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The US-dominated world order is being challenged by a new spirit of independence in the global south
by Noam Chomsky
The US-dominated world order is being challenged by a new spirit of independence in the global south
The prospect that Europe and Asia might move towards greater independence has troubled US planners since the second world war. The concerns have only risen as the "tripolar order" - Europe, North America and Asia - has continued to evolve.
Every day Latin America, too, (…)

Study finds continent is shrinking faster than it can grow. Experts say changes to the global water cycle could hasten the pace of sea-level rise.
By Robert Lee Hotz
The ice sheets of Antarctica - the world’s largest reservoir of fresh water - are shrinking faster than new snow can fall, scientists reported Thursday in the first comprehensive satellite survey of the entire continent.
Researchers at the University of Colorado determined that between 2002 and 2005 Antarctica lost ice at (…)

By JIM DWYER
In a rare review of actions by the city’s top police commanders, the Civilian Complaint Review Board has charged a deputy chief with abuse of authority for ordering the arrest of a woman during the 2004 Republican National Convention.
The deputy chief, Stephen Paragallo, ordered the arrest of a 56-year-old Brooklyn woman near Herald Square on the night of Aug. 31. The board found that there was no probable cause to arrest her, and that the chief had acted "without due and (…)

About 10,000 protesters have marched in Mexico City, where 11,000 delegates and representatives met at the 4th World Water Forum to discuss ways to improve supplies for the poor.
Opponents say that the seven-day forum, which began on Thursday, is a cover for privatisation.
Participants from 121 countries, debated topics including the developing world’s growing reliance on bottled water bought from private companies, instead of on public water systems, which some call a form of (…)

By CRAIG S. SMITH
Facing crippling strikes and growing civil unrest, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin today discussed with lawmakers watering down his contentious new labor law. But union leaders, who have refused to enter into a dialogue with the government until it has rescinded the law, showed no signs of budging on their promise to mount nationwide protests and strikes next week.
"The basic demand of the youth and of employees is that the law be withdrawn," said Gérard (…)

By Jon Boyle
PARIS - France’s ruling conservatives looked to Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin to chart a way out of a youth jobs law crisis on Tuesday as the threat of a national strike and fresh protests kept up the pressure.
The large public sector is expected to join a one-day work stoppage on March 28 and high school students took to the streets on Tuesday around France to demand Villepin withdraw the contract they say removes job security for young people.
Deputies from the (…)

By Sean Rayment
An SAS soldier has refused to fight in Iraq and has left the Army over the "illegal" tactics of United States troops and the policies of coalition forces.
After three months in Baghdad, Ben Griffin told his commander that he was no longer prepared to fight alongside American forces.
He said he had witnessed "dozens of illegal acts" by US troops, claiming they viewed all Iraqis as "untermenschen" - the Nazi term for races regarded as sub-human.
The decision marks the (…)

December 19, 2005 Who Are the War Criminals? Naming Names Behind every war criminal is a criminal idea by Justin Raimondo Editorial note: What follows is the text of a speech delivered on Dec. 16, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, at the 2005 Perdana Peace Forum.
The theme for this part of the program is "Crimes Against Peace, Crimes Against Humanity." We are discussing here the question of defining and dealing with war crimes. In any such discussion, however, we must start out by (…)

In Japanese, "Muka Muka" means "I’m so angry that I could throw up!"
Today George Bush (no doubt on the advice of Karl Rove),went before the Press Corps and took questions from all quarters, including Helen Thomas (who he has diss’d for 3 years!). Helen asked him "After thousands have died in Iraq because of a series of reasons given by this Administration which have been proven untrue, can you explain why you went to war?"
Bush’s response to this question was only among the first of a (…)

The United States has lost its moral compass and fallen out of step with the rest of the world in the wake of September 11, the former United Nations human rights commissioner warned tonight.
Mary Robinson expressed sadness and regret at America’s erosion of human rights as part of its "War on Terror".
In a speech in central London, Mrs Robinson praised the British courts for taking a global lead on interpreting international human rights laws.
Highlighting the US’s opposition last (…)