World News
Indonesian police shoot two refugees trying to reach Australia
By Mike Head, November 18, 2009
The real face of the Rudd government’s hoped-for “Indonesian solution” for asylum seekers began to emerge last week. Indonesian police shot and seriously wounded two men trying to reach Australi...
US-occupied Iraq, Afghanistan among world’s most corrupt countries
By Bill Van Auken, November 18, 2009
US-occupied Afghanistan is the world’s second most corrupt country—after Somalia, where no government has functioned for two decades—while Iraq is the fourth worst, according to a report release...
The US-China summit highlights sharp schisms
By John Chan, November 18, 2009
The grand summit between Hu and Obama was mostly show and no substance. The formulations in the joint statement about the need for peace, economic cooperation and strategic trust were a rather threadb...
US government mammogram recommendations
Denial of breast cancer screenings will have deadly consequences
By Joanne Laurier, November 18, 2009
A US government panel’s recommendation that women under the age of 50 not undergo annual mammogram screenings has provoked outrage from oncologists and other health care professionals, as well as br...
Sri Lankan president invokes emergency powers against workers
By Saman Gunadasa, November 18, 2009
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse imposed an Essential Services Order on ports, petroleum, electricity and water workers, banning any industrial action in support of pay demands.
Single mother arrested for refusing deployment to Afghanistan
By Hiram Lee, November 18, 2009
A 21-year-old single mother serving in the US Army will likely face charges for refusing deployment to Afghanistan when she could not find care for her infant son.
Student protests continue in Austria
By Marius Heuser, November 18, 2009
Austrian students have occupied lecture halls at universities throughout the country to protest against deteriorating conditions and increasing commercialism in the country’s education system.
UN abandons hunger reduction target
By Barry Mason, November 18, 2009
The UN’s Food and Agricultural Organisation abandoned its hunger reduction targets in advance of the World Food Summit on Food Security that opened in Rome on November 16. Instead, it will now aim ...
For an independent working class movement to defend education
By ISSE (Germany), November 17, 2009
This statement has been issued by the ISSE in Germany in response to protests that have erupted in Europe against the profit-oriented restructuring of the education system.
Courtroom murderer sentenced to lifelong imprisonment in Germany
By Justus Leicht, November 17, 2009
Alex W, a German-Russian citizen was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering a 31 year-old Egyptian woman in a courtroom.
Sharp rise in birth defects in Iraqi city destroyed by US military
By David Walsh, November 17, 2009
As a likely result of the weaponry unleashed on the Iraqi city of Fallujah by the US military in 2004, doctors are discovering a horrifying increase in birth defects and deformities.
Credit ratings agency gives verdict on British economy
By Jean Shaoul, November 17, 2009
Credit ratings agency Fitch warns that Britain could lose its prized AAA status as a sovereign borrower.
