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IRAQ: Election result will fuel armed resistance

Doug Lorimer The final outcome of Iraq's December 15 parliamentary election was announced by the country's electoral commission on January 20. The United Iraqi Alliance, the coalition of Shiite religious parties that dominates the current

Petition for a national work stoppage

Sue Bolton, Melbourne The WorkChoices legislation was rammed through federal parliament just before Christmas and is due to be enacted on March 29. Many unionists believe that the union movement needs a national stoppage to signal to employers

Activists prepare 'welcome' for Blair

Amy McDonnell, Canberra Anti-war activists are gearing up to "welcome" British PM Tony Blair to Australia. The ACT Network Opposing War (ACTNOW) is starting to organise a protest outside Parliament House in Canberra, to be held when the pro-war

An ancient tale becomes popular theatre

Tristan and YseultKneehigh TheatreThe Seymour Centre, SydneyUntil February 19 REVIEW BY BRENDAN DOYLE Live theatre should be a joyful experience. Who wants to be bored or lectured to? The audience should feel emotionally and intellectually

'Free West Papua! Let the refugees stay!'

SYDNEY — Sixty people gathered in front of the DIMIA offices on January 20 to protest the removal of the West Papuan refugees to the Christmas Island and call for their release into the community while their asylum claims are being assessed. The

Aboriginal leader: 'Resist these bad laws'

Premier Morris IemmaNSW government I write to comment on the new public disorder powers, and to inform you and your police that I consider them to be bad laws. I do not wish myself or any member of my family to ever be physically touched by

MALAYSIA: Workers force meeting with ministry

On January 17, more than 200 rank-and-file workers demonstrated at the Human Resource Ministry in Putrajaya, forcing the deputy minister to meet with a delegation of protesters. The protest was led by the Coalition of Factory Workers and Trade Unions

CHILE: Bachelet wins presidential elections

Roberto Jorquera The election of the Socialist Party's Michelle Bachelet as president on January 11, with 3.6 million votes (53%), was greeted with street parties throughout Chile. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez immediately rang Bachelet and

New report: NSW police violence and corruption

Dale Mills Police in NSW commit unlawful violent acts and cover up for each other, according to the recently published Operation Whistler report. Operation Whistler was an investigation by the NSW Police Integrity Commission focussed on the

IRAN: US-EU3 push for Security Council referral

Doug Lorimer Iran's January 9 decision to reopen its uranium enrichment research facilities after a voluntary year-long suspension has been seized on by the US and its European Union allies to push for Iran to be referred by the UN's Vienna-based

Anti-racist rally victory

Simon Butler, Newcastle In the days immediately following the racist riots in Cronulla late last year, text messages began circulating in Newcastle advertising a "Cronulla-style" rally at the local Nobby's Beach. Within 48 hours of receiving this

GERMANY: Iraq war role exposed

Tania Roth On January 13, the ARD public television's magazine Panorama and the national newspaper Die Sueddeutsche Zeitung (SD) broke the news that in 2003, two agents of the German secret service (BND) stayed in Iraq and worked as informants for