21:30 International News in DPRK Media (August 6, 2026) | |
August 6, Pyongyang (RSTV) [조선어] [English] [Русский] [中国语]
The international news carried on Page 6 of Rodong Sinmun dated August 6, 2026, reports on an analysis that equality can never exist in capitalist society where the power of money rules supreme, the efforts of African countries for the independent development of their economies, the unabated heatwave and expanding forest fires, the condemnation of the US sanctions offensive, the exposure of the European Union's insidious ulterior motive, a lawsuit over damage from fighter jet noise in Japan, the concern of the World Health Organization over the spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, earthquake damage in various countries, lightning damage in Uganda, the increase in Vietnam's foreign trade volume and tree planting in Ethiopia, avian influenza damage in Australia, Israel's murderous air strike atrocities against Lebanon, and general knowledge about the Caribbean Sea. The full text follows: In a Society Where Money Power Rules Supreme, Equality Cannot Exist Amidst the hollowness of the long-chanted mantra of "equality for all" being laid bare before the whole world, what the politicians and hired trumpeters of Western countries are now coming out with is the phrase "equality of opportunity." They frequently bluster that capitalism is precisely the society that can ensure that every citizen—that is, all people—is given a fair chance. Yet the reality of capitalist society is growing ever more dismal with each passing year. While the tiny minority ruling class and monopoly conglomerates, accounting for less than 1% of society, monopolize power and wealth and indulge in all kinds of luxury, the broad working masses from all walks of life, who account for over 99%, are forced to groan in extreme rightlessness and poverty. Social inequality, deeply embedded in all areas of political, economic and cultural life, is being further aggravated as time goes on. According to a report published by an international organization a few years ago, the wealth possessed by over 2 000 billionaires of the world was greater than the combined assets of 4.6 billion of the world's population, and the tiny minority privileged stratum, the richest in the world, possessed wealth more than twice the combined assets of 6.9 billion people. Exposing this reality, the organization expressed pessimism that today's global inequality has "reached an uncontrollable state." In capitalist society, billionaires hold all power in their hands and dominate society, while the absolute majority of workers groan under living hardships in rightlessness. This is becoming a main factor that arouses antipathy towards capitalism among the broad working masses and causes large and small social explosions to erupt incessantly. Feeling uneasy about this, the monopoly conglomerates, politicians and hired trumpeters of capitalist countries are continuously coming out with the deceptive slogan of "equality of opportunity" as a way to resolve the crisis. It should be said that the notion that opportunity, which is largely of an accidental nature, comes fairly to every person is enough to make a cow laugh its head off. Which conglomerate, which enterprise, which government, which political party in capitalist countries would give all the poor an opportunity to enjoy an equal, free and happy life? It is unimaginable even in a dream that capitalists or politicians, steeped in greed and lust for power and running wild to fill their own pockets, would sincerely worry about and help the poor. Politicians and political parties that frequently wage power struggles often come to occupy the posts of president, prime minister or ruling party by rattling off sweet-sounding pledges, but in reality, what their politics bring about is nothing but a catastrophic crisis. The unemployment rate is worsening, and the differences by stratum, race and region in various fields are becoming more serious, and the gap between rich and poor is becoming more acute. The clamour of capitalist country politicians and hired media about opportunity to the working masses is nothing but a fallacy to make them perceive that the root of the gap between rich and poor lies precisely in whether one met or missed an "opportunity"—in other words, in luck. In the money-omnipotent society where money decides everything, the main factor that allows one to gain opportunity is none other than money. The working masses, who can barely sustain even the most basic livelihood, cannot even dream of any real opportunity to improve their social status or living conditions. Even just looking at the electoral processes in capitalist countries, one can well see how absurd the logic of Western politicians is, which claims that ordinary workers have opportunities to improve their social status. In capitalist society, electoral competition is not a policy competition between political forces. In essence, it is a fierce struggle process waged by "beasts" holding billions in wealth, eyeing only the opportunity to swallow the fat lump of meat called power. In this arena, the candidates are also granted unlimited opportunities to squander money, and the opportunity to swallow the lump of meat of power is equally given. Taking advantage of such opportunities, billionaires spend astronomical sums of money and place their spokesmen and underlings in the seats of power. Several years ago, midterm elections were held in the United States, and the funds squandered on them alone