World

  • ECUADOR: Celia Hart: 'Venezuela means a new life for Cuba'

    Jim McIlroy & Coral Wynter, Quito Celia Hart, a distinguished Cuban academic, member of the Jose Marti Institute and Cuban Communist Party militant, addressed an international seminar organised by the Socialist Party of Ecuador over May 17 and 18.

  • ECUADOR: Washington frets over 'Bolivarian' candidate

    Duroyan Fertl The small oil-rich Andean country of Ecuador goes to the polls on October 15 to elect a new president. Normally, the US isn't too worried about who wins the presidential sash, as they usually end up dancing to Washington's tune. But

  • NEW ZEALAND: Building a movement for real democracy

    In January, New Zealand National Party leader Don Brash gave a speech viciously attacking affirmative action for Maoris. In the uproar that followed, New Zealand's Labour government made significant concessions to Brash, agreeing that a "new balance"

  • BRAZIL: Indigenous people violently evicted

    On January 20, the Tupinikim and Guarani indigenous communities were violently evicted from their land in Espirito Santo by 120 police using rubber bullets and armed with sub-machine guns and tear gas. Thirteen people were injured. The equipment used

  • IRAQ: US loses political ground to Iraqi rebels

    Rohan Pearce "Few people doubt that US military forces have the ability to overwhelm Iraqi rebels. But as was the case in Fallujah earlier this year, the need to balance force with politics has stripped away many of their advantages", observed an

  • IRAQ: US massacres 'every day fact'

    Doug Lorimer "Word that US Marines may have killed two dozen Iraqi civilians in 'cold-blooded' revenge after an insurgent attack has shocked Americans but many Iraqis shrug it off as an every day fact of life under occupation", Reuters reported on

  • SOUTH AFRICA: Tripartite Alliance reaping what it has sown

    Dale T. McKinley, Johannesburg The alliance is dead! Long live the alliance! That about sums up the politics of the organisational marriage between the African National Congress (ANC), the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Congress of

  • If we fight, we can win

    Rohan Pearce For many people watching US President George Bush's March 19, 2003, declaration that US had begun its invasion of Iraq there would have been a sense of disbelief. Just one month before, half-a-million people had filled the Sydney CBD

  • IRAQ: Resistance fighters step up attacks

    Doug Lorimer Attacks by Iraqi resistance fighters rose by 29% in 2005 to 34,131, up from 26,496 attacks in 2004, according to US military figures released on January 22. The Pentagon reported that roadside bombs continued to be the most common

  • UNITED STATES: Union opposes Iraq occupation

    David Bacon, Los Angeles On June 22, the national convention of the Service Employees International Union — with 1.7 million members, the largest union in the US — voted unanimously to oppose the occupation of Iraq. A few days later, a

  • MALAYSIA: PSM holds eighth congress

    The Malaysian Socialist Party (PSM) held its eighth congress in late May. Over the past period, the party has been involved in campaigns against the privatisation of health care, against the goods and services tax and against the fuel price hike,

  • BRAZIL: Killings of Indians investigated

    On November 29, Brazilian federal police arrested 18 people for crimes against Indians and the environment. During the past decade, an uncontacted tribe known as the Rio Pardo Indians have had their land invaded by land grabbers and loggers. Despite