The South African Civil Society Information Service
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
A nonprofit news agency promoting social justice. Seeking answers to the question:
How do we make democracy work for the poor?
Tips for watching videos: If you see a message saying that a video clip is no longer available, refresh your browser and the video should become available. If you're having trouble viewing a clip that's already streaming, let the clip play once. It will play fine the second time round.
In an interview with Democracy Now, Arundhati Roy talks about her new book and how present-day democracy excludes the poor. A Booker Prize winner, Roy's new book is titled, "Field Notes on Democracy: Listening to Grasshoppers." "We have a very, very serious situation (in India) where now they are planning...to make an electronic ID card. Of course, once again, people who don't have water, who don't have electricity, who don't have schools, won't have ID cards. And people who...
Speaking at the recent Toronto International Film Festival, which ran from 10-19 September 2009, Michael Moore commented on the decline of American newspapers, comparing them to the industry in Europe, which still appears to be thriving. In Europe, Japan and many other countries, the primary source of funding for newspapers is circulation. Advertising is the secondary source of funding. However, in America, advertising is the primary source of funding and circulation, second. Moore argues,...
"Now remember a few months ago it was all about, ooh, if there's too much regulation, it's going to kill creativity in the banking sector. Well, thank you very much for creativity, we don't need too much of that," says Christine Lagarde, the French Finance Minister, who with President Nicolas Sarkozy is spearheading reforms in the French banking sector, aimed at reducing the bonuses of bankers. A BBC poll has found that 67% of French people support more regulatory oversight over...
Laura Flanders of GRITtv interviews Phyllis Bennis author of "Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict" after the release of Justice Richard Goldstone's report on Gaza -- an extremely high level investigative report that looked into the abuse of international human rights law. Bennis is interviewed immediately after the report was released at the United Nations (UN) in a session that she attended. This is the most important report of many that have been released about Gaza...
In this timely interview, one year after the closure of Lehman Brothers, which coincides with the anniversary of the global financial crisis, The Real News Network talks to Sony Kapoor, Managing Director of Re-define.org. Kapoor is an ex-Lehman Brothers investment banker who now applies his skills for social benefit. He sheds light on the intriguing world of financial markets, exposing the house of cards we familiarly refer to as the international financial system. *** PAUL JAY: Welcome to...
In January 2009, filmaker Oliver Stone traveled to Venezuela to interview President Hugo Chavez. Stone says, "Chavez is as much of a threat to the system as Castro was. He's a great example. If he succeeds, it will be the first time in Latin American history, except for Castro, where he's led an entire region away from the United States' economic controls." Stone's film about Chavez, "South of the Border" premiered at the Venice Film festival....
