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Activists defend forests and koalas

A coalition of community environmental groups has been trying to stop logging in the Mumbulla State Forest in the NSW far south east, with a blockade of about 90 people. The forest contains the last known koala colony between Canberra and Victoria.

The logging is being carried out by Forests NSW, a public trading enterprise under direct control of the NSW state government. Ninety-five percent of felled trees are to be processed at the Eden woodchipping mill, owned by South East Forest Exports (SEFE).

Climate change: What does Evo's 1掳C target mean?

At the failed United Nations climate in Copenhagen in December, Bolivian President Evo Morales proposed that, given the lack of an accord among governments, the world鈥檚 people should be consulted in a global referendum.

Israeli journalist threatened for exposed war crimes

An Israeli journalist who went into hiding after writing a series of reports showing lawbreaking approved by Israeli army commanders faces a lengthy jail term for espionage if caught, as Israeli security services warned at the weekend they would 鈥渞emove the gloves鈥 to track him down.

Bolivia denied climate aid ahead of summit

The US state department has suspended its climate change aid to Bolivia and Ecuador because both countries have refused to endorse the accord drawn up by rich nations at the United Nations Copenhagen climate summit in December.

Sri Lanka: No end to human rights abuses

The Sri Lankan government鈥檚 fake sincerity towards the plight of the country鈥檚 Tamil minority may have impressed the Australian government, which claimed 鈥渃hanged circumstances鈥 as the reason behind its decision to suspend the processing of asylum seekers from Sri Lanka for three months. But it has done nothing to resolve the ongoing oppression of the Tamil people.

Smile, capitalism wants your soul

Smile or Die, How Positive Thinking Fooled America & the World
By Barbara Ehrenreich
Granta Books, 2009
235 pages., $29.99

Billionaires funding climate change denial

The article below is an excerpt from a March 2010 Greenpeace report entitled Koch Industries: Secretly Funding the Climate Denial Machine, published in March 2010 by Greenpeace. The full report can be read .

Sri Lanka: Tamils abstain from poll

The ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) won nearly two thirds of the seats in the Sri Lankan parliament at the April 8 national elections. The exact figure is uncertain, because the result in two electorates was annulled because of polling day violence.

Sydney protest for Thai democracy

Chanting "Stop killing Thai people, bring democracy back now, no more dictatorship!", 40 members and supporters of 'Thai Red Australia' marched from Hyde Park to the Thai Consulate on April 12. Organisers gave out a statement during the protest. The statement was handed to the consulate. It said: "At least 19 people have died and 825 injured as a result of violent clashes in Bangkok, Thailand, as troops tried to retake areas from anti-government protesters on April 10.

Thailand: A movement of the poor for democracy

On April 10, the Thai military opened fire on unarmed pro-democracy protesters, known as 鈥淩ed Shirts鈥, who were on the streets of Bangkok to demand the unelected government be dissolved and new elections called.

Rally unites against racism, for refugees

On April 11, in response to a rally by the far-right Australian Protectionist Party (APP) in opposition to refugee rights organised that day outside Villawood Detention Centre, activists held a protest in solidarity with the imprisoned asylum seekers and against racism .

Malaysia: Protest for Thai democracy

On April 14, a delegation of 30 people led by Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) staged a protest at the Royal Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The protesters included PSM Selangor state assemblyperson Dr. Nasir Hashim and PSM member of national parliament for Sungai Siput Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, as well as a representative from the Student Federation of Thailand.