"Break Down Africa's Barriers"

Afro-descendants Encounter demands an end to racism
"Death to racism and discrimination" -- this was the central demand made during this weekend's International Afro-descendants Encounter taken place at the Caracas Hilton Hotel. The Encounter revolved around the main theme of "State Modernization: From representative democracy to participative democracy from ethnic perspectives."

Navy training submariners
The SA Navy was working hard at reducing a shortfall of submariners in time to receive its three new submarines, navy chief Vice Admiral Refiloe Mudimu said on Tuesday.

Break Down Africa's Barriers
Complicated and unnecessary documentation and data requirements for imports and exports, as well as cumbersome customs and border-crossing procedures, are serious barriers to international trade. In some cases, losses to businesses from such inefficiency exceeds tariff costs.

South Africa: Govt Deploys Reservists to the DRC
South Africa has, for the first time, deployed a company of reservists outside the country to replace members of the regular force on a peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Mexico mayor stands down for poll
Mexico City's leftist mayor has announced he will stand down to concentrate on his campaign for next year's presidential elections.

Bolivia Back to the Streets?
Natural Gas and Popular Struggle
After about a month and a half of relative dormancy, the beginning of last week saw the first interesting signs of renewed life from popular forces in Bolivia. On Monday, May 3, three congressmen and one senator of the party Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) – Iván Morales, Germán Yucra, Félix Santos, and Bonifaz Bellido – wore balaclavas (ski masks) to a session of Congress. They were expressing their solidarity with Mexico’s Zapatistas, as the special session of Congress was taking place to greet right-wing Mexican president Vicente Fox who was in the country to secure a deal for natural gas exports from Bolivia to Mexico.

Cuba marks V-E Day with anti-U.S. rally
As world leaders celebrated the defeat of Nazi Germany in Moscow's Red Square on Monday, Communist Cuba held its own parade and accused the United States of using "fascist" policies to dominate the world.

Colombia: The American Military's Little Traffickings
Drug traffickers, pornographers, but also hit and run drivers, and now, arms dealers to death squads ... Lately, American soldiers on mission in Colombia have shown up in the most sordid affairs. And, to widespread public indignation, the scenario never varies: protected by diplomatic immunity from any trial, they systematically escape this country's justice system.

Colombians have begun to find the 1962 agreement that confers judicial immunity on American personnel operating on Colombian soil within the framework of military cooperation programs indecent. "It's the last straw," a young lawyer in Bogotá objects. "We extradite our fellow citizens accused of narco-trafficking to the United States, but the gringos in our country think they can do whatever they like."

Iraqi Families Looking for their Sons in American Secret Prisons
One of the major problems that the Iraqi families are going through after two years of occupation, a problem that is rarely mentioned in the media, if at all, is the case of people who disappeared during the 2003 American invasion, or after that during the occupation, whom the American authorities refuse to give any information about because they are considered dangerous, or those who are called security inmates in the American controlled prisons.

al-Qaida Suspect Claims Illegal Visit

The big catch that wasn't?
Pakistan's arrest of Libyan Al Qaeda suspect not as big a breakthrough as first thought.