CNN’S TOP news executive has left his job abruptly after 23 years, following claims that he accused US forces of deliberately targeting journalists in Iraq.
Saturday 26 FebruaryPalestine Solidarity Campaign conference, 10.30am, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1.Phone 020 7700 6192 for more details
George Bush’s recent state of the union speech was frightening. In it he named Syria and Iran as countries where the US wants to see regime change — just as he did in his axis of evil speech. If they do attack Syria or Iran, this will have serious consequences throughout the region. People should not think that this is an idle threat.
The year 2005 is critical for anti-poverty activists in Britain. It is a unique opportunity to improve the lives of millions of poor people around the world. The G8 summit of the world’s most powerful leaders will be taking place in Scotland in July and Britain will hold the presidency of the European Union in the second half of the year.
I WISH I’d been in Trafalgar Square on Thursday last week to hear Nelson Mandela tell tens of thousand of people that no one can rest while world poverty persists. In just a few weeks, the coalition Make Poverty History has captured the imagination of millions by launching its campaign to pressure the Group of Eight summit in July to take action to remedy the plight of the global poor.
$3,450bn The amount the poorest countries have handed to the wealthiest nations since 1982
What kind of policies has Hugo Chavez implemented in Venezuela since becoming president of the country?
Saturday 12 FebruaryStop the War Coalition national conference, London. Go to www.stopwar.org.ukKyoto climate march, 11.30am, Lincoln’s Inn Fields, near Holborn tube, central London. For details go to www.campaignagainstclimatechange.net House of Commons Council Housing group of MPs session to collect evidence to back the demand for direct investment in council housing, 2-4pm, Swallow Hotel, High Street West, Gateshead.
In the first part a new series on National Liberation, Simon Basketter looks at Wolfe Tone and the United Irish rebellion
TONY BLAIR’s government stepped up its war on the poor with plans to "reform" incapacity benefit last week. New Labour wants to slash the welfare budget by bullying sick and disabled claimants into low-paid McJobs or cutting their benefit payments. It is Labour’s second attack on incapacity benefit — the last shake up, in 1999, sparked a rebellion by 65 Labour MPs.
Government plans are also set to plunge thousands of people on housing benefit further into poverty. Ministers want to scrap housing benefit for tenants in private rented properties and replace it with a new flat rate local housing allowance, which will be paid direct to tenants rather than to their landlords.
THE FOLK singers Alex Glasgow and Henry Livings’ song, As Soon as this Pub Closes, the Revolution Starts, accurately summed up the attitude of one section of the left to drink. It was something to be enjoyed over bar-room chats about socialism, but often the enjoyment led to a serious incapacity to do anything practical as a result of the discussions.
