World

  • BRITAIN: 'New Labour represents the rich' says union leader

    Shane Bentley Britain's National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), with 67,000 members, made headlines in December when its Scottish regional council voted overwhelmingly to end its long-standing links with the Labour Party and

  • ACEH: GAM negotiators given harsh jail terms

    Pip Hinman On January 14, the Aceh high court upheld the verdict of a lower court which last year convicted five Free Aceh Movement (GAM) negotiators of treason and terrorism and sentenced them to long prison terms. The maximum penalty is death.

  • IRAQ: US troop deaths approach 500

    Doug Lorimer As the number of US troops killed in Iraq steadily climbed toward 500, Coalition Provisional Authority chief Paul Bremer claimed that guerrilla attacks had fallen dramatically in the wake of Saddam Hussein's capture on December 13.

  • SCOTLAND: Railworkers' socialist affiliation causes storm

    Richie Venton, Glasgow In a monumental breakthrough for socialism and genuine political representation for working people, the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union (RMT) in Scotland has voted to ditch the British Labour Party and affiliate to

  • SOUTH KOREA: Migrant workers protest

    Dieter Kursietis, Seoul A demonstration by more than 100 members and supporters of the Equality Trade Union Migrants Branch (ETU-MB), South Korea's only migrant workers' trade union, was held on December 31 at the Mok-dong immigration office. The

  • PALESTINE: Sharon's unilateral steps

    Joel Beinin, Cairo As the Israeli army reimposed a nearly complete lock-down on the West Bank in the aftermath of the Christmas Day suicide bombing outside of Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has reportedly deputised a top general to

  • WEST PAPUA: Students face 20 years' jail for raising flag

    Jason MacLeod On December 3, Indonesian security forces detained four West Papuan students for their part, two days earlier, in releasing West Papuan flags — known as the Morning Star — attached to balloons in the central Java town of

  • NEW ZEALAND: Alliance adopts a socialist manifesto

    Grant Brookes, Wellington "The Alliance is a broad inclusive party of the Left with policies based on socialist principles: democracy, equality and social ownership." This is the opening statement of a working manifesto adopted by around 70 party

  • IRAQ: Women's movement under attack

    Lisa Macdonald In December, the pro-US Patriotic Union of Kurdistan twice threatened to shut down the Suleimaniyiah office of the Organisation of Women's Freedom in Iraq. The PUK's security forces claim that the OWFI does not have a "licence" to

  • INDONESIA: Newcrest 'pays soldiers and police'

    Igor O'Neill, Jakarta On January 7, riot police opened fire on local residents protesting against the environmental and social impacts of Melbourne-based mining company Newcrest's Toguraci goldmining operation on the Indonesian island of Halmahera.

  • UNITED STATES: Green mayoral candidate almost wins

    Barry Sheppard, San Francisco The Democratic Party nationally got a big scare when Green Party candidate Matt Gonzalez came close to winning the race for mayor of San Francisco on December 9. Gonzalez received 47% of the vote, while his

  • CANADA: Quebec workers take action

    Jeff Shantz, Toronto On December 11, tens of thousands of workers across Quebec province took direct action against the newly elected government of Premier Jean Charest. Charest's Liberal Party government is taking its cue from other neoliberal