World

  • 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

  • RUSSIA: Putin gang consolidates control of Duma

    Boris Kagarlitsky, Moscow With more than 36% of votes the pro-Kremlin United Russia party looks like the only real winner in Russia's parliamentary elections, held on December 7. It also succeeded in getting a massive victory in single-member

  • IRAQ: US arrests union leaders

    David Bacon, Baghdad US occupation forces have escalated their efforts to paralyse Iraq's new trade unions. On December 6, a convoy of 10 humvees and armoured personnel carriers descended on the old headquarters of the Transport and Communications

  • GEORGIA: Shevardnadze resigns amid mass protests

    Opposition supporters stormed Georgia's parliament on November 23 and took it over, forcing President Eduard Shevardnadze, who held the position since 1993, to flee. Tens of thousands of protesters outside demanded his

  • WEST PAPUA: Gag Island under threat

    Abdul Teng is in his element. Teng is here to talk about his home, Gag Island in violence-ridden West Papua, the scene of a four-decade-long struggle for independence. The 56-square kilometre island is located 150km north-west of