World

France: Communists discuss new direction

MARTIGUES, France — Delegates to the 30th national conference of the French Communist Party (PCF) meeting in this southern French industrial city, in late March, voted for significant changes to the structure and direction of the party. Party

Cuba: Audacious proposal to resolve Elian crisis

Cuban President Fidel Castro has unveiled an audacious but very constructive proposal to break the logjam preventing the reunification of Elian Gonzalez with his father. On March 29, Castro announced that Elian's father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez, was

East Timor: Jobless confronted by anti-riot troops

East Timor: Jobless confronted by anti-riot troops By Vanja Tanaja DILI — United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (NTAET) security forces threatened to use anti-riot gear against 800 job seekers seeking information on their job

Outrage at British rail safety U-turn

Outrage at rail safety U-turn By Daphne Liddle Britain's deputy prime minister John Prescott is facing a public outcry after backing down on his pledge, made in the wake of the Paddington rail disaster, to remove the responsibility for rail

Labour Party Pakistan leaders hunted by police

Labour Party Pakistan leaders hunted by police By Farooq Sulehria LAHORE — Police and soldiers raided the houses and offices of Labour Party Pakistan leaders on the night of March 22. The raids occurred just hours after an LPP-organised

News briefs: Cuba, Kurdistan, Nigeria

US Senate votes to ease Cuba blockade On March 23, pressure from US farmers, agribusiness and politicians representing "farm states" convinced the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee to vote to allow greater sales of US food and medicine to Cuba,

Talks on Khmer Rouge trials end without agreement

By Allen Myers PHNOM PENH — Negotiations between the Cambodian government and United Nations representatives, spread over five days, on arrangements for a trial of former leaders of the murderous Khmer Rouge regime of 1975-79 ended without formal

Russia: Hands off Kirov trade unionists!

Hands off Kirov trade unionists! By Steve Myers Russian labour activists Sergei Salnikov and Maksim Karpikov, leaders of the independent trade union Zaschita (Defence) in Kirov, have been arrested for distributing leaflets asking people not to

Bougainville: doubts over autonomy, referendum agreement

Bougainville: doubts over autonomy, referendum agreement By Mark Abberton "The Bougainville Revolutionary Army's (BRA) patience is fast running out with the Papua New Guinea government's crippling indecisiveness and inability to understand a

US keeps stalling Elian's return to Cuba

By Gilberto Firmat ATLANTA — As the United States' kidnapping of Elian Gonzalez enters its fifth month, US attorney-general Janet Reno continues to steer her department on a course that openly defies the January court ruling, which she endorsed,

DSP: stop the attacks and restore democracy in Pakistan!

DSP: stop the attacks and restore democracy! The following letter of protest was sent to the Pakistan's General Pervaiz Musharraf by the Democratic Socialist Party in Australia on March 25. We strongly protest the raids by Pakistani army and

Indonesia: has democracy been won?

Indonesia: has democracy been won? Comment by Max Lane Socialists and progressive people face an important challenge in the coming few years to match the "solidarity" the Australian ruling class is extending to the new government of Indonesia and