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Science fiction for socialists

China Mieville compiled a list of 50 fantasy and science fiction works that socialists should read. A selection is featured below — visit <http://www.fantasticmetropolis.com/i/50socialist/full> for the full list. Mieville points out that

VENEZUELA: Occupied factory nationalised

Simon Cunich The demands of the workers at Venezuela's valve producing company, Constructora Nacional de Valvulas, were met on April 27, as President Hugo Chavez signed a decree to nationalise the company. This signing came days after the workers

BRITAIN: Gentle action against Blair

On April 27, Rose and George Gentle, the parents of British soldier Gordon Gentle, who killed in Basra last year, announced they were launching action against British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the British High Court, because of his participation

End of coal strike close

Ron Perkins, Perth After almost two months of strike action, maintenance workers at Wesfarmers' Premier Coal in WA's south-west appear close to winning their demands for better conditions. A sudden change in attitude from the company has broken

Timor Sea TV ads banned again

Vannessa Hearman, Melbourne As talks between East Timor and Australia re-commenced in Dili, the Timor Sea Justice Campaign (TSJC) was notified on April 27 that its latest television commercials were again refused broadcast by TV stations. The ads,

Detention makes refugees mentally ill

Andrew Hall, Canberra The effect of detention on the mental health of refugees and asylum seekers was the topic of a public forum organised by the ACT Refugee Action Committee (RAC) on April 28. It was attended by 135 people. Guest speakers, Dr

CUBA: 'What we have to change is the world'

This is abridged from a statement delivered by Cuban foreign minister Felipe Perez Roque to the UN Human Rights Commission meeting in Geneva on March 17. The Commission on Human Rights has lost legitimacy. It is not credible. It allows the impunity

Timor Sea oil - a question of sovereignty

Sibylle Kaczorek As the Australian government continues its attempted theft of Timorese oil, solidarity from Australians with the Timorese becomes more important than ever. At Easter, Tomas Freitas, a spokesperson from the East Timor Institute for

VENEZUELA: Education for social beings

Sarah Wagner and Gregory Wilpert interviewed Aristobulo Isturiz, Venezuela's education minister, for Venezuela Analysis. This is abridged from the full interview, available at <http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/articles.php?artno=1421>. How

Joh's attacks on electricity workers

Bernie Neville was an organiser for the Electrical Trades Union during the 1980s SEQEB dispute. Writing for the April special supplement of Neighbourhood News, he explained the role Joh played in that dispute. In February 1985, the National Party

Teachers gain wage increase

Jon Lamb, Darwin After many months of campaigning, teachers in the Northern Territory have won a better pay deal than that originally offered by the NT government. Following a conciliation meeting of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission

Loose cannons

Combating moral relativism I "Today, having a clear faith based on the creed of the Church is often labeled as fundamentalism. Whereas relativism, that is, letting oneself be 'tossed here and there, carried about by every wind of doctrine', seems