Apr 2, 2005

A recently published study has found that poverty in the north of Ireland is worse than in the south of Ireland or Britain.

Members of the group Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo lead a rally of hundreds, March 24, at Buenos Aires’ main square to remember the victims of a right-wing military coup in Argentina 29 years ago.

A statement initiated by the Tudeh Party of Iran and joined by 62 left, Communist and workers parties around the world warns that U.S. policy toward Iran is part of Washington’s drive to control the Middle East politically, economically and militarily, and pledges solidarity with the popular movement for freedom and democracy in Iran.

Shortly after statements by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld questioning Venezuela’s recent weapons purchase, Brazil’s ruling Workers Party (PT) issued a statement in defense of Venezuela, asserting that Latin America is no longer an extension of the Unites States.

The Communist parties of Israel and Jordan and the Palestinian People’s Party met March 13 in Amman, Jordan, to discuss a coordinated approach to U.S. imperialism and its strategy of “war, occupation, the theft of national resources, privatization and the enslavement of the people as a cheap work force for the multinational corporations.”

Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) recently announced that elections will take place later this year. Up for grabs will be local and regional posts in October and the presidency and legislative seats in November. One hundred forty parties are registered to participate and 100 candidates will run for president.

Britain: Rail union calls for public ownership. Bosnia-Herzegovina: CP leader fights firing from university. Pakistan: National strike against unemployment, privatization. Guatemala: Protest killings of demonstrators. S. Africa: Solidarity with food workers grows.

Supporters of Pakistan’s Labour Party protest near the U.S. consulate in Lahore, March 17, to condemn the visit of the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

As gas prices in the U.S. shoot up to record levels, the official explanation is that there is a supply and demand imbalance. Limits on production by oil-producing countries and growing petroleum usage by developing nations such as China are said to be responsible for skyrocketing gas prices for U.S. consumers. This storyline, however, hides more than it explains.

Private accounts have been the center of controversy in the Social Security debate, but the hidden time bomb is Bush’s proposal to change the way retirees’ starting benefits are determined. “Price indexing” is really a cumulative benefit reduction plan which would spell the death of Social Security.