“BURN THE crown,” chanted demonstrators during the two-week long general strike which has brought the mountainous country of Nepal to a halt, deepening the political crisis. Telecoms and transport workers have gone on strike and many shops and businesses in the capital Kathmandu and in regional towns have been closed in response to a seven party alliance call to end the dictatorial rule of King Gyanendra.

By Dave Carr, CWI (more…)

What did we say about the Australian/New Zealand intervention in 2003 and what did we predict? Compare our analysis then, in an article by Niall Mulholland, to the situation now… (more…)

John Howard’s panicky decision to send 200 extra troops and police to the Solomon Islands is proof that there is no capitalist solution to the problems facing the Islanders.
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Members of the Socialist Party (Australia) and the Committee for a Workers? International world-wide have been involved in sending messages of protest and solidarity in connection with the appeal of the Parti Sosialis Malaysia against refusal of legal recognition. Below we carry extracts from a report written on 12 April and carried on the PSM web-site at www.parti-sosialis.org
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By SP Cllr Stephen Jolly
Last nights Council meeting saw attempts made on a number of issues to drag policy to the Right. The presence and intervention of many residents in the gallery plus resistance from myself limited the damage. However it is clearer than ever that we need an alliance of SP and progressive forces in Yarra to take control of the Council at the next election in 30 months. (more…)

A massive sandstorm struck northern China, including Beijing, at the weekend creating the worst air pollution for three years. The Xinhua news agency reported that Beijingers awoke on Monday 17 April to see a ?yellow blanket? covering everything outdoors from window sills, cars and the ground to every single leaf on the trees. (more…)

There is political turmoil in Thailand in the wake of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra?s resignation. Far from resolving the conflict, the 2 April snap election threatened to plunge the country into a protracted crisis.

By Ravie Chandren, Socialist Party (more…)

Just over a week after signing the CPE into law, mass opposition, led by workers and young people, forced President Chirac to abandon the CPE, on 10 April. Faced with the prospect of a major political crisis, and the possibility of a general strike, Chirac backed down.

By Robert Bechert, CWI, France (more…)

Islamabad’s national press club was the venue of a very successful regional meeting organised by the Socialist Movement (CWI Pakistan) for its members and sympathisers, on Monday 3 April.

By Socialist Movement reporters, Pakistan (more…)

Extend the action ? for a general strike!

The ?Day of strikes and protests?, on Tuesday 4 April, saw renewed mass action and demonstrations across France. As we go to publication, these protests, in around 200 towns and cities, seem to be either the same size or even bigger than those on 28 March, which saw nearly 3 million demonstrate.

By Robert Bechert, CWI (more…)