World

Earlier this summer, a comprehensive school student from the north-east was refused a place at Oxford University, despite having exceptionally high examination grades. The Labour Party, in a populist outburst which even by their standards of cynicism

PACIFIC: US military a 'toxic criminal' SAIPAN, CNMI — Greenpeace has declared the United States government a toxic criminal for using the Pacific as a dumping ground for its poisons. Greenpeace and Tanapag villagers have re-fenced and signposted

AUSTRIA: Peak union plays dead Austrian peak union plays dead GRAZ, Austria — At a recent government-organised summit, it was proclaimed that the European Union target of a zero budget deficit could be reached only through joint national

Hypocrisy, Republican style SAN FRANCISCO — The four-day Republican Party convention finally came to an end on August 4 with the formal nomination of Texas Governor George W. ("Dubya") Bush, as the party's presidential candidate in November.

Pro-Jakarta militia operating out of refugee camps and other bases in West Timor show no sign of scaling down their attacks upon refugees or United Nations soldiers and humanitarian staff. The increasing number of clashes between the militia and UN

UNITED STATES: Anti-corporate activists go cross-country Fresh from protests against the Republican convention in Philadelphia, a coalition of pro-democracy groups set out cross-country on August 8 to share their message with unions and the rest of

UNITED STATES: 'The poor will not be disappeared' PHILADELPHIA — While the smug elite of the US Republican Party gathered here in plush hotels and a huge new convention centre to celebrate their wealth and to anoint two rich white men to lead

Despite the announcement on July 31 by Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid that refugee camps in West Timor controlled by the pro-Jakarta militia will be closed, the fate of tens of thousands of East Timorese refugees remains perilous. The terror

President Hugo Chavez was re-elected by a comfortable margin in Venezuela's July 30 general elections. Chavez won 59% of the vote, beating his nearest rival and former ally, Francisco Arias, who gained 38%. Chavez and Arias were both leaders of the

LAHORE — The Dada Bhai Cement Factory in the Norrieabad District, in Sind province, has become the focus of attention of Pakistan's labour movement. Sixty of the factory's workers have lost their jobs for attempting to forming a union. Thirteen

DENIS HALLIDAY is probably the world's most high-profile critic of continuing sanctions against Iraq. He should know. As United Nations assistant secretary-general heading the international organisation's humanitarian mission in Iraq he was

FIJI: Why the military turned on Speight Following the arrest of coup leader George Speight and more than 360 of his supporters by the Fiji military on July 26, many mainstream observers are claiming that "normalcy" is returning in Fiji. However,