Dec. 8, 2007

MINSK, Belarus — The mood was upbeat as representatives from communist and workers’ parties around the world gathered here Nov. 3-5 to exchange experiences and observe the 90th anniversary of the Great October Revolution and its relevance for today.

As one of his very first official actions Dec. 3, Kevin Rudd, Australia’s newly sworn-in prime minister, signed the instrument of ratification for the Kyoto Protocol limiting greenhouse gas emissions. The ratification will come into force in 90 days.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — A recently released internal Canadian government document confirms that the government has known for some time that Afghanistan’s security forces, which it backs, are mistreating and torturing prisoners. The document has caused a furor across Canada.

Tanzania: ‘Helsinki Process’ deals with globalization
Syria: Iraqis forced to leave
Burma: Repression continues
Hungary: Communists get suspended jail sentences
Ecuador: Constituent Assembly opens

OAKLAND, Calif. — As the mortgage foreclosure crisis tightened its grip on California homeowners and threatened to impact the state’s budget, legislative leaders in Sacramento last week announced proposals to address the current crisis and to reform mortgage practices to forestall future crises.

ST. LOUIS — Housing activists, religious leaders and concerned homeowners launched a campaign in this city’s 18th Ward on Nov. 28 to stop predatory lenders and “fringe financial institutions” from taking advantage of low-income, working-class families here.

Casino workers deal union cards
Janitors polish union tools

NEW YORK — Union leaders here have made it clear that the AFL-CIO’s Labor Day pledge to push for national health care by 2009 is high on labor’s agenda for the 2008 elections.

UnitedHealth, the discredited scofflaw U.S. health insurance company, just paid $12 million in fines to 37 state governments for its illegal administrative practices. The settlement followed years of legal problems. This hasn’t stopped UnitedHealth from seeking to expand its profiteering in the United Kingdom.