reached nearly 17 billion US dollars. On the other hand, no opportunity whatsoever was given to the workers. In that same year when the midterm elections were held, 393 restrictive voting laws were adopted in 39 states of the United States alone, thus completely pushing the broad working masses out of the election arena. In such a political system, it is as foolish and unrealizable as trying to get a piece of meat from a wolf for the ordinary working masses to hope for an opportunity to realize their political demands. It is as clear as seeing a fire that in capitalist society, where state power is firmly seized in the hands of the capitalist class, the opportunity to realize political demands will fall not to the working masses but only to the capitalist class. If an opportunity exists in an economic system where the means of production are owned by capitalists, it is only the opportunity for speculation that allows capitalists to make a fortune at a stroke; the workers cannot have even a needle's eye of an opportunity to own and enjoy the material wealth they have created. The harsh reality of capitalist countries is that the poor, unable to receive even basic medical assistance, lose their lives before hospital doors and cannot even step over school thresholds. In the end, the "equality of opportunity" talk that bourgeois spokesmen prattle about is nothing but a robber's logic that permits the survival-of-the-fittest struggle for the tiny minority of the privileged stratum and forces the working masses to accept rightlessness and poverty as their fate. The clamour of Western governments that they will "guarantee equal opportunities" so that citizens can improve their social status or living conditions is merely a cunning trick to cover up the hollowness of the "equality for all" inscribed in the legal codes and to appease the working masses' resistance against the ever-deepening social inequality. The policies and laws of capitalist society are thoroughly a tool for maintaining the power of the capitalist class and a means to guarantee their acquisition of profit. There is not a single policy of capitalist states that does not represent and satisfy the interests of capitalists. A political science professor of the United States asserted that, looking at many policies of his country, all economic spaces were made to benefit the rich, saying, "Congress repeatedly lowered the tax rates for high-income earners, and the tax allocation on capital accumulation and other investment income was also very unfair. This amounted to showering a rain of money on the wealthiest stratum of the United States." He continued that the government's labour policy worsened the situation of workers, and its financial policy only swelled the purses of wealthy entrepreneurs and investors, and therefore it is impossible for American society to ensure that opportunities fall fairly to all citizens. The pandemic of a malignant infectious disease several years ago vividly showed how dangerously social inequality in capitalist countries has reached. In one Western country, a great number of deaths occurred, and the mortality rate was particularly high among ethnic minorities, people of colour and immigrants. One sociologist asserted that the particularly weak ability to respond to the infectious disease among them is due to the serious problem of income and opportunity inequality that has long existed in society. Under social discrimination and contempt, people of colour and immigrants, who were not even guaranteed basic medical services and were barely sustaining their livelihoods, collapsed helplessly before the rapid spread of the malignant infectious disease. This is precisely the true picture of the "guarantee of equal opportunities" that capitalist states talk about. As the political and economic crisis of capitalism deepens, the conglomerate-first policies of capitalist states are being enforced more openly and more shamelessly. Not long ago, the government of a Western European country revised its policy on workers' pensions as one way to overcome the long-lasting economic crisis. It was aimed at drastically cutting the pensions to be paid to workers and bailing out enterprises. This anti-popular plan to slash even the meagre pensions due to retirees and fill the stomachs of the rich, who can be said to be the culprits of the economic crisis, aroused fierce resistance from all walks of life as soon as it was announced. Up to more than one million protesters turned out across the country and demanded the government withdraw the unjust pension reform plan, but the authorities responded with ruthless police violence instead. Capitalist states fabricate various laws and violent apparatuses and mercilessly wield the fascist club to suppress and eliminate elements that conflict with the realization of the capitalist class's interests, and cruelly repress the resistance of the working masses. The talk of "guaranteeing equal opportunities" by Western politicians to the working masses is also aimed at appeasing the discontent and resistance against the authorities' anti-popular misrule by giving them lingering attachment to the improvement of their living conditions. The fact that Western politicians are whitewashing "equality of opportunity" as if it holds the secret to improving the people's situation only reveals more starkly the anti-popular nature of capitalist politics, which completely shirks any responsibility or duty for the people's livelihood. In capitalist society, where everything is decided by