World

East Timor pledge in NZ The Auckland East Timor Independence Committee has asked candidates in the October parliamentary elections to sign a pledge binding them to support a change in NZ's policy on East Timor so that Wellington recognises the East

Approximately 20,000 tonnes of obsolete pesticides are stored in Africa, often in containers that leak toxic waste into the environment, according to a recent UN Food and Agriculture Organisation report. FAO calls on agrochemical companies to share

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

The Republicans' two conventionsThe convention of the Republican Party was really two conventions: one for the party's extreme right wing, and the other a carefully orchestrated television event to launch Bob Dole's

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