World

  • A colour-blind United States?

    Throughout US history "race" has been a major factor in the country's politics. The English occupation and the westward drive by settlers to conquer and slaughter the native peoples was justified in the name of advancing

  • Hedge funds crisis worsens global economic meltdown

    "There is a credit crisis going on around the world, and it was brought home to us in spades by the bailout", Henry Cavanna, the head of JP Morgan Investment Management told Bloomberg news agency on September 25. Cavanna was commenting

  • Methyl bromide threatens communities

    FLORIDA — Communities, farms and schools face serious health risks from exposure to the pesticide methyl bromide, according to a new report by Friends of the Earth. Reaping Havoc — The True Cost of Using Methyl Bromide on Florida's Tomatoes

  • Indonesia: More foreign debt not the answer

    Indonesia: More foreign debt not the answer International donors pledged $7.9 billion in aid to Indonesia at the annual Consultative Group on Indonesia (CGI) meeting in July, 50% more than last year. But the package will not provide long-term

  • West Papuans resist 'ethnic cleansing'

    Suharto's military dictatorship may have ended in Java but in West Papua (Irian Jaya) it is business as usual. Human rights violations that became synonymous with Suharto have continued since he stepped down in May. In June, while

  • Malaysia: what prospects for reform?

    PETALING JAYA — Malaysia's deputy prime minister and finance minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, was removed from his posts on September 2. A day later he was sacked as deputy president of United Malays National Organisation

  • Korean bank workers plan new strikes

    South Korea's Federation of Bank and Financial Labour Unions (KFBU) has called on its 110,000 members to join an unlimited strike to start on September 29. The strike aims to save the jobs of nearly 28,700 members. The KFBU is

  • Russian government blows wage arrears to save oligarchs

    Russian government sacrifices wages to save oligarchsMOSCOW — After weeks of being a "certainty", there will be no crash of Russia's speculative, mafia-infested banking system — not yet, anyway. Instead, the crash is likely

  • Voters punish Swedish Social Democrats

    Voters punish Swedish Social DemocratsSTOCKHOLM — The result of the general election on September 20 reflected the growing polarisation in Swedish society. The ruling Social Democrats suffered a defeat of historic dimensions.

  • Students help flood victims

    Students help flood victimsDHAKA, Bangladesh — The people of Bangladesh face a new threat — devastating floods which affect 70% of the country and are getting worse. Flying into Dhaka (ground transport is now closed) is a

  • Floods highlight Mexico's defects

    MEXICO CITY — Severe floods in the southern Mexican state of Chiapas have left more than a 250,000 homeless and have taken the lives of between 500 and 3000 people. Torrential rains began on September 7 and have continued since.