World

  • BOUGAINVILLE: Referendum terms questioned

    Talks between the Papua New Guinea government and Bougainville leaders on January 26 have finally resulted in an agreement to hold a referendum in which the people of Bougainville will be given the option to choose independence —

  • INDONESIA: Right moves against Wahid

    In an escalation of tensions between President Abdurrahman Wahid and right-wing forces in the country's parliament, a full session of the DPR, the Indonesian house of representatives, voted almost unanimously on February 2 to accept a

  • PALESTINE: 'No return, no justice, no peace'

    WASHINGTON, DC — The Palestine Right to Return Coalition (PRRC) upholds the inalienable right of Palestinian refugees to return home as an integral component of a just and viable peace. No agreement, negotiations or parties which purport to trade

  • INDONESIA: Moves towards anti-Golkar alliances begin

    On January 23, Budiman Sujatmiko, chairperson of the People's Democratic Party (PRD) led a delegation to meet the leadership of the Nahdatul Ulama (NU), the religious organisation which Abdurrahman Wahid led before his election as

  • LATIN AMERICA: US to tighten trade screws

    At the April Summit of the Americas meeting of government leaders, to be held in Quebec City, Canada, the United States will seek endorsement for the extension of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to the rest of the

  • PHILIPPINES: People's power rides again

    For the second time in 15 years, the Philippines people have risen as one to overthrow a corrupt leader. In 1986, millions gathered on EDSA, Manila's main avenue, to demand the resignation of dictator Ferdinand Marcos; on January 20

  • SWITZERLAND: Protesters defy police ban

    Undeterred by an unprecedented crackdown by Swiss police, several thousand anti-capitalist demonstrators have descended on the up-market ski resort town of Davos to protest the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) of top

  • INDONESIA: Wahid surrenders sovereignty to IMF

    In an end of year "state of the nation" report, the central leadership council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PRD) described economic developments during 2000 under the government of President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice-President

  • SRI LANKA: Tamils fear war escalation

    Tamil groups are fearful that the Sri Lankan government will escalate its war in the country's north, following the January 24 expiration of a unilateral ceasefire by the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The LTTE, which is fighting for an

  • UNITED STATES: Ten worst corporations of 2000

    This year, rushing to the head of the pack of irresponsible biotech companies was the French corporation Aventis, the maker of Cry9C corn, sold under the name StarLink. Earlier this year, StarLink corn —

  • BANGLADESH: Farm labourers win 'great victory'

    Bangladesh's 22.3 million landless farmers secured a major win on December 18 when the government agreed to an 11-point charter of demands which labourers' organisations have been fighting for since 1978. The agriculture ministry's

  • PAKISTAN: LPP wins local seats

    In its first major electoral success, the Labour Party Pakistan has bagged 12 local council seats in the Sindhi town of Larkana, home town and power base of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. One party candidate also won in