George W Bush and Tony Blair have murdered more innocent civilians in Afghanistan than were killed in the 11 September attack on the World Trade Centre. That fact is the stark conclusion of an authoritative investigation by US professor Marc Herold.
PIC 1 BACK TO the 1960s: Why did the US police arrest Pigasus the pig in 1968? (a) He was regarded as a "non-white" trying to enter a whites-only restaurant. (b) He was "causing trouble" as Yippie presidential candidate at the Democratic Party convention. (c) He had urinated on a US flag at an anti-war protest.
The government and bosses are terrified by the prospect of a national postal workers' strike. But union leaders are not pressing home workers' strength. That is the message from the events of last week.
Scottish Power workers struck for two days last week, and planned another two days action this week. The strike, involving 1,500 workers in North Wales, Merseyside and Scotland, has been totally solid. There have been big picket lines of up to 100 at a time in Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Workers on ferries running from the Clyde in Scotland were due to start all-out strike action from Monday night. Some 40 pierhands working for the Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) company are striking.
Station staff employed by Virgin Trains could be set to strike over the Christmas break.
More than 200 students boycotted classes for two hours at a Bristol school on Friday of last week. The school students were protesting at a plan by the Labour city council to close their school.
Debate The Socialist Alliance hosted a lively debate about the war last week in London. David Aaronovitch, a prominent pro-war journalist, argued that the action had brought about the end of the Taliban. He also hoped that the new US-sponsored Afghan government would bring real change.
Council Workers in Tower Hamlets, east London, have voted by a two to one margin for strikes against attacks on their conditions. The Labour council wants to push through a series of attacks, including harsher sickness and disciplinary procedures, cuts to holidays and worse Christmas working arrangements.
A Nazi who stood for the British National Party at the general election could face jail for forging signatures on election nomination papers.
"Their decision effectively gives the police a licence to kill." That was how Irene Stanley described the ruling by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on Thursday of last week over her husband's death at the hands of police officers.