money and the power of money runs rampant, there can be no equality whatsoever. Un Jong Chol Efforts of African Countries for the Independent Development of the Economy Many African countries are actively striving to reject Western interference and achieve economic development and the prosperity of the continent with their own strength. Not long ago, a Nigerian media outlet asserted that the recommendations of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to accept the US-style economic prescription do not suit the reality of its country and other African countries. According to the media, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank "recommended" that the Nigerian government expand the application of value-added tax on fuel and additionally increase communication charges to increase government tax revenue. The International Monetary Fund also put forward the sweet-sounding talk that such measures would help expand the government's fiscal revenue. However, Nigerian economic experts commented that this is something that does not fully take into account the reality of the country and, far from promoting the economic development of the country, will rather have a counter-effect. It is reported that at present, the inflation rate in Nigeria is at a high level. In the view of experts, if value-added tax is imposed on fuel under such circumstances, fuel prices will rise, and this will lead to an increase in transport costs and manufacturing prime costs, etc. They also see that raising communication charges will also increase the cost burden on enterprises and citizens and is highly likely to shrink economic activity. At the same time, they assert that the Western economic prescription should not be accepted as it is, and economic policies centred on fostering domestic industries and expanding production should be pursued. The reason why the West-led International Monetary Fund and World Bank are trying to force-feed African countries the economic prescriptions made according to their own standards is not to help the economic development of these countries. It is to suppress their independent development and keep them shackled to the economic chains of the West. So far, by transplanting "democracy" into African countries, the Western countries have brought about uncontrollable political chaos, bloody armed conflicts and economic catastrophe. Western countries interfered in the internal affairs of African countries, fomented inter-ethnic and inter-tribal discord and distrust, and instigated civil wars and conflicts by talking about "economic aid" in conformity with "the growth rate and conformity standards of democracy." They pursued neo-colonial subjugation and plunder of these countries. What the Western "aid" brought to African countries was only instability of the situation. The African people, who have keenly realized that they cannot eradicate poverty or ensure peace and stability on the continent by depending on foreign forces, have risen up to build a new society with renewed efforts. Feeling uneasy about this, the Western countries are now trying to recolonize Africa by recommending their economic prescriptions. But their methods no longer work. African countries have come to realize that accepting Western aid and interference is the path to falling into the noose of domination and subjugation, and are directing even greater efforts to the independent development of their economies. Not long ago, the President of Mozambique clarified the stand to concentrate all efforts on achieving the economic independence of the country and accomplish prosperity and eliminate regional inequality over the next 25 years. At a meeting, he expressed his determination to make the next 25 years a period of building a more developed and competitive country, saying that national economic development is achieved not by any coincidence but through establishing a view on development prospects, building a strong and reliable system, and implementing consistent policies. At the celebrations held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of independence in June last year, the President also stressed achieving the country's economic self-reliance. At present, as part of realizing the diversification of the economy, this country is striving not only to export energy resources and raw materials but to develop the processing industry to utilize them effectively. While directing great efforts to energy development, it is also increasing investment in overall industrial growth, such as power generation and transport infrastructure development. As a measure for independent economic development, a law on the establishment of the National Development Bank was recently adopted. Zimbabwe is also striving to develop its economy with its own strength. Not long ago, the President of this country mentioned the practical issues arising in promoting independent economic growth, saying that many successes have been achieved in the process of realizing the modernization of the economy since independence. The Zimbabwean government is currently directing great attention to eradicating the export of minerals in the recent period and effectively utilizing mineral resources by developing its own processing industry. It has decided to ban the export of lithium concentrate from January 2027 and is building the foundation for producing lithium materials for batteries by itself. African countries are working to achieve the independent development of their economies, with Uganda strengthening mutual cooperation