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The Concerned Citizens of Norco (CCN) and Shell Chemical LP (Shell) have engaged in a series of frank and open discussions in an attempt to understand and resolve their differences regarding the Voluntary Property Purchase Program, a program designed to create greenbelt space along the fence lines of the Shell and Motiva Enterprises (Motiva) facilities in Norco, Louisiana that was offered to residents living on two of the four streets that make up the tight-knit and historic Diamond neighborhood. CCN and Shell also discussed the Shell and Motiva Good Neighbor Initiative, which contains several programs to enhance the quality of life for all of Norco, including the Diamond neighborhood.

Labor unions around the world faced a difficult year in 2001 due both to direct and sometimes violent repression, as well as the continuing pursuit by major multinational corporations of cheap labor in poor countries, according to the latest in a series of annual reports by the Brussels-based International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU).

The controversy over genetically engineered crops is disrupting U.S. efforts to provide food aid to starving people. The government of Zimbabwe and citizens groups in Bolivia, Guatemala and Nicaragua are resisting U.S. supplied foods that contain transgenic corn, or maize. Citizen's groups say the GMO crops are not proven safe.

The planned Bujagali Dam in Uganda violates five key World Bank policies. This is the conclusion of a confidential new report by the Inspection Panel, the World Bank's investigative body. The Panel report suggests a series of corrective measures to rectify the project's problems. International Rivers Network calls for these measures to be carried out before more funding for the project is approved by the Bank's Executive Board.

The Environmental Protection Agency will relax air pollution rules to make it easier for utilities to upgrade and expand their coal-burning power plants, Bush administration sources said yesterday.

Diplomats say the US is putting up roadblocks to the UN Earth Summit. Still, many believe "Another UN is possible."

A soft drinks factory set up by Coca Cola in Plachimada, Kerala, three years ago has sucked the local aquifers dry. The Coke-induced water scarcity has hit the indigenous peoples (adivasis) belonging to the Eravalar and Malasar tribes, and the Dalit (oppressed castes) community who live around the factory the worst. The people of Plachimada have seen their wells dry out even as truck loads of soft drinks made their way from the factory to distant markets.

OLEY, PA -- Who really rules the world now? Is it governments or a handful of huge, multinational companies? The wealth of American car giant Ford is worth more than the economy of South Africa. A handful of hugely rich men, like Bill Gates, have a wealth greater than most of Africa. Is there now an alliance between the superpowers of wealth, politics and military might? THE NEW RULERS OF THE WORLD -- A Special Report by John Pilger takes the viewer behind the hype of the new 'global' economy, where the divisions between rich and poor have never been greater.

ROME -- At 3:00 AM on Monday morning the United States stood alone among all nations of the world in blocking further discussion of the draft text of the declaration that governments will sign at the World Food Summit. What was leading the U.S. to stop the all night negotiating session? First, the U.S. wanted all references to ''food as a human right'' to be deleted, and second, the U.S. wanted strong language saying that genetically modified (GM) crops are a key way to end hunger. The Third World nations organized in the Group of 77 wanted mandatory language on the Right to Food, while Europe and Canada held out for the compromise of a voluntary Code of Conduct. No other nation felt strongly that GM crops should receive prominence.

A lawsuit claiming US energy giant UNOCAL was complicit in human rights abuses committed by Myanmar's military regime will go ahead in California in September, lawyers said.