Global briefs
USA: Members of the 15th Pastors for Peace/US Cuba Friendshipment Caravan encountered serious problems upon their return to the United States on July 19. Following their 10-day program in Cuba, the 120 members flew to Tampico, Mexico and made their way to the US-Mexico border. Next day the caravan crossed from Mexico to the United States in Texas. More than 100 Customs agents were waiting for them. They were stopped and their luggage meticulously searched. All Cuban-made products — including gifts given to them by Cuban friends, books and music CDs — were confiscated by US Customs officials. After being held up for more than four hours on the US-Mexico border, the members of the Pastors for Peace Caravan were allowed to enter the US — threatened with further prosecution for violating US laws prohibiting travel to Cuba without special Treasury Department licences.* * * BRITAIN: The number of homeless families in Britain is about to hit 100,000 — more than double the figure when the Labour came to power in 1997, according to the homeless charity Shelter. People who live on the streets are not included in the figures.* * * USA: Citigroup, the world's biggest financial services company, said second-quarter profit fell 73 per cent to a near six-year low after setting aside almost $5 billion for legal costs relating to its role in corporate scandals, including WorldCom and Enron.* * * UN: The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution demanding that Israel comply with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) "advisory opinion" and pull down its apartheid wall in the occupied West Bank. The resolution was supported by 150 states, including all the 25 members of the European Union. US and Israel could only muster six votes, including themselves, against — the four others being Australia and three small Pacific islands (Palau, Marshall Islands and Micronesia). Ten countries abstained and a further 25 were absent when the vote was taken. The passing of the resolution, moved by Jordan on behalf of the Arab Group at the UN, is a major diplomatic victory for the Palestinians.* * * VATICAN: A 69-page papal instruction issued by the Vatican 42 years ago has revealed a culture of secret transfers of abusive priests to new posts. US lawyers who deal with sex abuse by Catholic priests want to launch an action to sue the Vatican, although they believe their chances of success are low.* * * USA: Public Citizen reports that the presidential campaigns of George W Bush and John Kerry have raised an unprecedented $414 million during the primary season, relying to a significant extent on the efforts of more than 1000 corporate executives, lawyers, lobbyists and other wealthy special interests who have maximised their political influence by bundling a large number of individual contributions.