Politics

As many as 10,000 people gathered in New York City’s Union Square on April 9 to make the connection between militarism abroad and austerity at home–and renew the antiwar movement’s demand to bring U.S. troops home now. Across the country, some 1,500 people rallied the next day in San Francisco in a sister demonstration.

Amidst growing apprehension that the United States and its allies might use radioactive weapons in Libya, as they are reported to have done in several local and limited wars beginning with the 1991 Iraq War, the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons (ICBUW) is calling for a global treaty to prohibit such arsenal.

By Jaya Ramachandran

“Wake up all good hearted Indians. Respected Anna Hazare’s struggle and fasting is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Please support him wholeheartedly. My friends in Mumbai, please join me to start same here in Mumbai. If I get support of 1000 good hearted people(Without any political support and ambition), I will go on fasting in front of Mantralaya
Nilesh Joshi

On April 9th in NYC and 10th in San Francisco, human rights, civil rights, and workers rights leaders and advocates – religious and secular – Jewish, Muslim, Christian, humanist – are linking arms in solidarity and common commitment with antiwar activists to take to the streets in the face of what Dr. King once called an “unfolding conundrum”.

According to a report, forces loyal to embattled Ivory Coast leader, former president Laurent Gbagbo, have reportedly dwindled to less than 1,000 fighters.

Some 200 armed men are said to be protecting Gbagbo’s presidential palace, which is surrounded by forces loyal to internationally recognized president Alassane Ouattara.

NATO has intensified its air campaign against Gaddafi regime amidst ongoing clashes on the ground. NATO warplanes flew around 200 missions in Libyan airspace after rebel leaders accused international forces of failing to protect the city of Misurata. The US has said that success has been slowed in part by the Gaddafi regime’s use of human shields near military positions.

Ai Weiwei was being monitored around the clock by the secret police when **Time Out Hong Kong** gained access to his Beijing studio to discuss the ‘Jasmine Revolution’. This must be the last interview before his disappearance. Although Mr Ai has had numerous run-ins with China’s state security apparatus he has never been formally detained or disappeared in this way before.

The South African government demanded that outgoing Cote d’Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo hand over power to Alassane Ouattara, recognized by the UN as the winner of the November elections.

South African Foreign Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane asked Gbagbo to step down for peace in Cote d’Ivoire, said South African Journal Business Report.

A climate of tensions and charges of fraud increase today in Haiti after the release Monday of the preliminary results in the elections that gave victory to singer Michel Martelly.

The PEC announced that the representative of Peasant Answer Party achieved 67.57 % of the valid votes against 31.74 for Miriande Marigat of Regrouping of the National Progressive Democratic Party.

Intentional or not, as there are no documents to support this hypothesis, the attack on Libya has served as a diversion to hamper a possible “second wave” of popular revolts in the Arab world. These are the thoughts of the political analyst Immanuel Wallerstein in Znet, published on 2 April by Rebelión and we circulate it because it is a different – and possible – view.