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Yasmine, 22, recently graduated from Cairo University.  She plans to work in law and currently interns at the Center for Egyptian Women’s Legal Assistance (CEWLA).  She deems herself an activist, but really, she says, she’s “just an Egyptian with a vision.” Imbaba, Cairo, Thursday, January 27 Yasmine: I love the idea of going to the […]

In his State of the Union address, President Obama insisted on the need to protect Social Security and ensure that future generations can depend on it.  Nevertheless, it appears that some in Congress are considering major changes to the program.  Unfortunately, many people do not understand the program’s solvency or the likely importance that it […]

J27: No to the Bonfire of Pensions! Let them pay for the crisis themselves! Juan Kalvellido is a Spanish cartoonist.  Translation by Yoshie Furuhashi (@yoshiefuruhashi | yoshie.furuhashi [at] gmail.com).  Cf. LibreRed, “Contra el ‘pensionazo’” (22 January 2011); “Spain’s cabinet is expected to approve a pension reforms bill on Friday in another step to show investors […]

Dear Friends, As we celebrate 61 years of India becoming a Socialist Democratic Republic we are shocked to witness that the spirit of our Constitution stands violated every so often today, sacrificing people’s democratic rights and throttling the socialist dream of our Constitution makers. Speaking out against the conviction and incarceration of Dr. Binayak Sen’s […]

On 26 January 2011, Fars News, a semi-official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran, reported that Antonio Cassese, the president of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (commonly called “Hariri Tribunal”), was a legal adviser to a powerful committee to de-list Mojahedin-e Khalq (“People’s Mojahedin of Iran,” aka MEK, MKO, and PMOI) from the […]

Egypt’s revolution is still cooking, but not boiling yet.  Today the people took to the streets in a fragmented way, after the police heavy-handedly dispersed the crowd yesterday. In Cairo one demonstrator and one police officer died today in the clashes.  That gives an idea of the level of protest; the government is denying this, […]

Anger over unemployment and poverty continue driving people to protest.  So far six people have died, and many more injured.  Hundreds have been arrested, even journalists since Tuesday. . . .  All eyes are on Friday, when various organizations are calling for the largest demonstration yet. This video was released by Daily News Egypt on […]

It is commonly said that “an investment in gold represents an investment in fear.”  Indeed, reports that recently deposed Tunisian leader Zine Ben Ali absconded with 1.5 tons of gold bars from that country’s central bank would seem to highlight the truth of this maxim.  Here in Egypt, it was reported two days ago in […]

Carlos Latuff is a Brazilian cartoonist.   | Print

In Montserrat where not even the Cusha free I saw a man and I watched him cry He had to sell his donkey just to buy an eye. You tell me why Tell me why? Edgar Nkosi A.M.D.G 1/18/11 Edgar Nkosi White is a writer and playwright.  He lives between New York, London, and his […]

“We heard that [US Assistant Secretary of State] Jeffrey Feltman visited Tunisia.  This is a bad omen.  The Tunisian people should be on guard: when Feltman wants to discuss processes and elections with the interim Tunisian government,* it definitely means an American conspiracy in the making.  Wherever this sorcerer Feltman appears, strife and ruin follow […]

The Case-Shiller 20-City index showed a sharp decline in prices again in November, dropping by a full percentage point.  Nineteen of the twenty cities showed a decline in prices.  San Diego was the only city where prices rose, albeit by only 0.1 percent.  The 20-city index has fallen at an annual rate of 11.9 percent […]

25 January 2011 They do not belong to a political party, they do not follow a particular ideology, they make an appointment on Facebook, an appointment we all laughed about, telling them you cannot have a revolution like you have a blind date, but today in tens of thousands they came. . . .  They […]

Listen to the interview with Hossam el-Hamalawy: Hossam el-Hamalawy: Egypt yesterday witnessed its strongest protests in probably four decades, since 1977: tens of thousands have taken to the streets in virtually all the cities of our country, chanting against Mubarak, chanting against the U.S., which is backing Mubarak, calling for internal reforms and for democracy. […]

So now we are back in another phase of sharply rising global food prices, which is wreaking further devastation on populations in developing countries that have already been ravaged for several years of rising prices and falling employment chances.  The food price index of the FAO in December 2010 surpassed its previous peak of June […]

Affirming our engagement in the revolution of our people which fought for its right to freedom and national dignity and made great sacrifices, including dozens of martyrs and thousands of wounded and prisoners, and in order to complete the victory against interior and external enemies and to oppose any attempts to crush the fruits of […]

  “O, Tunisian people, rise up against the remnants of the dictatorship!” Fatima Thawadi, Primary School Teacher: We will not negotiate with this government, and we will never give up.  The Tunisian people will have the last word.  This crystal building in the middle of the capital, the RCD should fear to stay in this […]

  Why Are We in Afghanistan?  Written and directed by Michael Zweig.  Illustrated by Mike Konopacki.  Edited by Trish Dalton.  Produced by Trish Dalton, Michael Zweig, and the Center for Study of Working Class Life. As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the US invasion of Afghanistan, polls show that 63% of Americans now oppose […]

  Tahrir Square Amr Waked: “Change Is Coming” Shubra Matariyyah In Front of the Parliament In Front of the Dar Al Hekma Hospital Qasr El Aini Street Alexandria Smashing the NDP Headquarters, Mansoura The videos above were released by Al-Masry Al-Youm on 25 January 2011 under a Creative Commons license.  Cf. “After violent clashes with […]

  Miqati to Be PM by Andrew Bossone Miqati and Hizbullah Out-play the Analysts by Nicholas Noe I must say I was also taken by surprise at the pace of events and the relative success THUS FAR of the opposition. Ever since the government fell, an almost UNIFORM consensus among the analysts was that there […]