Weekly Worker 442 Thursday July 25 2002

Catastrophe

In 17 short years it could all be over. Or at least for those sufficiently unlucky to be in the general vicinity of asteroid NT7’s landing site.

According to the July 24 edition of the Evening Standard, “early predictions” suggest that NT7 will hit earth some time on February 1 2019. Its impact velocity of 28km a second would be enough to wipe out an entire continent. However, before comrades rush out to book their escape flight to another planet, they can be consoled by the fact that, according to Dr Benny Peiser of John Moores University, further observations will almost certainly “eliminate the current threat” posed by NT7.

A much more pressing concern is the threat posed to the smooth production of your paper by insufficient funding. That really would be a catastrophe. Thanks this week go to comrades HJ (Ł20), PN (Ł15) and MA (Ł10). However, their generosity only gives us Ł165 towards our Ł450 monthly target. Bearing in mind that there is less than a week to go and yet we are nowhere near being even half way towards our target, the likelihood of a serious shortfall this month is all too ominous.

That is unless, of course, comrades intervene now by rushing me their donations today.

Robbie Rix

Ask for a bankers order form, or send cheques, payable to Weekly Worker, BCM Box 928, London WC1N 3XX

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Number 442

Thursday July 25 2002

The Weekly Worker is available from bookshops across the United Kingdom or can be delivered direct to your door by completing our online subscription form.

After New labour
Mark Fischer assesses the stirring of a new Labour and trade union left

Letters
Odd merger; Fighting talk; Disarming path; Insider polemic; Ban drugs; Marxism format; 'No' campaign; Gala numbers; House socialist

Obituary: Mansoor Hekmat
Comrades from the Worker-communist Parties of Iran and Iraq mourn the loss of a comrade

From the heart of struggle
Munyaradzi Gwisai is a leader of the International Socialist Organisation Zimbabwe and the MP for Highfield, Harare. In Britain for the Socialist Workers Party’s Marxism event, comrade Gwisai spoke to John Bridge and Peter Manson of the CPGB

Globalisation and socialism
Does globalisation undermine socialism along with the national state? Jack Conrad discusses the relationship between global capital and socialism

Jackson turfed out: Blair's Calais
Derek Hunter looks at the impact of the Amicus election victory of Derek Simpson

Unions stir
Alan Stevens welcomes the turning of a tide

Teesside: Council at arm's length
The council workers' strike in Stockton-on-Tees was well supported. Phil Rawlinson was there

Two states, one struggle
At the July 12-13 organising meeting for the European Social Forum in Thessaloniki there was a debate on Palestine. Most of the Palestinian delegates put forward positions more sophisticated than those held by the majority of the left in Britain today. Tina Becker spoke to two comrades - one Palestinian, one Israeli

Thuraya Alayan is a member of the central committee of the Palestinian People’s Party (PPP)
Sergio Yahni is an Israeli jew who works for the Alternative Information Centre (www.alternativenews.org)

Utopianism or materialism
Ian Donovan responds to Richard Sherratt

Lively debate
Martyn Hudson reports on Tyneside SA's 'Question time' debate

Cheap justice
Mayrice Bernal dissects Blunkett's white paper, Justice for all