World

Roberto Jorquera, Caracas On June 26, Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez hosted his weekly TV show from the city of Coro, about six hours west of Caracas on the Caribbean coast. The 226th episode of Hello President was dedicated to the launching of

A delegation of Norwegian nationals was deported on July 5 by Moroccan authorities from the long-contested Western Sahara region. The delegation, led by Arne Lynngard, chairperson of the Rafto Foundation for Human Rights, included representatives of

On July 1, the Vietnamese government introduced a new health insurance policy under which the Vietnam Social Insurance agency (VSI) will cover all medical costs for insured patients. Previously, insured patients had to pay 20% of medical treatment

Alex Bainbridge, Chicago The packed out "Rally against war and empire" was the highlight of the Socialism 2005 conference, held here on July 1-4. The 1000-strong conference was organised by the International Socialist Organisation (ISO) — the

Kim Bullimore Israel has begun a new wave of demolitions against Palestinian houses and buildings in occupied East Jerusalem. Earlier this year, the Israeli Jerusalem Municipality demolished 37 Palestinian homes. According to the Israeli

Neville Spencer On July 1, following an internal discussion among the indigenous villagers who make up its base, the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) issued the "Sixth Declaration of the Lacondon Jungle". The statement declares the EZLN's

On June 26, the San Jose Mercury News published emails suggesting that the newly created Information Synchronization, Knowledge Management and Intelligence National Guard unit had been spying on members of the peace groups CodePink, Raging Grannies

Marce Cameron On May 1, Cuba's socialist government raised the country's minimum wage — from 100 to 225 pesos per month — and sharply increased pensions for retirees. This was followed on July 1 by additional pay rises of 57 pesos for doctors

Alex Bainbridge, Gleneagles It began with a protest by parliamentarians from the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) on June 30 and continued non-stop until the successful protest of around 10,000 on July 6 — the first day of the G8 summit. In

Across Britain, anti-war and left-wings groups were quick to condemn the July 7 bombings in London. The Stop the War Coalition, which has organised some of the world's biggest anti-war protests in London in recent years, was quick to respond,

Norman Brewer, Bremen On July 3, the extraordinary national congress of the Electoral Alternative for Jobs and Social Justice (WASG) voted overwhelmingly to stand candidates on the "open list" of the PDS (Party for Democratic Socialism), which will

At its July 5 meeting, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), an alliance that groups Russia and China with the former Soviet Central Asian republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, called on the US and its NATO allies to