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Issue 6- September 2003
WTO kills humans
A South Korean protester killed himself during a clash with riot police protecting ministers meeting earlier this month in the Mexican resort of Cancun to jump-start stalled world trade talks. Full Story
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NEWS & REPORTS
Korea: Unity is still possible, just give talks a chance
Korea is still one of the few divided countries in the world remnant of the cold war. Living in a state of war against each other since 1953, both South Korea and North Korea were ruled by military juntas until in 1987, rulers of South Korea decided to loosen their grip, drafted a constitution and powers were shifted to the hands of civilians.
Isolated Arafat marks his comeback
In a totally unexpected move, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, Abou Mazen, resigned.
FPM participates in its first parliamentary elections
In a drastic change in its position, the Free Patriotic Movement finally dropped its total opposition to the legitimacy of the pro-Taef Lebanese state by participating in the Baabda-Aley by-election held in mid September.
Beauty pageants invade the Arab World, dominate all kinds of other activities
With a governmental policy of supporting tourism, the sector improved but was coupled with a boom of beauty contests.
Schism over LCP's ninth conference
Rivalry between the different factions of the Lebanese Communist Party (LCP) came to the fore as the LCP leadership announced that the party's ninth conference would be held by the end of October.
ISM mounts its anti-occupation activity
A Scottish peace activist was deported from Israel yesterday, 10 days after being arrested near Nablus.
August Issue
A preemptive 'No' to dictatorship. Dunkin Donuts clashes with Beirut's queer community. In memory of civil marriage: a real story from lebanon and Cyprus. A comparative balance between the scales of diversity and perversity.. When rural and urban areas evolve hand in hand. Azmi Beshara analyzes 'what went wrong' in a new book... and more
EDITORIALS
The mission behind launching the Alternative project was multifaceted. On the one hand, the responsible team - mostly composed of leftist activists - intended to offer the better image of what it means to be leftists: commitment.
Politically-aware activists reached their worst levels of frustration. In a world of standardized consumerism that dictates on the planet's population how to eat, drink, wear, walk and talk, the greater number of citizens look pre-occupied with such shallow items disregarding their rights and interests that are being stolen from their behinds.
Conspiracy theories haunt Arabs
Perhaps the single most famous characteristic with which Arabs have been labeled has been their love of conspiracy theory.
Op-Ed
Self-determination is as important as freedoms
The concept of freedom in the modern world has frequently been associated with the political circumstances.
Meditation is the key to all your troubles, just trust this US-based engineer
So I finally decided to take a true break from my digital life. Left behind the PC, cell phone and even my digital camera and took off for a weeks retreat at a Zen meditation center in the mountains of northern California.
Future Super Star: Perhaps Melhem can do miracles
What is the matter with the Arabs? Is it years of frustration and defeats that have lead them over the edge where they no longer care about what happens or what will happen to them but instead they look for trivial fixation to blow off steam.
The threat to our Zionist enemy is our intellectualism
If you are convinced about something, you have to examine if you are really practicing it or at least promoting it from time to time.
Leftist Independent Groups: It's time for merger
Leftist Independent Groups are perhaps the only young alliance that deliberates its actions in total democracy that nears anarchy. But with an increasing apathy, consumerism and sectarianism, it has become high time for these groups to intensify their coordination that might eventually lead to merger.
Boycott one side and the other will boom
When 19th century Iranian Muslim reformist Jamal al-Din al-Afghani first felt the superiority of the West, he suggested that Islam be restored to its original status. If Muslims came back to their religion, they would certainly catch up with, or even overtake Western technological, military and economic advancements, according to al-Afghani's teachings.
Arabs should lead Iraq out of its chaos and destruction
Iraq slipped into total chaos and the only way out is international decision. Like what happened in Lebanon, 15 years of clashes were not slated to end until regional and international wills fused to put an end to a bloody conflict.
FEATURES, HISTORY & CULTURE
Advisor to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said that the Venezuelan leadership was "making history" arguing that his country has one of the most progressive constitutions in the world.
Hijacking commercial planes was perhaps the most effective tool used by most freedom fighters who wanted to voice their concerns and demands, according to analysts of that period.
Saghieh writes the history of the Iraqi Baath and its deposed leader
While most of the works on Iraq and its deposed president have been often discredited on charges of the foreign perspective of their writers, Lebanese journalist Hatem Saghieh succeeded in producing one of the most authoritative books on the rise and fall of Saddam Hussein and his Baath Party.
Rewriting Lebanon's history remains complicated
Writing Lebanon's history should not only be a political issue but also a process of advocating ethical and human values.
LIGHT NEWS
Tourists flood Lebanon despite escalation, power ration
The Lebanese tourism industry witnessed an unprecedented boom this summer but fell short of realizing its pre-war status, analysts here said.
It's raining on Santiago: When American CIA writes Chilean history
"It's raining on Santiago" is a powerful and angry piece of political cinema that was released in 1975.
Koreans sweep university Olympics in Daegu
"It's raining on Santiago" is a powerful and angry piece of political cinema that was released in 1975.