Workers in France rage over closure
Bosses shut a car parts factory in northern France on Wednesday after employees, outraged over mass job losses, ransacked offices and destroyed equipment. On Tuesday, a French court rejected a motion brought by employees of the factory, owned by Germany's Continental AG, to block the plant's planned 2010 closure.
Stop the bias at Israel Railways
The discussion about the dismissal of some 40 Israel Railways employees, held on Sunday in the regional labor court, shed some more light on an affair motivated by clear and overt discrimination for covert reasons. The affair began when the dismissed workers - who were employed at Israel Railways through the Hashmira human resources agency - demanded that they be reinstated to their jobs as lookouts at level crossings.
A different kind of summit
As the 5th Summit of the Americas met in Trinidad and Tobago under the auspices of the Organization of American States, Latin American leaders ran the show and the prime hemispheric power, represented by President Barack Obama, listened. By contrast, capitalist globalization got top billing at the 2001 summit in Quebec City, and five years ago in Argentina, Washington pushed the Free Trade of the Americas Act.
Ruling party embarrassed as voters join in boycott of Haiti election
Results of Haiti's senate elections will probably not be known for over a week, despite a low turnout. Voting for 11 empty seats in the 30-member senate took place across the impoverished country on Sunday after a year-and-a-half of delays caused by political infighting, riots over soaring food costs and damaging storms.
Bolivias Morales to Attend UN Earth Day
La Paz, Apr 21 (Prensa Latina) Bolivian President Evo Morales is expected to travel to New York on Tuesday to attend Earth Day celebrations by the United Nations General Assembly, government sources has confirmed.
Signs of worsening malnutrition among Gazan children
GAZA CITY, 21 April 2009 (IRIN) - Rising poverty, unemployment and food insecurity in Gaza, compounded by the recent 23-day Israeli offensive, have increased the threat of child malnutrition, say UN agencies, health ministry officials and healthcare NGOs in Gaza.
Furor over Iranian leader speech at UN racism conference seen as diversion
Controversy over characterizations of Israel have diverted attention from the important purpose of the United Nations conference on combating racism taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, U.S. lawmakers and others charge. The diversion was unhelpfully, but predictably, fanned by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Somali pirates began as volunteer coast guard
Today's charging of Somali pirate Abduhl Wali-i-Musi along with the rescue of US ship captain, Richard Phillips, from Somali pirates has brought the world’s attention to Somalia once again, but the story of why Somali fishermen became pirates nearly 18 years ago is seldom told.
Ecuador to repurchase its debts
Ecuador's finance minister has confirmed that her country will buy back nearly a third of its foreign debt at a 70 per cent discount, ending months of speculation about a possible default. Minister Maria Elsa Viteri said on Monday the government will buy back about £2.2 billion in Global 2012 and 2030 bonds, worth about 32 per cent of Ecuador's total foreign debt.
Huge rally in Rome launches Communist and anti-capitalist campaign for European Parliament
In a sea of red flags emblazoned with the hammer and sickle emblems of Italy's main Communist Parties, thousands gathered in Rome's Piazza Navona on 18 April to proclaim their unity and launch a campaign for elections to the European Parliament to be held 6-7 June 2009.
