In this week’s global news dispatches, the U.S. has deployed the THAAD missile defense system to Israel, escalating military support amid regional tensions. Meanwhile, Cuba’s leadership joined a massive march in solidarity with Palestine, condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza and Lebanon.
U.S. Sends THAAD Missile Defense System to Israel
The United States’ Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system is heading to Israel, the Pentagon announced on October 15. Around 100 U.S. soldiers are also being sent to Israel to operate the system. According to the department, the THAAD system is being sent there “to help bolster Israel’s air defenses following Iran’s unprecedented attacks against Israel on April 13 and again on October 1.” The missile system will be used “to support the defense of Israel and protect Americans from attacks by Iran and Iranian-aligned militias,” said the Pentagon.
The last time the U.S. deployed a THAAD battery to the region was following October 7, 2023, “to defend American troops and interests.” The THAAD system is made by U.S. weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin.
The THAAD system has been at the center of major controversy among those who oppose U.S. militarism around the world. In South Korea, the U.S. installed THAAD in 2016, alleging this was in response to North Korean missile testing. The THAAD deployment there has contributed to escalating military tensions among the DPRK, the U.S., and China, as the system also collects information on Chinese military activity. The decades-long military presence of the U.S. on the Korean peninsula, through the many U.S. military installations and the tens of thousands of U.S. troops, has been met with a mass anti-militarism and anti-imperialist movement within South Korea.
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Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Joins March in Support of Palestine
On October 14, thousands marched in Havana in solidarity with Palestine and in condemnation of the genocide committed by Israel. The march was organized by the Young Communist League of Cuba (UJC). Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel marched alongside the President of the National Assembly of People’s Power and of the Council of State, Esteban Lazo Hernández, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez Parilla, and other members of the Political Bureau and representatives of mass organizations.
“Against the genocide in Gaza and Lebanon; against the Israeli attempt to exterminate the noble Palestinian people; against imperial impunity for the genocidaires, Cuba marches with our historic demand: ‘Let the philosophy of plunder cease and the philosophy of war will cease,’” Díaz-Canel wrote on X.
“We have come here today to show our strong rejection of the actions that Israel is carrying out against that nation,” stated the UCJ. “Enough of death and suffering!”
According to Daniel Gómez Martínez of the Federation of High School Students of Cuba, “Those who choose silence when they know that a people is clamoring for their justice, are undoubtedly traitors to the essence of humanity.”
Mohamed Suwan, a Palestinian medical student in Cuba, said during the demonstration, “We will not rest for a minute until we regain our Palestine and enjoy a just and lasting peace. Let our children enjoy their natural rights. We will not stop until the chronically ill, the wounded, pregnant women, and people with disabilities have the best health care.”
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Asylum Seekers to be Deported From Italy to Albania, According to Meloni’s New Migration Agreement
Giorgia Meloni’s administration has kicked off a controversial deal with Albania, which will see asylum seekers deported to the Balkan country while awaiting processing by Italian authorities.
Sixteen men from Bangladesh and Egypt are currently en route to Albania after being rescued by the Italian coast guard on October 13. The vessels they were traveling on, which originated from Libya, carried more people, but women, children, and the elderly were sent to Italy. These 16 men, however, were held back and are now being transported to the port of Schëngjin.
Once in Albania, they will go through their asylum application process at a distance. Regardless of the outcome, they are unlikely to set foot on Italian soil anytime soon. Under Meloni’s leadership, Italy is funding the construction and operation of a deportation center, an asylum processing center, and a prison in Albania.
SeaWatch, a non-profit focused on rescuing migrants at sea, has called the agreement a shameful chapter in Italy’s history. They compared the detention centers to “lagers,” referring to the pre-deportation detention centers already present in parts of Italy that hold a striking resemblance to concentration camps.
Meloni’s plans are gaining strong traction across Europe. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has offered financial support for sections of her policy plan, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently wrote about using the Italy-Albania deal as a blueprint for creating “return hubs” outside the EU.
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Peruvian Transport Workers Strike to Demand an End to Extortion and Crime
On October 10, several associations of transportation workers and companies in Peru began a work stoppage that lasted until October 12, protesting rising crime and extortion by criminal groups in Peru’s major cities. Workers were joined by hundreds of people from trade and business associations, as well as citizen and student organizations.
The security crisis that Peruvians are experiencing is worsening significantly, which directly affects transport workers, business owners, and ordinary citizens. The government of Dina Boluarte, as well as the legislative power, have not been able to reduce the high rates of extortion and blackmail imposed on significant sectors of society by criminal groups that have generated great uneasiness and suffering in Peruvian society. Neither the supposed improvement of the capacities of the security forces nor the creation of new anti-crime laws (such as Law 32108) have been able to reduce the phenomenon.
In the span of two years, extortion complaints have increased fivefold. The transportation sector is one of the most impacted by this phenomenon with reports indicating that both informal and formal transportation companies have to pay tolls to criminal groups in order to operate. More than 20 drivers have been murdered by criminal groups, often as retaliation for lack of payment.
On September 26, hundreds of transportation workers from 30 companies in Lima and Callao (a neighboring city) went on strike. The next day, the government of Dina Boluarte declared a state of emergency in 11 districts of the capital Lima for 60 days. The state of emergency means that there is an increased police presence across these areas and the deployment of members of the National Army. In the announcement, the President of the Council of Ministers, Gustavo Adrianzén, stated, “In the fight against crime, the Executive and the carriers are on the same side.”
