World

  • UNITED STATES: War and poverty aren't natural

    Stan Goff I haven't been sure how to respond to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, or its coincidence with the almost 1000 Iraqis who were killed during a panic stampede when a bridge suffered a structural failure. I go back and forth, between

  • ACEH: Concerns remain about peace deal

    James Balowski, Jakarta On August 15, the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as a first step in seeking a peaceful and lasting solution to the decades-long conflict in Aceh.

  • ITALY: Washington blocks Iraqis from speaking

    John Catalinotto, New York A group of right-wing members of the US Congress close to the Bush administration has pressured the Italian government into interfering with an October conference in Rome aimed at building solidarity with Iraqis fighting

  • PALESTINE: Israel steps up colonisation in East Jerusalem

    Kim Bullimore While the world has been distracted by the Gaza "disengagement", Israel has continued to approve plans for, and to build and expand, illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. In July, Israeli planners approved

  • CANADA: Ottawa steps up support for US-led war efforts

    Roger Annis, Vancouver The commander of Canada's armed forces, General Rick Hillier, is speaking out boldly in support of the US-led imperialist war effort in the Middle East and Asia. He is spending the summer months on a lecture circuit as the

  • SOUTH AFRICA: 'New UDF' sparks left debate

    Dale T. McKinley, Johannesburg A great deal of excitement has been generated, among South Africa's general population and also in left-wing political and activist ranks, by the launch of what has been labelled by the mainstream media the "new

  • BRITAIN: Gate Gourmet workers' struggle continues

    Alex Miller The bitter Gate Gourmet airline catering firm dispute, which led to the temporary shutting down of London's Heathrow Airport last month, shows no sign of being quickly resolved. On September 2, Tony Woodley, general secretary of the

  • VENEZUELA: Chavez to help poor in South and North America

    Stuart Munckton The furore continues to grow over the call to assassinate left-wing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez made on US national television on August 22 by Pat Robertson, a right-wing Christian televangalist and well-known supporter of US

  • NEW ZEALAND: Solidarity grows for Tongan strikers

    As the Tongan civil service strike entered its sixth week, New Zealand trade unionists, the expatriate Tongan community, social justice activists and church groups are organising support and solidarity.

  • BRITAIN: The rise of the 'democratic' police state

    John Pilger, London Thomas Friedman is a famous columnist on the New York Times. He has been described as "a guard dog of US foreign policy". Whatever America's warlords have in mind for the rest of humanity, Friedman will bark it. He boasts that

  • NEW ZEALAND: Workers' Charter launched

    Grant Morgan, Auckland On August 18, a draft Workers' Charter was finalised by a steering committee elected at a meeting of unionists and left-wing activists in Auckland on July 2. Over the next year there will be broad discussion of the draft

  • IRAQ: The two 'Green Zones'

    Dahr Jamail As the US-backed Iraqi puppet government flails about arguing over the so-called constitution, Iraq remains in a state of complete anarchy. There is no government control whatsoever, even inside the infamous "Green Zone" where the