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International briefs

Indonesians commemorate killings BANDAR LAMPUNG — Students from campuses around the city rallied and marched on September 28 to mark the first anniversary of the murder of two students, Yusuf Rizal and Saidatul Fitria, by the military during a

SERBIA: After Milosevic, will anything change?

Hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people took to the streets of Serbia last week. Belgrade was blocked with contingents from all over the country: Cacak, Kraljevo, Kragujevax, Nis and other such working-class centres which led the

New parties under threat

BY SUE BOLAND The federal Coalition government, with support from Labor, plans to rush through parliament amendments to the Electoral Act which will make it virtually impossible to register a new political party — unless it has plenty of money.

Loose cannons

Realism "When you see your soldiers being killed and injured one right after the other, it adds a sense of realism to the drill." — A Japanese army major on a computerised battle simulation. Decades, sometimes "It takes time to get troops to

ISRAEL: Police shoot protesting Arabs

As the Israeli military launched its war on the Palestinian masses protesting against the killings of Palestinians following Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon's provocative visit to the al-Aqsa mosque on September 28, Arabs in Israel took to the

Native American roots, rhythms and joy

BY BILL NEVINS SANTA FE, New Mexico — "An Indian President!", shouted Robert Mirabal, fist clenched, buckskin and long black hair flying. "That's just one of my crazy, crazy ideas. But why not, people?". The Taos Pueblo native is leading his

ALP members oppose Bracks on S11

BY ARUN PRADHAN MELBOURNE — It was pressure from within his own party, rather than the stated logistical difficulties, which forced Victorian Labor Premier Steve Bracks to cancel a planned barbecue to thank police officers for their efforts

Palestine solidarity protests around the world

As Israel's military forces continue to use indiscriminate and excessive force against Palestinian civilians, protests against Israel's crimes and in solidarity with the Palestinian people have been taking place around the world. In Europe, daily

Unemployed people speak for themselves

BY RON BAKER National conferences are usually the domain of well-established organisations with various reasons to hold a gathering of the faithful. Little on the agenda and a lot on the bill seems to be a common outcome. Conferences claiming to

Jesus freaks

A group of scientists (well, they claim to be scientists) from an organisation called The Second Coming Project are planning to bring back Jesus by cloning him. Their stupendously spooky plan involves taking a cell from a "Holy Relic of Jesus'

PALESTINE: CIA to save 'peace process'?

Last week, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency was appointed chairperson of a "trilateral commission" to save the Middle East "peace process". While the appointment is apparently acceptable to both Palestine Authority head Yasser Arafat

'N18' dinner plans to globalise resistance

BY ARUN PRADHAN MELBOURNE — Plans are under way here for what is hoped will be the largest and most spirited Green Left Weekly dinner that this city has seen for years. The November 18 event, dubbed "N18", will celebrate recent mass protests in