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Is the US ready to challenge China’s Asean influence?
Proposals by a prominent Washington senator to push the US government into a free trade agreement with Asean may be no more than a political prod to get President Barack Obama more engaged in Southeast Asia.
The Honduran coup: Fiction and fact
Zelaya joined the Venezuelan proposed ALBA, a fair trade alternative to Washington’s now-defunct Free Trade Area of the Americas, but is no Chavez puppet, despite what the all-out PR war from Washington-based business groups claims
Peru’s cold war against Indigenous People
Besides a racist propaganda campaign and violent repression, the Pervian government has tried highly suspect legal mechanisms to disarticulate indigenous power.
Megaprojects and militarization: A perfect storm in Mexico
As Mexican security budgets inflate with US aid-to combat the rising power of drug trafficking and organized crime-rights groups say these funds are increasingly being used to protect the interests of multinational corporations.
Colombia commits "crimes against humanity" as free trade pacts are debated
Despite the claims of the Colombian government and those in the U.S., Canada and the EU eager to consummate "free trade" pacts with that regime, the human rights situation in that country is deteriorating fast. Indeed, by key measures — the killing of unionists, extra-judicial killings by the military, and the forced displacement of civilians — Colombia’s human rights situation is amongst the worst in the world and getting worse. In the case of union killings, it remains the very worst.
EFTA Free trade agreements: Norway asserts Human Rights, Switzerland supports companies
EFTA FTAs negotiations have taken a complicated turn, with Norway withdrawing from talks on intellectual property, which is a serious priority for Switzerland. In addition, Norway deferred the submission for ratification by the Norwegian Parliament of the FTA with Colombia, an act seen by many as a move on the part of the Norwegians to renegotiate many terms within the agreement.
The European Union and the Gaza war
The recent war in Gaza has served to highlight the European Union’s relations with Israel. Although the genocide in Gaza has embarrassed many EU officials, there are no signs that the European Union is going to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement signed in 2004.