate candidate Roy Cooper; more pro-Israel than the NCDP –

By Stephen Zunes:  stephenzunes962006.substack.com/p/the-north-carolina-democrat-holding

www.theassemblync.com/news/politics/roy-cooper-senate-race-mister-rogers-switchblade/

In NC:  

The NC Green Party's US Senate candidate, etc. – www.ncgreenparty.org/2026_candidates

www.ncrabbithole.com/p/one-person-in-antarctica-voted-in-north-carolina-s-election-we-found-him

www.ncrabbithole.com/p/who-did-momma-shoot

How to comment? ; linking to a Microsoft product is undemocratic –www.durhamnc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/71733/Durham-Landscape-Manual-Review-Draft

www.gopetition.com/petitions/let-citizens-vote-on-the-carrboro-police-merger.html

The NC bottle recycling  petition

There were also large demonstrations in India (in New Delhi?) October 31st (organized by the Congress Party, rather than the new youth Cockroach Party?).

? – rt-english.com/india/648171-india-poverty-reduction/

On Vijay Singh:  cipoml.net/en/comrade-vijay-kumar-singh-is-immortal/

In Indonesia:  rt-english.com/news/648127-indonesia-wildfires-mass-protests/

In Albania:

rt-english.com/news/641902-albania-protests-kushner-development-explainer/

rt-english.com/news/647255-albania-student-protests-violent/

rt-english.com/news/648038-albania-protests-crackdown-fines/

rt-english.com/news/647403-albania-protests-riots-russia/

Enver Hoxha speeches:  november8ph.ca/2026/10/foreword-to-enver-hoxhas-new-book-on-history/

Introduction to “My Life,” by Ramiz Alia – psralbania.ca/2026/11/introduction-to-my-life/

On Italy:

diario-octubre.com/2026/10/29/rifondazione-comunista-prepara-su-regreso-electoral-en-plena-disputa-por-la-unidad-de-la-izquierda-italiana/

piattaformacomunista.com/index.php/una-legge-elettorale-per-il-grande-capitale/

piattaformacomunista.com/index.php/opuscolo-questione-ambientale-e-lotta-di-classe/

piattaformacomunista.com/index.php/7-novembre-il-partito-della-rivoluzione/

piattaformacomunista.com/index.php/i-giovani-si-ribellano-alle-politiche-capitalistiche/

rt-english.com/news/648123-global-dockworker-strike-war/

piattaformacomunista.com/index.php/a-fianco-dei-portuali-in-lotta-contro-la-guerra/

piattaformacomunista.com/index.php/unire-i-torrenti-di-mobilitazione-sociale/

I received this translation; any typos were edited; this is originally posted (October 24th) at:  piattaformacomunista.com/index.php/30-ottobre-unimportante-giornata-di-sciopero-e-lotta-di-massa-contro-le-politiche-di-austerita-e-di-guerra/

October 30: an important day of strike and mass struggle against austerity and war policies

The general strike of October 30, 2026, proclaimed by the rank-and-file unions, is a step of mobilization of the workers and students that stems from the decision of the dockers to strike internationally against war, genocide, rearmament and the militarization of ports.

But it will not only be the dockers who will mobilize. Under the lash of layoffs, the high cost of living, growing impoverishment, yet another budget maneuver of austerity and war, workers, unemployed, students, small farmers, truck drivers, bakers crushed by big capital and its current government will join the protest.

What is happening is part of the development of the struggle of the masses at the European level (Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, Albania, etc.) in response to the housing crisis, high cost of living, austerity and cuts in social spending, militarism and war policies.

Social anger is growing in the face of the false promises and contempt of bourgeois politicians, who act in the exclusive interest of the financial monopolies. They scream about the broken windows of luxury stores, while workers' pockets and shelves are empty and the wealth of parasites is increasing more and more! The only responses of the Meloni government to the needs of millions of young people are unprecedented penalties for minors and road blocks, another 500 soldiers in Milan.

But the flames of resistance are rising in several countries and despite the harsh repression the fire can flare up and spread further.

We act to unite the torrents of struggle on a class platform, politicizing discontent and directing it against the bourgeoisie and its reactionary government. We demand:

Total freeze on layoffs.

Strong generalized and tax-free increase in wages.

CIG at full pay at the expense of profits.

Abolition of precarious work.

Stop the increase in prices, abolition of VAT (Value Added Tax) on basic necessities.

Reduction of electricity, water, gas, telephone tariffs for workers and students.

Introduction of a 10% tax that affects the richest 10% of society.

A highly progressive tax on profits, annuities, interest and income.

Recovery of 100 billion euros per year in tax evasion.

No to rearmament and military spending, a sharp increase in investments in schools, health and public transport, social housing and environmental remediation.

Abolition of the "security" decrees and the limitations on the right to demonstrate and strike.

Out of NATO and the EU, away with the US bases.

Breaking off all relations with the genocidal state of Israel. Solidarity with the workers and peoples who are resisting imperialism, Zionism and fascism!

We work for the unity of action of the exploited, we build struggle and strike committees, we develop class solidarity, linking the struggle against exploitation, repression, militarism, environmental devastation, for the struggle to abolish the capitalist-imperialist system that generates this.

The key factor is to join the camp of the entire working class to change the balance of power with the bourgeoisie and attract other oppressed social strata who suffer from the situation.

The immediate goal is to deepen the crisis of the Meloni government until it falls, to prevent the advent of another far-right government, without creating illusions about the liberal-reformists, but by fighting in the factories and the streets in defense of the interests of the proletariat, for a government that ensures bread, peace, work and freedom to the workers, exploited working people and youths!

Within the process of struggle, the formation of a broad popular front of all sections of the working masses must be promoted, led by the organized working class as the decisive leading force, to break the arbitrary and reactionary power of the capitalists, parasites and millionaires.

In this new season of mobilization new proletarian militants are already being formed whom we call to join our work to give back to the class its independent and revolutionary party, the leader of the struggle for a new and superior society: socialism.

Organization for the Communist Party of the Proletariat

This is post 1,018 on DS  but there has been some duplication.