Labor struggles are fast spreading in Iran at this critical moment—but it sure isn’t winning much news coverage in the West. From the Italian news agency AKI, March 6: Thousands of teachers staged a rally on Tuesday in front of… Read moreIran: striking teachers rally at Majlis
On March 6, a suicide bomber killed more than 30 and wounded dozens in a cafe north-east of Baghdad, while a car bomb in the suburb of Saidiya killed seven Shi’ite pilgrims headed for the holy city of Najaf. Elsewhere… Read moreIraq: bloody Arbaein
Here we go again. We noted two years ago that the annual State Department human rights report for the Americas displayed a blatant double standard concerning US client Colombia and Axis of Evil junior affiliate Venezuela. The new report goes… Read moreState Department rights report reveals double standard on Venezuela, Colombia —again
Democrats are urging President Bush not to pardon Lewis “Scooter” Libby following his conviction on perjury charges in the Valerie Plame case. His lawyers pledge to seek a retrial, or appeal. Significantly, Libby was never charged with leaking Plame’s identity—whoever… Read moreScooter takes hit for Dick: juror
Before dawn on Feb. 8, near Silverbell, Arizona, two men fired high-powered assault rifles at a pickup truck carrying migrants who had just crossed the border on their way to Phoenix. Three migrants—one Mexican man, one Guatemalan man and one… Read moreMore deaths on Mexican border
China’s Premier Wen Jiabao opened the annual session of the country’s parliament March 5 with a call for economic growth to be balanced with environmental protection and efforts to tackle a growing urban-rural wealth gap. “Protect social equity and justice,… Read moreChina moves to appease peasant unrest
As his trial opened at The Hague March 5, Former Kosova prime minister Ramush Haradinaj pleaded not guilty to charges of war crimes stemming from his time as a regional commander of the Kosova Liberation Army (KLA). Standing trial with… Read moreKosova: more protests as UN trial opens for ex-prime minister
For the second time in less than 24 hours, the US military March 5 acknowledged involvement in an incident that caused multiple civilian deaths in Afghanistan—this time, an air strike that killed nine people from the same family. Afghan authorities… Read moreAfghanistan: NATO opens offensive amid protests over civilian deaths
Another appalling op-ed in the New York Times March 5, this one arguing that an amnesty for war criminals is “good for Afghan democracy.” This Orwellian exercise, “New Justice, No Peace,” is by Richard May, a fellow with the World… Read moreNYT op-ed: Afghan impunity “good for democracy”
From CNW Telbec, Canada, March 5: Reporters Without Borders called for an explanation from the US Army for threats and censorship against Afghan journalists, two of them working for the Associated Press (AP), while covering civilian deaths in shooting by… Read moreAfghanistan: US troops threaten, censor journalists
Hmmm, didn’t the Brits just invoke “progress” in Basra to justify their planned withdrawal? From Arab Monitor, March 5: BAGHDAD – In a move to end their Iraqi allies’ uncontrolled violence, US and British troops began yesterday to venture into… Read moreIraq: occupation troops raid secret prison in Basra
For the second time in eight days Feb. 26, teachers from Sections 22 and 59 of the National Education Workers Syndicate (SNTE) clashed over control of Technical Secondary School 172 at Benito Juárez, San Pedro Pochutla municipality, on the coast… Read moreOaxaca: more labor violence at divided schools
