World

Liberals and the DemocratsThe "liberals" had their day at the Democratic Party convention — they were allowed to speak in respectful disagreement with President Bill Clinton, while using their influence to exhort those

Widespread deforestation in Amazon region Approximately 14,000 square kilometres were deforested per year in the Amazonian region of Brazil between 1992 and 1994, according to a report in the Folha de Sao Paulo on August 23. These figures are from

On August 19, it was disclosed that the New Zealand National Party government was planning to proceed with the privatisation of the Forestry Corporation, despite the fact that the government could well be turned out in national elections on October

From July 27 to August 3, the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) hosted one of the most unusual international conferences ever. The EZLN, in spite of not being able to operate freely and legally, invited people from around

Russian defeat brings hope for peace in ChechnyaMOSCOW — August 1996 seems destined to be remembered as the point when Russians came to accept that their armed forces had lost the war in Chechnya, and when the regime of

Activist tortured The student organisation PIJAR on August 17 released a letter smuggled out of jail written by student activist Hendrik Sirait. Sirait was arrested during a peaceful demonstration in support of Megawati Sukarnoputri. The letter

'Tricontinental' needs help Tricontinental magazine, put out by the African, Asian and Latin American Peoples' Solidarity Organisation (OSPAAAL), is being revived. The magazine was an idea proposed by Che Guevara for the movements in those three

For the past 25 years, bad news has been reported again and again by the scientific community worldwide. Ozone depletion. Global warming. Certain cancers increasing. Dioxin and PCBs from industrial sources now found everywhere,

BOLIVIA — This is a country of rich natural resources. Tin, silver, gold, bismuth, zinc and iron occur abundantly. Yet Bolivia is also a country of extreme poverty. Over the years, massive exploitation of these resources, and

Suharto's prisoners There are now 20 members of the People's Democratic Party (PRD) in prison, as well as Muchtar Pakpahan from the SBSI union federation and Hendrik Sirait, an activist with PIJAR (Information Centre for Reform and Action). Most

Meeting with lawyers On August 21, lawyers were finally able to meet Budiman Sujatmiko. Following the meeting, Jakarta lawyer Johnson Panjaitan announced that a team of 33 lawyers had been formed to defend Budiman and other PRD members detained in

Porgera shut by protests Angry villagers succeeded in closing the Porgera gold mine in PNG's western highlands on August 16. Members of the Porgera River Alluvial Miners Association burned seven vehicles. The villagers were demanding greater