World

US keeps stalling Elian's return to Cuba

By Gilberto Firmat ATLANTA — As the United States' kidnapping of Elian Gonzalez enters its fifth month, US attorney-general Janet Reno continues to steer her department on a course that openly defies the January court ruling, which she endorsed,

Bougainville: doubts over autonomy, referendum agreement

Bougainville: doubts over autonomy, referendum agreement By Mark Abberton "The Bougainville Revolutionary Army's (BRA) patience is fast running out with the Papua New Guinea government's crippling indecisiveness and inability to understand a

FMLN wins in parliamentary and municipal elections

By Lara Pullin The left-wing FMLN (Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front) won a resounding victory in March 12 legislative and municipal elections in El Salvador. The win is the FMLN's most significant political gain since the signing of the

Hindu fundamentalists knocked back

Hindu fundamentalists knocked back By Eva Cheng The February attempt by India's main Hindu fundamentalist party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to seize power through the back door in India's second largest state, Bihar, has failed miserably.

Acehnese demand referendum, end to violence

The following is abridged from a statement by MUHAMMAD NAZAR, chairperson of the presidium board of the Aceh Referendum Information Centre (SIRA), to Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid, dated March 5. Violence and human rights violations by the

International news briefs: Turkey, Nigeria, Philippines, India

Turkish police attack neighbourhood Several thousand Turkish cops, including anti-riot police and special units with face masks and assault-style weapons, swept the predominantly leftist and Kurdish Gazi neighbourhood in Istanbul on March 12. Three

Reject Wahid's austerity plan, says PRD

Reject Wahid's austerity plan, says PRD By Pip Hinman Since his election five months ago, the new president of Indonesia, Abdurrahman Wahid, has managed to create the impression that his is a people-friendly government. But how true is this?

Korean steelworkers press on

Korean steelworkers press on By Eva Cheng Against great odds, almost 190 Sammi Specialty Steel workers in South Korea are continuing their long struggle for jobs and justice after 580 workers were dismissed by the Pohang Steel Company (Posco)

Iranian workers condemn repressive labour laws

By Rupen Savoulian New, draconian labour laws recently enacted by the Iranian regime will exempt small businesses from the Islamic Labour Law, affecting 2.8 million workers and resulting in 600,000 redundancies, according to a statement by the

China increases war spending while its economy sags

By Eva Cheng Under the Communist Party's tight control, the annual session of China's parliament — the National People's Congress (NPC) — has traditionally been a staged event. It often is, however, a useful gauge of Beijing's prevailing

East Timorese under attack

East Timorese under attack By Jon Land The recent spate of pro-integration militia incursions along the western border of East Timor highlights the failure and unwillingness of the Indonesian government to disarm its militia gangs in West Timor.

Behind the Spanish left's worst electoral loss

Behind the Spanish left's worst electoral loss By G. Buster In the March 12 Spanish election, the left suffered the worst electoral defeat in its history. After four years of conservative and neo-liberal policies, the governing People's Party