with the member states of the East African Community to enhance the effectiveness of transport, and Kenya coming up with a new plan aimed at turning agriculture into a modern and practical economic sector incorporating advanced technologies by 2030. Public opinion is reporting that Africa will show a newer image in the future, fully displaying its potential. Staff Reporter Kim Su Jin Unabated Heatwave and Expanding Forest Fires The heatwave that has struck various regions of the world is hardly abating. Following last month, European countries are also suffering from a record heatwave this month. At the end of July, as the future temperature was forecast to reach 40℃ in Croatia, a red high-temperature alert was issued in some areas. As this month began, the scope of the red high-temperature alert was extended to the capital and other areas, as an even more severe heatwave could sweep through. The UK is experiencing its fourth heatwave since the beginning of this year. In this country, it is estimated that 2 877 deaths occurred due to the heatwaves in May and June. This reportedly amounts to nearly double the total death toll reported last year. Experts say that this year, the death toll from heatwaves could record an all-time high. In Hungary and other European countries as well, countless people are suffering due to the temperature rise. Due to the persistent high temperature phenomenon, forest fires are spreading to a wider extent in Europe. While the area of forest fires is expanding day by day in some regions of Spain and France, forest fires swept through several regions of Greece on the 1st due to strong winds, forcing residents to evacuate. In Europe, heatwaves are striking in succession and there is almost no rain, so the damage from forest fires is very serious. According to data from several days ago, more than 434 000 hectares were reduced to ashes by forest fires in Europe this year. In one region of France, a catastrophic forest fire devastated about 42 000 hectares of pine forest, and tens of thousands of residents and tourists had to be evacuated. In Spain, the worst forest fire seen for decades broke out and burned an area of more than 200 000 hectares. The damaged area amounts to double the annual average damage area. On July 29, the European Union warned that the risk of forest fires will grow even larger in Italy as well, because heatwaves, drought and strong winds are forecast to continue, with forest fires moving eastwards. In the Americas, too, the heatwave is threatening people's lives. The US National Weather Service issued heatwave warnings for some parts of California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. The service forecasts that in the future, the temperature will rise to 47.2℃ in California, 43–47℃ in Arizona's capital, 40.6℃ in Utah, and 46.1℃ in Las Vegas, Nevada. It predicted that in cities near the Mexican border, the temperature will reach 44–49℃. The service warned that heatwave-related deaths could continue to increase. A UN official said that the fact that heatwaves strike all over the world and forest fires break out every summer is an inevitable result of global warming. Scientists of various countries also assert that the situation is worsening day by day due to climate change caused by global warming. Staff Reporter US Sanctions Offensive Denounced A spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, at a press conference on the 1st, denounced the US sanctions offensive against Chinese enterprises. Concerning the announcement by the US Department of Homeland Security to include over 40 Chinese enterprises on a sanctions list, the spokesperson condemned that the relevant US sanctions have no factual basis whatsoever, and the arbitrary imposition of unilateral sanctions on Chinese enterprises by the US administration under the signboard of "human rights" and "forced labour" and on the basis of domestic law constitutes a typical act of economic coercion. The spokesperson also branded that the US act constitutes an act that seriously infringes upon the legitimate rights and interests of the relevant Chinese enterprises. The spokesperson stressed that China strongly demands that the US stop fabricating the agenda of "forced labour" and stop exerting groundless pressure on Chinese enterprises. (Korean Central News Agency) Insidious Ulterior Motive of the European Union Exposed The Press Bureau of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service exposed on the 3rd the insidious ulterior motive of the European Union to appease Ukraine. The Press Bureau stressed that the European Union in fact needs Ukrainian territory to test cutting-edge weapons systems and practice new methods of warfare, and European bureaucrats are calculating to make Ukrainians even more ignorant and use them as cannon fodder in the confrontation with Russia. The Press Bureau revealed that in internal discussions, the European Union, while completely denying the possibility of Ukraine's accession to the European Union, proposed starting preliminary accession talks with Ukraine as a "carrot" to prevent Ukrainians from "reorienting towards anti-Europe." (Korean Central News Agency) Lawsuit Filed over Damage from Fighter Jet Noise About 370 residents of Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan, recently filed a lawsuit with a district court concerning the further aggravation of noise damage after "F-35B" stealth fighter jets were deployed at the Nyutabaru Base (Shintomi Town, Miyazaki Prefecture) of the Air "Self-Defense Force." They