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Inspiration from Venezuela \'brigadistas\'

Three of the five Sydney residents who joined a May Day solidarity brigade to Venezuela reported back on their observations and experiences of the Bolivarian revolution to a meeting of 35 people on June 24.

James Hansen's struggle to tell the truth

Censoring Science: Inside the Political Attack on Dr. James Hansen & the Truth of Global Warming
By Mark Bowen
Dutton, 2008
324 pages, $49.95 (hb)

Bolivia: Making the oligarchs cry

In full campaign mode, as Bolivia prepares to go to the polls again on August 10 to decide the fate of the president and nine departmental prefects [state governors] in recall referendums, Bolivia聮s left-wing indigenous President Evo Morales took time out to speak exclusively to Argentinian journalist Pablo Stefanoni in the presidential palace.

Iraq sues AWB

According to a July 2 Brisbane Times article, the Iraqi government is suing the formerly Australian government-owned AWB Limited, which has a monopoly over Australian wheat exports, over its alleged rorting of the United Nations聮 oil-for-food program as part of UN-enforced sanctions against Iraq following the first Gulf War in 1991.

Corporations doing business with Burma's generals.

These are some of the corporations currently doing business with the Burmese military junta. For a full list, see the Burma Campaign UK鈥檚 鈥淒irty List鈥 of corporations in Burma.

Lawyer: \'Howard wanted Haneef to be Tampa #2\'

One of the lawyers for Mohamed Haneef, the doctor charged with terrorism-related offences in 2007, told a 100-strong June 21 public meeting that the Howard government had 聯wanted Dr Haneef to be a terrorist 聴 but he wasn聮t聰. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) case against Haneef spectacularly imploded.

Malaysian socialists warn of military takeover threat

As Malaysian opposition parties and social activists, emboldened by advances in the March general elections, prepared to hold a giant protest against recent oil price hike (petrol up 41%, diesel up 67%) in Kuala Lumpur on July 6, a series of disturbing events unfolded.

Venezuela: Mining stopped in forest preserve

Venezuela聮s environment ministry has proclaimed sweeping restrictions on mining in the Imataca Forest, in Venezuela聮s south-east, according to a June 27 Venezuelanalysis.com article. Despite this, negotiations over mining permits continue with affected companies.

Zimbabwe: Resisting Mugabe's reign of terror

On June 29, ZANU-PF聮s Robert Mugabe was declared the winner by electoral officials of the presidential run-off vote on June 27, in which he was the only candidate. It was announced that Mugabe had won 2,150,269 votes against 233,000 for the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Morgan Tsvangirai.

One solar-powered bus is not enough

Adelaide City Council聮s zero-emissions solar electric bus, Tindo, which is the Kaurna Aboriginal word for sun, is a great example of what sustainable public transport looks like.

NSW public sector \'day of action\' for July 30

On July 3, NSW public-sector delegates met at Unions NSW and unanimously endorsed a resolution calling for 聯a day of action on July 30th where members will be called upon to demonstrate the extent the public relies on services delivered by public sector workers聰. Public sector workers will 聯withdraw their goodwill聰 on the day, Unions NSW secretary John Robertson said at a press conference on July 3, although he has ruled out any strike action.

Pakistan: Workers' power in Faisalabad

On June 24, more than 10,000 workers picketed a power loom factory in Sadhar Faisalabad for more than eight hours. They were demanding the arrest of the owner of the factory and his gangsters.