This is an abridged report issued on January 28 by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), representing 168 million workers in 155 countries. For more information, please visit .
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Bruce Trevorrow, 50, was the first of the Stolen Generations to succeed in recieving compensation from a state government. His case is an argument for why PM Kevin Rudd should establish a national compensation scheme for the tens of thousands or so members of the Stolen Generations.
Leaders of the Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) have vowed to defy court rulings banning them from participating in public assemblies. The court orders were placed on 35 opposition party and grassroots activists who were charged with illegal assembly following a January 26 protest against price hikes imposed by the government-owned oil corporation, Petronas.
During the war against Vietnam, it was not until 1970 that the US union movement took protest action in an organised manner. And even then, it was a pro-war demonstration called by New York鈥檚 Building Trades Council in support of President Richard Nixon. However anti-war unions responded to that demonstration 鈥 held on May 20 and drawing 50,000 workers (many of them paid to attend) 鈥 with a protest of their own. While it only drew half as many people, it was a significant milestone 鈥 it was the first time that US unions formally organised an anti-war demonstration.
The US Department of Energy announced January 30 that it is pulling out of the Futuregen Project in Mattoon, Illinois 聴 the United States聮 US$1.8 billion 聯clean coal聰 demonstration plant, scheduled to start construction next year. The DoE had committed to paying 74% ($1.3 billion) of Futuregen聮s costs.
Transport workers from six different sectoral unions met from January 23-25 in West Java to form the National Transport Workers Union (FBTN).
The 500 million people of the European Union are being denied the right to ratify by referenda major amendments to the two key EU treaties. The Lisbon Treaty, signed by member states in December, will significantly increase the power of unelected EU institutions and enshrine right-wing economic policy.
Blackwater: The Rise of the World聮s Most Powerful Mercenary Army
By Jeremy Scahill
Serpent聮s Tail, 2007
452 pages, $35 (pb)
By Jeremy Scahill
Serpent聮s Tail, 2007
452 pages, $35 (pb)
On February 4, a series of massive ostensibly 聯non-political聰 聯peace聰 demonstrations against the left-wing guerrilla group the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) took place in Colombia. Hundreds of thousands took part under the banner of 聯No more FARC, No more kidnappings聰. Protests also took place around the world.
US officials want their puppet Iraqi government to agree to a long-term 聯status of forces agreement聰 that would give the US military 聯broad authority to conduct combat operations and guarantee civilian contractors specific legal protections from Iraqi law聰, the January 25 New York Times reported.
鈥淐elebrating the completion of nine years in office, Venezuela鈥檚 President Hugo Chavez presented what he considered to be some of the main economic achievements of his government鈥 according to a February 4 Venezuelanalysis.com article.
The polling company Opinion Research Business (ORB) has released detailed data confirming that the death toll from the Iraq war has exceeded 1 million people 聴 more than the total number killed in the Rwandan genocide of 1994.
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