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CHINA: Pro-socialist forces denounce right-wing gathering

Eva Cheng A secret March gathering in Beijing of high profile pro-capitalist economists, legal experts and government advisers — most of whom are members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) — have alarmed China's waning pro-socialist forces.

SOUTH AFRICA: General strike reveals growing anger

Leo Zeilig, Johannesburg On May 18, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) led a general strike to protest against low pay, job losses and casualisation. There is growing working-class anger at the levels of poverty and unemployment in

New refugee policy introduces 'era of cruelty'

Tony Iltis, Melbourne "The optimism that many Australians felt following significant reforms to asylum and refugee policy in 2005 has been cruelly dashed by the government's wretched response to Indonesia's displeasure at the granting of protection

Write On: Letters to the Editor

Rail system After the recent track work in Sydney on May 13 and 14. I feel we should debate out the proposed three weeks' straight of track work, that was cancelled, which would have resulted in Blue Mountains trains terminating at Penrith and an

A striking example

Emma Clancy The June 1 student strike against the federal government's anti-union "Work Choices" legislation has struck a real chord around the country, with students responding enthusiastically to the call to strike and organising for the action

Above the law? Roxby Downs and BHP Billiton

Peter Burdon What would you say if you were told that a large portion of South Australia is subject to an entirely different set of laws to the rest of the state? How would you feel if you knew that those legally responsible for this land consume

Mass action vital in campaign against Work Choices

Andrew Ferguson, Sydney Mass protest action by workers and the community is a vital component to our battle against the Howard government's radical new anti-worker laws. Our campaign so far against the laws has been a resounding success, with half

ECUADOR: People power forces Oxy oil contract cancellation

Jim McIlroy & Coral Wynter, Quito In a victory for the broad-based popular movement against the proposed free trade agreement between Ecuador and the US (TLC), energy minister Ivan Rodriguez announced on May 15 that the contract for oil exploration

Fees? You can bank on them

Marcin Jaskulski, Sydney A decade ago you could venture into a bank, passbook in hand, and withdraw money knowing that you alone would be reducing the balance of your account. Now the bank reduces your account balance with its array of fees. In

EAST TIMOR: Foreign troops occupy Dili

Jon Lamb In response to ongoing clashes between the East Timor Defence Force (FDTL) and rebel soldiers and police, the East Timorese president, prime minister, foreign minister and speaker to the parliament sent a joint communique on the evening of

Doctor describes the devastation of Iraq

Niko Leka Peace movement supporters turned out in their hundreds to public meetings around the country last week featuring US anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan and founding member of Doctors of Iraq Salaam Ismael. Ismael witnesses the carnage day

Da Vinci Code drivel

The Da Vinci CodeDirected by Ron HowardStarring Tom Hanks and Audrey TautouScreening nationally REVIEW BY ELAINE GRAHAM-LEIGH The film of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code opened the Cannes film festival on May 17 to universal critical panning. The