World

The US government's push to open up Asian markets was dealt an embarrassing blow at the summit of the 21-member Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Kuala Lumpur, which closed on November 18. Meeting for the sixth time — and

Kurds begin hunger strikeCANBERRA — On November 18, members of the Australian Kurdish community began an indefinite hunger strike on the lawns of Parliament House in protest at the arrest of Kurdish independence leader

There are grave fears for the well-being of several East Timorese youths missing after Indonesian soldiers ransacked the villages of Turin and Taitudak in the Alas subdistrict on November 15. Eyewitnesses said that four youths in

Doctors in Peru performed about 110,000 sterilisations last year, plus 10,000 vasectomies, as part of a government birth control campaign. The number of women sterilised was more than three times the number in 1996. Since 1961,

Korean workers march against bosses On November 8, about 20,000 South Korean workers marched around the Seoul headquarters of the Federation of Korean Industries to demand the jailing of the bosses of big businesses, whom they accuse of bringing

Kanaky: independence postponedOn December 8, residents of the French Overseas Territory of New Caledonia voted 71.86% in favour of a referendum proposal to shift more decision-making powers from Paris to the territory. The

MOSCOW — Russians, like other northern Europeans, tend to be tall if properly fed. "If" is of course the important word here: throughout most of Russia's history, the nutrition of the bulk of the population has been abominable.

Zimbabwe cops kill strikerOn November 11, Zimbabwe riot police fired tear gas canisters at 25,000 striking workers and unemployed youth in the small town of Mutare, about 270 kilometres east of the capital, Harare. At least one

Despite Beijing's repressive rule, pockets of small protests persist across China. In recent years, the number of such protests have risen sharply in reaction to mass sackings, rampant corruption by Chinese Communist Party officials

On November 9, activists who failed in their recent attempts to have the newly formed Chinese Democracy Party (CDP) registered, defied the authorities and launched CDP branches in Beijing and the nearby city of Tianjin. In response,

Turkey invades Kurdistan again Turkey's latest invasion of Kurdish-populated northern Iraq has taken place, ignored by the world's press. About 25,000 Turkish troops, supported by planes and helicopters, crossed the border on November 6. Turkish

Canadian PM in hot water over APEC '97As the APEC leaders prepare to meet in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 15-18, Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien is still battling calls for his resignation following the