Illusions of Disempowerment
27th - 31st March at The Foundry, London EC2. The Radical Activist Network is supporting this five-day festival of talks, film screenings and a photo exhibition which is challenging the portrayal of the people of Asia and Africa as powerless victims of poverty. Many of the photos come from this year's World Social Forum in Nairobi. Website 
Shut down Guantánamo Bay
This January marks the fifth anniversary of Camp X-Ray, the USA's human rights black hole in Guantánamo Bay. Eight UK residents remain there facing daily torture, despite only flimsy evidence against them. In addition, the continued existence of Camp X-Ray represents an assault on international human rights in general. Take action
No Borders network
The No Borders grassroots network takes a radical, 'no one is illegal' stance on immigration, refusing to accept the criminalisation of those forced to migrate as a result of capitalist globalisation. Groups in the network organise protests at immigration detention centres and 10th February will see a protest at Harmondsworth. More
Ending the Occupation: A strategy day for campaigners
This is an invitation to your group to send one or more participants to the Ending the Occupation of Iraq strategy day in London on Saturday 18th November. This will be a rare opportunity for grassroots activists from across the UK to share their experiences of campaigning, ideas and proposals for action, and to discuss strategies for ending the occupation... More
Stop Arming Israel
A new campaign has been launched to gather support for an arms embargo on Israel. The campaign has been initiated by the Radical Activist Network, CAAT, PSC and War on Want. We're encouraging people to sign the online petition and take action against the arms trade with Israel. Website
Movimientos
Every first Thursday at the Salmon and Compass, 58 Penton Street, N1.
For a couple of years now, the excellent Movimientos has been combining Latin Fusion and Tropical Funk with documentaries on social struggles in Latin America. 7pm-2am, free entry, excellent politics. The films on 6th July will focus on Colombia. More information
Latin America: Social Movements Fight Back
On Saturday 15th July, the Radical Activist Network will be holding a conference on Latin American social movements in London. The main speaker will be Oscar Olivera from the Coalition in Defence of Water and Life in Cochabamba, Bolivia, along with speakers from solidarity organisations in the UK. It will be in ULU on Malet Street, between 1pm and 7pm, and is organised with support from radical anti-poverty charity War on Want. More information
Government to Abolish Parliament...
...well almost. The Labour government's attack on democracy continues apace as they introduce a bill to allow minsters to amend, repeal or replace legislation without having to present it to Parliament. The only exceptions are taxation and the introduction of criminal offences which carry a sentence of more than two years. Ironically, of course, the legislation itself would allow ministers to amend even these exceptions! The Save Parliament campaign makes it really easy for you to contact your MP and protest - but please do it soon as the Bill is already in its third reading... Website
Government proposes massive increase in incineration
Friends of the Earth have criticised the government's draft waste strategy for its proposed massive increase in incineration, and comparatively small targets for greener alternatives. Take FoE's email action... More
Haringey Independent Cinema
Once monthly radical film night in Haringey with a talk at the end. April's film is Salt of the Earth, directed by Henry Biberman and produced by an independent film company set up by people unable to work because of the anti-communist witch-hunts in Hollywood. More
Frontline Latin America
Frontline Latin America, the anti-imperialist quarterly published by the Colombia Solidarity Campaign, is in its third issue and you can now subscribe to it online. Website
Crude Designs - The rip-off of Iraq's Oil Wealth
While the Iraqi people struggle to define their future amid political chaos and violence, the fate of their most valuable economic asset, oil, is being decided behind closed doors. A new report by ecological and social justice group Platform reveals how an oil policy with origins in the US State Department is on course to be adopted in Iraq, soon after the December elections, with no public debate and at enormous potential cost. The policy allocates the majority of Iraq s oilfields accounting for at least 64% of the country s oil reserves for development by multinational oil companies. Website
More on the Corporate Invasion of Iraq
No Fairtrade label for Nestlé!
The Fairtrade Foundation has just announced that it has given a fairtrade label to a new line of Nestlé coffee (Nescafe Partners Blend). This is a betrayal of fairtrade principles, set up over the last 20 years to stop the marginalisation of small-scale farmers, to guarantee fair prices for products, and to support democratic control by producers... More