Philip Agee passed away in Cuba on January 7 at the age of 72. He was a former agent for the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) who broke ranks in 1968 to expose its role in intervening into foreign countries on behalf of US corporate profits. For this act of bravery, his passport was revoked and US pressure saw him expelled from a number of European countries. Marcel Hatch, education coordinator for Cuba Education Tours in Vancouver (<http://www.cubafriends.ca>) pays tribute.
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Sydney Stop the War Coalition has confirmed that it will be organising an Australian tour of US Labor Against the War (USLAW) leader Kathy Black. The tour will be in the lead-up to the March 16 Palm Sunday rallies that will mark the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.
A collective discussion is occurring throughout the revolutionary movement led by President Hugo Chavez following the defeat of the proposed constitutional reform proposals — that were intended to deepen the revolution to help open the way towards socialism — in the December 2 referendum.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez spearheaded the release of two prisoners held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) — Colombia’s largest left-wing guerrilla force that controls significant portions of the countryside — on January 10.
On January 9, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission released its report into mainland immigration detention facilities, based on HREOC visits to detention centres in August and November. The report noted a number of improvements in the system of immigration detention. However, there was yet another death in detention just days after the report was released.
Long-time environmental campaigner David White has been preselected by the Socialist Alliance to contest the inner-city Central Ward in the March 15 Brisbane City Council elections.
The Say No to GMO campaign launched a new petition in Western Australia this month, asking that liability for contamination of non-genetically modified crops rest with those responsible for bringing GM crops or food into the state.
On January 8, protesters took to piers around Port Philip Bay as part of the campaign against the planned dredging of the bay scheduled to begin in the coming weeks. The Port of Melbourne Corporation intends to dredge an underwater rock wall containing unique sea life.
The blatantly rigged election victory by Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki in the December 27 presidential election triggered nationwide violence that took place largely along ethnic lines.
Call for a national day of action against climate change on April 1, 2008
The latest research shows that the effects of climate change are speeding up, with real dangers of self-perpetuating, or runaway, global warming. At the same time, global carbon emissions are rising at higher rates than ever before. Australia continues to hold the position of the highest greenhouse gas emitting country per capita, and is the worlds biggest exporter of coal.
Thank you
I was both delighted and surprised that I won the major prize in the Green Left Weekly Christmas hamper raffle.
Together with my family, I did not have a particularly good 2007, having lost several dear friends, including Gail Lord
Ten Canoes — Award winning film of an Indigenous story directed by Rolf de Heer and Peter Djigirr. SBS, Saturday, January 26, 9.30pm.
Difference of Opinion: What Do We Do When the Oil Runs Out? — Discussion of how to fulfil our future energy needs. ABC, Sunday, January 27, 9am.
Political Assassinations: Ghandi — Gandhi was a prominent civil rights leader during the Indian independence movement. SBS, Sunday, January 27, 11am.
Cutting Edge: Energy War — Describes the geopolitical consequences of the dependency on fossil fuels and how the 21st Century will be dominated by the struggle for energy. SBS, Sunday, January 27, noon.
Best of Message Stick: Jackie — For more than a decade, Jackie Huggins has been the national face and Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia. ABC, Sunday, January 27, 1.30pm.
Black and White — Based on a true story and set in 1958 in conservative Adelaide. The police fit up a young Aboriginal man for the rape and murder of a nine-year-old white girl at Ceduna. ABC, Sunday, January 27, 8.35pm.
Strange Days on Planet Earth: Troubled Waters — Over the years, increasing efforts have been made around the world to clean up our water systems, but are they really as clean as we think? ABC, Tuesday, January 29, 8.30pm.
Five Seasons — While enjoying the benefits of the modern world, the Numurindi people of South East Arnhemland in the Northern Territory’s Gulf of Carpentaria are still guided by the seasons and the stories of the Dreamtime. SBS, Thursday, January 31, 1.30pm.
Six Days in June —Long seen by Israel as the miraculous victory, for the Arab states, this was a humiliating defeat suffered at the hand of imperialistic plotters. SBS, Thursday January 31, 2.30pm.
Global Village: Boundary Lands — Borneo: The Sacrificed Forest - The island of Borneo historically had extensive cover, but the area is shrinking rapidly due to heavy logging for the needs of the Malaysian plywood industry, and also because of multinational companies such as Mitsubishi taking their share. SBS, Thursday, January 31, 6pm.
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