Why do soaring oil price rises have such a devastating effect? What lies behind the price surge? What effect will pricey oil and speculation have on the global economy?

In 2008, we need to build a challenge to the candidates and the agenda of the two corporate parties – the Democrats and Republicans. We see the Nader-Gonzalez independent presidential campaign as the strongest campaign, with the ability to reach the widest audience. Justice and Socialist Alternative are supporting this campaign in the 2008 presidential race. Where Nader is not able to get on the ballot, we are supporting the campaign of Cynthia McKinney who is likely to be nominated by the Green Party.

Bolivia is awash with rumors about an impending right-wing coup against the elected government of president Evo Morales. These rumors took on more importance as the Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez invited Evo Morales, Daniel Ortega, president of Nicaragua, and Carlos Lage, vice-president of Cuba, to Caracas for a summit to discuss how to defend the Bolivian government in the event of a coup.

World rice prices rose 141% since January. Wheat rose 77% last year, one variety rising 25% in a single day. The effects of these dramatic increases are being felt world-wide with violent protests breaking out in Haiti, Egypt, Cameroon and Indonesia. It is the first time a wave of food riots has swept across the globe in 30 years. World Food Program’s Josette Sheeran says, “This is a silent tsunami.”

The rejection of the Lisbon Treaty (the renamed EU Constitution) by voters in Ireland last Thursday was a major shock for the political and business establishment in Ireland. The Socialist Party (CWI in Ireland) played a major role in the campaign for a "No" vote.

Abu-Jamal, a political journalist and activist, was targeted by FBI as early as age 15 for his involvement in the Black Panther Party. His case has received more national and international attention than any other death row case but he is certainly not alone.

The California Supreme Court’s recent decision to over-turn the state law that banned same-sex marriage is another step forward in the struggle for sexual minorities to win full civil rights.

In Minneapolis public schools next fall, military recruiters won’t be able to operate without facing challenges to their lies by antiwar activists.

AFTER THE final state primaries, Barack Obama has effectively secured the Democratic nomination for the presidential election in November. The fact that the contest was between an African-American and a woman symbolises deep social changes in the US.

Obama has aroused enormous expectations. But, despite the radical imagery and rhetorical posturing, Obama remains a centrist, corporate-sponsored Democrat.

In late March, heavy fighting broke out between rival Shi’a factions in Iraq’s cities of Basra and Baghdad. Both Republican and Democratic candidates have exploited the relative ebb in violence to tout that Bush’s troop “surge” was a success and that U.S. forces were making “progress” in Iraq. But the street battles destroyed this myth of stability and exposed the extreme ethnic and political tensions that remain unresolved.

The Republican National Convention (RNC) will descend on St. Paul, Minnesota from September 1-4. Activists in the Twin Cities and around the country are gearing up for what will be among the largest demonstrations in the state’s history.

The onset of the recession of the U.S. economy has been ac­companied by rising prices of oil, raw materials, food and other commodities, partly because of the weakness of the dollar against other currencies. Not only has this hit workers really hard, since wages are not rising to keep up with prices, but it creates more economic uncertainty because of the increase in inflation.

The events of May 1st, 2006 showed the determination and courage of im­migrant workers as millions organized demonstrations and strike actions across the country. This May Day 2008, we saw largely native-born dockworkers taking strike action to resist the war in Iraq. It is good to see May 1st, Interna­tional Workers Day, re-established as an event of celebration and resistance in the country of origin, the United States.