Former militant-turned-politician Gustavo Petro had sharp words for his opponent, who is thought to have won first-round presidential election votes among the Colombian youth because of his presence on the social media platform, TikTok. TF editor Julie Varughese reports from Colombia.
Onlookers say Gustavo Petro and Francia Márquez's popularity might explain a surge in death threats against the Colombian candidates for president and vice president, respectively. The ticket is striking: Petro is a former guerilla-turned-elected-official while Márquez is an award-winning Afro-descendant activist. The pair have inspired people in the country, which has been torn apart by decades of paramilitary violence, partly due to being tied politically, militarily and economically to the United States, reports TF editor Julie Varughese.
The Russian “special military operation” in Ukraine has reached its 90th day and the Western press continues to be inundated with unverified claims of war crimes Russian forces allegedly have committed. However, reported Ukrainian military shelling that has killed more than 14,000 people since 2014 in the breakaway region of Donbass has received little media attention. TF contributor Fergie Chambers reports on the latest he found in the city of Donetsk, where attacks on civilians continue.
On May 16, Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member countries held a summit in Moscow, marking the alliance's 30th anniversary. The CSTO could play a significant role if the situation in Central Asia deteriorates. Could the CSTO get involved in Ukraine, too? Nikola Mikovic reports.
Al-Yusufiya cemetery in East Jerusalem remains under threat as the city’s government plans to build a promenade over the land, as part of a proposed "Bible Trail," a string of national parks, reports Jessica Buxbaum.
Russell "Texas" Bentley returned to The Grayzone alongside regular Toward Freedom contributor Fergie Chambers to detail their experiences documenting the war in the Donbass region. Chambers discussed his recent visit to a dungeon of the Ukrainian state-backed Aidar Battalion, and his interviews with Donetsk-based communists, while Texas described being on the front lines with the Donetsk People's Republic militia.
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