THERE WAS no outright winner in Argentina's presidential election on Sunday. That will depend on a run-off in three weeks time. But the country's political establishment - and ruling class - has won a certain sort of victory. Sixteen months ago a spontaneous uprising led to the resignation of the country's president, De La Rua.
US OCCUPIERS are fuelling resentment and protest as they arrogantly stamp their authority across Iraq. This week Jay Garner, the former general the US has installed as overlord, arrested Mohammed Mohsen al Zubaidi, who had declared himself mayor of Baghdad. Garner said Zubaidi was arrested for his "inability to support the coalition military authority".
HOW DO you explain the rows which have broken out between the government and some union leaders?
THE RECENT pilgrimage by Shia Muslims to the city of Kerbala in southern Iraq shocked the US occupiers. It wasn't the display of religious fervour - George Bush, a right wing Christian zealot, has no problem with that.
NEWSPAPERS have been incredulous at the idea that the secret services could have forged the documents that purport to show that George Galloway received money from Saddam Hussein. In fact the intelligence services have used forgeries and concocted evidence time after time to discredit people and governments.
"WE HAVE to stop the British National Party, make people more aware about the threat they are, and do much more campaigning." Those were the words of Darlington council worker Margaret Clemence, who joined 2,000 trade unionists at last Saturday's demonstration in Manchester against racism.
THE US is succeeding in uniting Iraqis in hatred of the invasion. On Friday of last week around 20,000 people left Baghdad's Abi Hanefah Nouman mosque. They marched through the streets waving Korans and carrying banners in Arabic and English reading, "Leave our country. We want peace".
THE BRITISH state is guilty of murder and terrorism. That is the only proper conclusion to be drawn from Metropolitan Police chief John Stevens' report, which was published last week. It uncovered state collusion with Loyalist death squads in Northern Ireland.
'IRAQ WAS only the first hurdle." That was what one government source said to the press last Saturday. New Labour is facing deep discontent at home as Blair tries to push ahead with hugely unpopular policies like foundation hospitals and student top-up fees.
WHY ARE some of the leading figures who gather around President Bush talking about attacking Syria? After all, Syria voted on the UN Security Council last year to support the anti-Iraq Resolution 1441. It also sent 17,000 troops and 300 tanks to support the US in the war against Iraq in 1991.
THE NUT conference, which took place over Easter, revealed growing opposition to the government on every front. Delegates representing local associations of the largest teachers' union voted unanimously for a ballot to boycott the SATs national tests for school children. NUT general secretary Doug McAvoy captured the mood of teachers, especially those who voted Labour. He talked of "a creeping McCarthyism in government" and "a sinister lack of tolerance".
HOW QUICKLY the image of a "liberated" Iraq fell apart last week. Within two days of the US entering Baghdad there was chaos, looting and continued fighting. The media has talked about "rampaging mobs" as if Iraqis are a naturally "uncivilised" people who don't know how to live in peace. But the chaos is a direct result of the war the US has waged on Iraq.