expressed their indignation that after eight "F-35B" stealth fighters were deployed at the base last year, training of noisy fighter jets was conducted, inflicting severe health damage. They demanded that the authorities ban night flights of the fighter jets and compensate for the noise damage. (Korean Central News Agency) World Health Organization Concerned over Spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo The World Health Organization announced on the 1st that the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has expanded to the largest-ever scale. The organization stated that although this outbreak was initially confined to Ituri Province, it has spread to 49 health zones in several areas including North Kivu Province and South Kivu Province over the past two months. The organization also warned that regional instability, population movement and cross-border movement are hindering surveillance and response activities, thereby increasing the additional risk of transmission, and that attacks on health facilities are raising the risk that the status of the epidemic spread will not be properly grasped. (Korean Central News Agency) Earthquake Damage Continues to Expand in Various Countries - The Speaker of the National Assembly of Venezuela announced on August 3 that the death toll from the strong earthquakes that occurred on June 24 in Venezuela has increased to 6 125. So far, 6 462 people have been rescued and 60 992 have received hospital treatment. - The damage from the strong earthquake that occurred in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, on July 28 continues to expand. As of August 3, the death toll increased to 38, the number of refugees evacuated to temporary shelters reaches thousands, and 4 622 dwelling houses were damaged. Due to the high temperature above 37℃, heatstroke deaths have occurred among the refugees and the number of patients is increasing. Water supply has not been restored, and tens of thousands of households are suffering. The prefectural authorities announced that the number of damaged buildings will increase further as the field survey of damage progresses. (Korean Central News Agency) Lightning On the 1st, human casualties occurred due to lightning in the northwestern region of Uganda. That day, amid heavy rain, a dwelling house was struck by lightning, killing six family members. (Korean Central News Agency) For Social Progress and Development Foreign Trade Volume Increases In Vietnam, the foreign trade volume in the first seven months of this year increased by 28.1% compared to the same period last year. On the 3rd, the statistical agency of this country announced that the import volume in particular increased by 34.8%. Tree Planting On the 3rd, nationwide tree planting was conducted in Ethiopia. A great number of people from all walks of life voluntarily participated in this work and planted a total of 800 million saplings on that day. This amounts to the largest number of saplings planted in one day. The government has reportedly set a goal of planting over 8 billion saplings during this monsoon season to accelerate the forestation project of the country. (Korean Central News Agency) Mass Deaths of Birds Occur Due to Avian Influenza On the 3rd, the Australian authorities announced that the first case was confirmed in which silver gulls died en masse from the H5N1 avian influenza on an island of Australia. According to them, on July 31, 49 dead and 35 sick silver gulls were discovered on an island about 5 km off the southeastern coast of South Australia, and test results confirmed they were infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. At present, the H5N1 avian influenza virus is spreading rapidly in South Australia, arousing social concern. (Korean Central News Agency) Israel's Murderous Air Strike Atrocities against Lebanon
World Knowledge The Caribbean Sea It is an inland sea of the Atlantic Ocean located between Central and South America and the Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles. It is also called the American Mediterranean. The northwest is connected to the Gulf of Mexico by the Yucatan Channel, and the northeast and east are connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the channels of the Antilles. And the south is linked to the Pacific Ocean via the Panama Canal. Its total area is 2 777 000 km², the average water depth is 2 430 m, and the deepest point is 7 680 m. The name Caribbean is said to have originated from the word "carib," meaning "land of fighting" in the language of the indigenous Indians. According to another theory, the name of the indigenous tribe that lived on the islands of this area was "Carib," and the tribe's name was used to call the surrounding sea. The Caribbean Sea area belongs to the tropical trade wind climate zone. Northeasterly winds are dominant, and on the northern coast of South America, it is influenced by easterly winds almost all year round. In autumn and summer, hurricanes, which are tropical cyclones, frequently occur. The peripheral area of the Caribbean Sea is an active seismic zone, and volcanic activity is frequently underway. On the coast of the Caribbean Sea lie countries such as Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Grenada, Saint Lucia and others. The Caribbean Sea is of great significance in maritime transport and military strategy as it is linked to the Panama Canal, the sea route connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Staff Reporter | |
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