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Rachel Evans A gay friend of mine killed himself last week. He was a bright spark — sensitive with large eyes, an interest in everybody and a passion for changing the world. He felt the effects of homophobia. He is the reason I am extra angry.
Tariq Ali In the face of terror attacks Anglo-Saxon politicians mouth the same rhetoric. One sentence in particular — shrouded in layers of untruth — is constantly repeated: "We shall not permit these attacks to change our way of life." It is a
Stephen Garvey, Melbourne Ian Thomas, father of Jack Thomas; civil rights lawyer Rob Stary; and London Respect member Julian Coppens addressed a forum on August 17 about PM John Howard and British PM Tony Blair's attacks on civil rights, especially
The South African Municipal Workers Union "suspended" its week-long strike on August 15 despite the wage dispute between it and South Africa's mainly ANC-controlled local councils remaining unresolved. SAMWU is demanding increases of up to 9%, while
Nick Fredman The first parliamentary sitting with a Coalition-controlled Senate ended on August 19 with PM John Howard's government failing to achieve one of its key immediate objectives — the early adoption of its so-called voluntary student
"Green Left Weekly is a very important — I would say vital — Australian journal of independent opinion, and news that you won't readily find elsewhere. I am always proud whenever anything that I write appears in its pages, because I know then
Julie Webb-Pullman The Cuban Five, anti-terrorist fighters jailed in the US since 1998, had their convictions reversed on August 9 in an historic and unanimous decision by three judges of the US Court of Appeals Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta.
SYDNEY — A Socialist Alliance campaign stall at Merrylands shopping centre in Sydney's west was attacked on August 20 by an individual yelling "traitors" and "communists". The campaign stall, which focused on the federal government's attacks on
Matthew Holloway, Hobart Prison Action Reform calls for better treatment of inmates at Hobart's Risdon Prison. It has been a strong voice about the reality of deaths in custody, and the poor living conditions and violation of human rights in the
Pip Hinman According to Australian peace activist Donna Mulhearn, Cindy Sheehan's anti-war vigil outside US President Bush's ranch "has re-energised the anti-war movement in the US, inspired more than 1000 people to make their way to Crawford, and
The Venezuelan Revolution: a Marxist PerspectiveBy Alan WoodsWellred Publications, 2005178 pages REVIEW BY DAVE RABY Although many Marxists and progressive activists in general are still reluctant to recognise it, a real social revolution is
DARWIN — After more than a decade of legal proceedings, on August 18 Letty Scott withdrew criminal charges she had brought against four Berrimah prison officers she had accused of murdering her husband, Douglas Scott. The prison officers claimed