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Russian voters swing left in local polls

By Renfrey Clarke MOSCOW — The mood in the camp of the right-wing Russian "democrats" during the first days of December was savage. After an important round of provincial and local elections on November 29, the time had come to sum up the

Hobsbawm's fourth age

Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century 1914-1991 By Eric Hobsbawm Michael Joseph, 1994. 627 pp., $45 (hb) Reviewed by Phil Shannon There is a new addition to Eric Hobsbawm's superb Marxist historical trilogy (Age of Revolution, Age

Chomsky lashes West's policy on East Timor

By Max Lane SYDNEY — More than 2000 people attended a public lecture by Noam Chomsky on January 20 organised by the East Timor Relief Association. Chomsky devoted most of his lecture to exposing US and Western foreign policy in relation to

Socialists chart plans for coming year

By Jennifer Thompson The struggle for socialism today was the basis for discussion at the 16th national conference of the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP), which took place in Sydney in early January. The conference took up key issues

Preserving the history of struggle

Preserving the history of struggle By Stephen Robson PERTH — History in South Africa had reflected the "story of 'great' white men", Gordon Metz, a member of the African National Congress' department of the arts and culture, said,

AIDS drug delay condemned

AIDS drug delay condemned SYDNEY — A community meeting of more than 100 people on January 17 unanimously condemned federal health minister Carmen Lawrence for "inexcusable delay" in approving funding for an effective AIDS treatment drug,

A not so fearful fifty

Fear of Fifty By Erica Jong London: Chatto & Windus, 1994. 390 pp. Reviewed by Melanie Sjoberg Pick up a copy of any of Erica Jong's novels and you will discover an intriguing world of sexual pursuits, bizarre characters and events, along

Anti-woodchipping campaign gathers momentum

By Lisa Macdonald Anger and disgust are growing over the Keating government's expansion of woodchipping in Australia's vanishing old growth forests. After recommendations by federal environment minister John Faulkner that the 1995 renewal

COSATU looks to improve working conditions

MIXOLISI NKOSI was in Perth to attend the Indian Ocean Trade Union Conference. A member of the Central Executive Committee of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), Nkosi is the assistant general secretary of the SA Democratic Teachers

Loose cannons

Unusual "That is an unusual display of candour and openness by the United States." — US secretary of state Warren Christopher, describing the US admission that one of its helicopters had crossed into North Korea before being shot down.

Basque militants seek negotiated settlement

The struggle of the Basque people for self-determination is one of Europe's most significant and protracted, yet little-publicised, conflicts. While in Madrid recently, Green Left Weekly's NORM DIXON spoke to KARMELO LANDA, a leader of the militant

Labor's role in the Liberals' crisis

Labor's role in the Liberals' crisis For most people, including members of the Liberal Party itself, the ongoing leadership saga is more like a bad joke rather than something to be taken seriously. After all, there have been five leadership