According to police estimates, more than 200,000 people participated in the January 26 rally to mark the beginning of the fifth World Social Forum. Finishing on January 31, the WSF brought together 150,000 activists from more than 100 countries,
613
James Petras
A major diplomatic and political conflict has exploded between Colombia and Venezuela, after the revelation of a Colombian government covert operation in Venezuela that involved the recruitment of Venezuelan military and security
On January 26, British Home Secretary Charles Clarke outlined planned "control orders", which would enable the government to subject those suspected of terrorism to house arrest, curfews or tagging, without needing to try them. The announcement
Chris Latham, Perth
On January 18, construction workers on a number of Perth building sites walked off the job over fears that a heavy haze that has been affecting Perth was hazardous to outdoor workers.
The stoppages caused outrage from
Rohan Pearce
The cartoon on the letters page of the January 26 Sydney Morning Herald featured an Iraqi casting his vote in the US-engineered January 30 election saying "Give me liberty or give me death", while behind him a masked suicide bomber
Lara Pullin
Within hours of the federal budget being passed on January 28, outraged students and staff occupied the University of El Salvador, vowing to lead national mass actions to overturn it. They have called for mass protests at the national
Alex Miller
Carolyn Leckie, one the Scottish Socialist Party's six members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), has been sentenced to seven days in jail for refusing to pay a fine relating to her arrest at an anti-nuclear protest at Faslane Naval
Raul Bassi
In the early hours of December 31, more than 4000 people were enjoying local rock band Los Callejeros in Buenos Aires when suddenly joy became misery. A fire ripped through the Republica Cromagnon nightclub, killing 190 people, and
John Pilger
I tried to phone her the other day. I still have a number she gave me, which I could call infrequently and exchange a few words. It was fruitless to try this time; the hurried click at the other end was an echo of her Kafkaesque
Stuart Munckton
At an extravagant celebration with his wealthy supporters on January 20, George Bush was officially crowned ruler of the United States empire for another four years. Meanwhile, outside, thousands of anti-war protesters lined