US A young person attempts to define the meaning of progressivism today. Andrew Garib, Campus Progress
We’ve learned since that the US government had prior knowledge of the coup. I don’t claim that the AFL-CIO and Solidarity Center staff shared this knowledge. There’s no denying, however, that they lent crucial political credibility to the CTV and Ortega, and, in turn, the CTV-FEDECAMARAS alliance. Lee Sustar and Stan Gacek, New Labor Forum
Consider this: John Roberts’s nomination for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court is confirmed by the Senate. Chief Justice William Rehnquist steps down. Then, Bush elevates Roberts to Chief. Marjorie Cohn, Truthout
Many on the Right see a soul-mate in Roberts. The Left is making its judgment that Roberts is indeed everything the Right thinks he is and, as such, opposes him. Tim Jones, Andrew Zajac and Andrew Martin, the Chicago Tribune
Just over an hour after the White House’s surprise pledge to help India develop its civilian nuclear power sector, the head of General Electric, the American company that could benefit most from the policy change, sat down for a celebratory dinner with President Bush and India’s prime minister, Manmohan Singh. Adam Entous, Reuters
UK
Islamic leaders in London have called on British Muslim women to remove their veils to blend in with the general public and avoid being targeted by extremists looking for vengeance. Truthout
In the days since the July 7 bombing of three trains and a bus in London, newspapers and television news broadcasts have been filled with images of heavily armed police on the streets of London. Peter Griffiths, Reuters
War on Terror
Shots to the Heart of Iraq: Innocent civilians, including people who are considered vital to building democracy, are increasingly being killed by U.S. troops. Richard Paddock, LA Times
Changing the subject is a key aspect of political damage control … No one is in a better position to shift the country’s media focus than the president. And no technique has been more successful than military action. Norman Solomon, Truthout
Forget every inconvenient fact, writes TO columnist Steve Weissman. Just suck in your gut and repeat after your president: Kill them there, or they’ll kill us here. Steve Weissman, Truthout
Third World
The author of Hope in the Dark explores how we measure success in a world gone mad — specifically, the ‘victory’ of debt cancellation for the poorest countries, as addressed at Scotland’s G8 Summit. Rebecca Solnit, Tomdispatch.com
Former President Bill Clinton on Saturday kicked off a program that will almost double the number of children in Kenya receiving HIV treatment by the end of 2005. Truthout
1 Year After Declaring Darfur Genocide, Congress Yet to Act. Abid Aslam, Common Dreams
International Crisis Group: Sudan’s Uncertain Peace. Common Dreams
Red Cross team fly to Niger. Common Dreams
Asia
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s recent mission to the US has set off a series of political controversies in India. Almost absent in all the raging polemics, however, is the most important and immediate outcome of the mission – for South Asia and its much talked-about peace process. J. Sri Raman, Truthout
Environment
Blessed with vast, empty countryside and a seemingly permanent stiff breeze blowing across its northern steppes, China is building giant wind farms. In February, the Chinese government passed a nationwide renewable energy law that mandates clear targets for increased power generation from alternative energy sources. Truthout
Scientists monitoring a glacier in Greenland have found it is moving into the sea three times faster than a decade ago. A sea-level rise of a metre would have a catastrophic impact on coastal plains where more than two-thirds of the world’s population live. Steve Connor, The Independent
Technology
In a recent issue, Business Week imagined a world where, upon meeting someone, you would only have to consult Google via your cell phone to instantly know his name, address, telephone number, hobbies, etc. Had not Google’s CEO himself once announced that “we’re moving towards a Google that will know more and more about you?” Patrick Sabatier, Liberation
Essential reading compiled by staff and subscribers – if you have any interesting links please email us or add via the comments box.