Seeking justice for 43 in Ayotzinapa

May 1, 2015

“Caravana 43” includes some of the parents of 43 students who were “disappeared” in September from the Normal Rural School Raúl Isidro Burgos in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, Mexico, and are touring the U.S. Here are in-person reports from their trips to Berkeley, Calif., and Detroit, Mich.

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World in View: Honduran youth flee

August 30, 2014

The exodus of Central American youth without papers entering the U.S. has complex roots within Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and in the U.S.’s long history of exploitative, militaristic relations with these countries.

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South Korea on strike, North Korea on ‘ice’

February 15, 2014

• Over 100,000 South Koreans, mainly workers, demonstrated in Seoul on Dec. 28. They expressed their anger over a number of issues at the government of President Park Geun-hye.

One source of anger is the move to privatize some service by KORAIL (Korean Railroad Corp.). This had already led to the largest-ever walkout by members of the railroad workers’ union. Union officials say moves to privatize will mean fare hikes, service reductions, and safety problems.

On Dec. 22 riot police were sent to attack the Seoul headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. Without search warrants, they broke down doors and caused serious property damage, including to the adjoining offices of the Kyunghang newspaper, which has been critical of Park’s policies.

Other citizens, outraged by revelations of manipulation by the National Intelligence Service of the 2012 elections when Park was elected, joined protesting workers. Police had confirmed illegal attempts to manipulate the election beforehand, but were ordered to remain silent.

With all these problems and more, South Korean youth have been inspired by the “Why We Aren’t Fine!” campaign. This was launched when a student at Korea University, Ju Hyun-woo, made a poster for his school bulletin board that was picked up and broadcast over social media. He wrote: “I just want to ask, ‘Are you okay?’ Are you fine with ignoring all these issues because they aren’t your problems?…And if you are not ‘fine’ after seeing all these problems, then voice your opinions—whatever they may be.”

Many of these young people joined in the Dec. 28 demonstrations, and also held flash mobs in cities across the country.

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Deadly breast implants

February 15, 2012

Deadly breast implants

The 40,000 British women who received defective breast implants at private clinics are being betrayed by their government, which refuses to require the clinics to provide free consultation, removal and replacement. Only about 3,000 women who received the implants under the National Health Service can receive free removal and replacement of the Poly [=>]

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$31 ‘crime’ = 10 years

June 3, 2011

From the new issue of NEWS & LETTERS, May-June 2011:

$31 ‘crime’ = 10 years

Lawton, Okla.–Patricia Marilyn Spottedcrow, a 25-year-old nursing home worker and mother of four children, from Kingfisher, Okla., was arrested for selling $31 worth of marijuana to a police informant in December of 2009 and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

“It [=>]

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World in View: Mexico protests inhuman drug wars

May 24, 2011

by Gerry Emmett

On April 6, from Mexico City’s main square, the Zócalo, to dozens of other cities throughout the country, thousands marched against the violence of Mexico’s drug wars. In Mexico City alone, 15,000 marched chanting, “Not one more!” and “No more blood!”

The demonstrations were sparked by an open letter by journalist and poet Javier [=>]

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Women World Wide, May-June 2011

May 19, 2011

by Artemis

In its annual report, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization recommends giving women full legal rights to buy, sell, and inherit land, borrow money, open bank accounts, sell their produce, sign contracts, and be educated. These rights also need to be enforced and publicized. This could increase global harvests by between 2.5 and 4%, [=>]

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World in View: Murder in Juárez

April 18, 2011

by Gerry Emmett

Violence attributed to rival drug cartels has again fallen heavily on the border areas around Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. In one weekend in February, 53 people died in the city of only 1.5 million. Since 2008, over 7,600 have died, with 3,112 murdered last year alone. Beyond the cartels, there is suspicion that businesses [=>]

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