Loukas Christodoulou

NEW REPORT ON CORPORATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN
CorpWatch (US) - the research group that has done so many studies of corporations' activities in Iraq - has just brought out Afghanistan Inc, which takes a similar look at the post-war reconstruction of this war-torn country. Familiar names such as KBR, Blackwater and an army of consultants are making millions here, too. 'Fariba Nawa, an Afghan-American who returned to her native country to examine the progress of reconstruction, uncovers some examples of where the money has (and hasn’t) gone', www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=13518

MORE POWER FOR CONSULTANTS IN IRAQ
The upcoming Iraqi petroleum law is to be drafted with the help of a US-provided consulting firm. BearingPoint, a major beneficiary of US reconstruction aid for Iraq, is to provide 'legal and regulatory advice in drafting the framework of petroleum and other energy-related legislation, including foreign investment,' according to a USAID spokesman. Full story, including a comment from Greg Muttitt of Platform: www.iraqdirectory.com/DisplayNews.aspx?id=1200

WHAT DID THE WORLD BANK/IMF GET UP TO THIS SPRING?
For those of us who'd like to know, yet don't want to plough through reams of pro corporate news stories or jargon-tastic internal reports, the Bretton Woods project has produced a handy report. www.brettonwoodsproject.org/article.shtml?cmd[126]=x-126-535552

EU TO SPEND A BILLION EUROS ON THE SECURITY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
Statewatch and the Transnational Institute have brought out a new report, Arming Big Brother, which looks at how secretive committees and arms industry lobbying have led to the creation of the European Security Research Programme (ESRP). Read the full report on www.statewatch.org/news/2006/apr/bigbrother.pdf

EVENTS AT THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM
The European Social Forum (ESF) is a regular Europe-wide gathering where social movements, NGOs and activists can meet up and exchange ideas and plans.

Some groups Corporate Watch likes are hosting events at this year's ESF, in Athens next week. They include Corporate Europe Observatory (CEO), which is running 'Bursting the Brussels Bubble: Challenging Corporate Power at the EU', along with War on Want and the European Coalition for Corporate Justice (4th May). War Resisters International (WRI) is also running workshops, contact Andreas Speck on +44-7739-498335.

For more details about the ESF see www.fse-esf.org