In their latest attempt to scare the participants of anti-government protests into submission, the Iranian authorities have resorted to public executions. Mohsen Shekari, accused of injuring a member of the Basij militia, and Majidreza Rahnavard, accused of fatally stabbing two Basij militia volunteers, were both charged with “moharebeh”, or "waging war against God", and hanged.

For a brief moment, the Ontario education workers’ struggle imposed itself on the public consciousness. News reporters addressed it with a serious tone, young Trotskyists took to Twitter giving empty slogans, union representatives extended Halloween and put on their costumes as labour leaders, Doug Ford came to tears pleading: “please, and I’m begging you, don’t go on strike!”, and Trudeau spoke...

China is currently experiencing the most significant wave of unrest since the labour strikes of the early 2010s, if not since Tiananmen Square. A number of factors are at play here. The 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in October already elicited symbolic protest in the form of banner drops which were then circulated online.

The most recent wave of protests and strikes in Iran are the continuation of more than a decade of struggles. Though the working class in Iran faces many obstacles, as the events take on an international dimension, they could potentially begin a spark that ignites a wider working class movement beyond just Iran.