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On this day, 28 April 1945, Italy’s fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, was executed by anti-fascist partisans in the village of Giulino de Mezzegra, northern Italy.After his reign of terror was deposed in 1943, Mussolini was broken from captivity by Nazi troops, and put in charge of a puppet government in northern Italy, which was occupied by Germany.As more of Italy was liberated by partisan and Allied forces, he tried to escape to Switzerland disguised in a German uniform. But he was spotted by a resistance member who called out “We’ve got Big-Head!”Mussolini was executed near Lake Como alongside a number of other senior fascists and his mistress. Their bodies were then taken to Milan and dumped in Piazzale Loreto in the early hours of the following morning, where they were soon hung up from the frame of a petrol station in order to protect them from the angry crowd. The previous year, the Milan Gestapo had publicly executed 15 Italian partisans in that square and hung their bodies there for several days. Subsequently, Mussolini was reported to have said “for the blood of Piazzale Loreto, we shall pay dearly.”Learn more about this, and the Italian resistance, in episodes 77 to 80 of our podcast, in conversation with former partisans: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e77-80-italian-resistance/ To access this hyperlink, click our link bio then click this photo

Song of the Day 🇷🇼🗣: https://open.spotify.com/track/34dx8DACTJsc3rsJdaEIQw

Good Idea: Dig some holes!

https://www.climatelinks.org/blog/lunar-landscaping-how-digging-half-moons-helps-re-green-niger

In the arid landscape of the West African Sahel, where climate change and desertification threaten livelihoods, innovative approaches like "half-moons" offer hope for water conservation and landscape restoration. These semicircular ponds, implemented by initiatives like the World Food Programme, help retain rainwater in dry and degraded soils, supporting vegetation growth crucial for farmers and herders. Satellite imagery analysis reveals significant improvements in vegetation health post-intervention, showcasing the efficacy of these low-cost and sustainable techniques. With the potential to stabilize communities' livelihoods and enhance regional water resilience, initiatives like half-moons represent a promising step towards a more resilient future in the face of climate change and desertification.

🙏to our friends @klimadeswandels

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On this day, 28 April 1909, biracial Black German anti-Nazi labour organiser and actor Hilarius Gilges was born in a working class household in Düsseldorf, Germany. In 1926 he joined the Young Communist League of Germany (KJVD), and a few years later he founded a radical worker entertainment group called the Northwest Ran. Northwest Ran put on working class plays, music and other entertainment, as well as organising anti-fascist protests. After a conflict with racists and police at a demonstration, Gilges was arrested and jailed for one year. Despite this, he continued his activism, and travelled through many towns and villages attempting to mobilise opposition to Nazism. After the Nazi takeover, in June 1933, he was abducted from his apartment in front of his family by a dozen SS officers. His body was soon found in the River Rhine, with 37 stab wounds and a bullet wound to the head. One of his daughters, Franziska Helmuss, later recalled: "His funeral was well attended, but exclusively by women. The men were too afraid to be associated with him. The stonemason who made the gravestone for my father was incarcerated for five years in a Nazi concentration camp." Despite some of his killers being known, none of them were punished after the war.A plaza in Düsseldorf by his apartment was named after him in 2003.We've posted this story as a collaboration with our backup account @peopleshist , which we set up after some of our posts got removed, so please give it a follow.

Geld für Garantien: Das hat der Nationalrat bezüglich der UNRWA beschlossen https://www.watson.ch/!193435880

TIL: Humans are uniquely efficient at conserving water compared to other primates, using 30% to 50% less daily. A study published by Duke University revealed this trait, which likely helped our ancestors survive by traveling further in search of food without needing water sources nearby. [source, comments]

In response to threats from the university administration, demonstrators at Columbia University have occupied Hamilton Hall, the campus’s main administrative building.

Background on how the encampment in solidarity with Gaza began at Columbia:

https://crimethinc.com/Columbia2024

If you are participating in protests, encampments, or occupations, you should understand how to dress to minimize your risk factors.

Most importantly—if you wish to protect your privacy, you will need an outfit that conceals your identifying features. You should change into it in a location that is not under surveillance, wear it for the entire duration of the activity, then change out of it in a location that is also not surveilled. You should not be seen with any elements of the outfit before or after.

Consider reading these short instructional guides:

Fashion Tips for the Brave

https://crimethinc.com/fashiontips

The Femme’s Guide to Riot Fashion

https://crimethinc.com/riotfemme

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On this day, 30 April 2022 food delivery couriers working for the Deliveroo app in Dubai went on strike, shutting down the app, and defying a ban on strikes in the United Arab Emirates.The drivers were facing a pay cut from $2.79 per delivery down to $2.38. The UK-based firm, backed by tech giant Amazon, also intended to increase the length of the working day up to 14 hours per day.The workers, all of whom were migrants from South Asia, remained on strike until May 2 when the company agreed to abandon both proposed changes.The following week, riders for delivery service Talabat also walked out demanding a pay increase.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/7946/dubai-deliveroo-strikeTo access this hyperlink, click our link in bio then click this photoPictured: a photograph of the strike taken by one of the workers, Asad Mirza

Song of the Day 🤝🫂: https://open.spotify.com/track/6ewoyB7JLGEWxW6HloDIwV?si=3awG90XcTU27duoiXQhpWg

Zehntausende demonstrieren in Georgien gegen «russisches Gesetz» – 5 Fragen und Antworten https://www.watson.ch/!446276460