Hiroshima
Good editorial [on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, GLW #536]. Here's something you missed: In a documentary, The Day After Trinity, narrated by Robert Oppenheimer (head of the Manhattan Project), he said, paraphrasing, "We put Hiroshima and
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Dale Mills Australia is becoming increasingly isolated in its stance against same-sex marriage as more governments around the world move to ensure equal rights for their citizens. On July 20, Canada joined the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain in
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Norm Dixon The Australian government's policy on global warming could be summed by a verse from Bobby McFerrin's facetious late-'80s hit song "Don't worry, be happy": "In every life we have some trouble/ But when you worry you make it double/ Don't
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The House of Saud — Covers the period from late 1973 when the Saudi Arabian oil embargo was affecting US military capabilities and its war in Vietnam, to the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war and then the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. SBS, Friday, August 12, 2pm.
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In some countries, marriage-like laws recognise "registered partnerships" rather than "marriage" for same-sex unions. This is the case in Denmark, where, in 1989, same-sex couples were able to "marry" with the same rights as heterosexual couples.
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"When legislation in favour of the recognition of homosexual unions is proposed for the first time in a legislative assembly, the Catholic law-maker has a moral duty to express his opposition clearly and publicly and to vote against it. To vote in
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Michelle Lim "Voluntary student unionism" (VSU), at least the form that previously existed in WA, will mean universities will be unable to collect a compulsory general service fee (GSF). It will affect all students in all Australian and regional
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The Howard government is using the recent terrorist bombings in London as a pretext to reintroduce the idea of a national identity card. If this idea became reality, it would spell the death of civil liberties in Australia. Coalition and Labor
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Alison Dellit On August 30, the fifth annual Forbes Global CEO Conference will be opened with a cocktail party at the Opera House. As well as hosts PM John Howard and Steve Forbes, this collection of the world's wealthiest scumbags will be greeted
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On August 15, 1949 a national coal strike by Australian miners ended after Labour premier Ben Chifley used military force to break the strike. The miners had been demanding a pay rise, a shorter working week, and better conditions in the pits. Two
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Wanda Fish It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on. — Sun Tzu, The Art of War In the wake of the London bombings and angry condemnation of terrorism,
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"Workplaces can be distressing for gay men and lesbians. Many attempt to hide their sexuality, which is difficult and demoralising, and they may live in fear of being found out. For those who are 'out' the treatment they receive can lead to
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Canada is the fourth country to introduce same-sex marriage laws, following Spain, the Netherlands in 2001 and Belgium in 2003. Massachusetts became the first US state to issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples, in May 2004. Opponents are
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Rachel Evans August 13 marks one year since the Coalition and ALP decided against allowing same-sex couples the same marriage rights as heterosexuals. Activists are marking this anniversary with protests in four cities. The Australian Marriage
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Liam Mitchell Employers are rubbing their hands with glee at the early Christmas presents PM John Howard's new industrial relations laws promise them. The prospects of cutting labour costs, reducing or eliminating benefits such as long-service
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Capitalism is above all a contradictory social system, and this is very evident in the area of human health and well-being. At the same time that capitalism has greatly increased the potential to curb disease and improve health, it squanders this
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Andrew Lowenthal "What floor are you going to?", a woman asks as a group of 20 activists cram their way into the lift. "Seventeen." "Oh, no you're not!", she shouts and attempts to block the buttons. The activists scramble to another lift and she
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Nathan Verney The National Party's proposed "compromise" with the Liberals on the "voluntary student unionism" (VSU) bill will weaken free speech on campus and should be opposed. The Nationals' proposal is for a compulsory fee for services only
News
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Lynda Hansen, Brisbane On August 3, about 600 Qbuild workers across Queensland voted to implement work bans on administrative work as part of their campaign for a new enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA). Qbuild is the agency responsible for
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Lisa Macdonald, Sydney A July 30 emergency public meeting titled "The war on Islam intensifies" attracted 300 people to the Auburn Town Hall. Soadad Doureihi from Hizb ut-Tahrir, the meeting's organiser, described the oppression of Muslim
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SYDNEY — Roland Oldham, president of MoruroeTatou, an association of former workers from the French nuclear test sites of Moruroa and Tangataufa, told a meeting on August 3 that no Tahitian worker had yet received compensation for their part in the
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SYDNEY — Transport Workers Union members stopped traffic in the CBD on July 28 as they dragged wooden pallets up George Street to protest against the federal government's planned anti-worker and anti-union laws (pictured). "Ultimately it will be
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SYDNEY — On August 5, 300 people attended a forum at Macquarie University to discuss the university's decision to ban racist academic Andrew Fraser from teaching his classes in the public law department. Speakers from several university
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Kathy Newnam and Jon Lamb, Darwin Federal resources minister Ian Macfarlane announced on August 4 that the federal Coalition government will seize control of the approval process for new uranium mines in the Northern Territory. After meeting with
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Jim McIlroy and Pip Hinman The US government faces "deficits" on a number of fronts in its occupation of Iraq, peace activist and author Phyllis Bennis commented at a meeting sponsored by the Brisbane Social Forum and Just Peace Queensland on July
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DARWIN — Two political activists were convicted on July 29 for trespass after they participated in a peaceful protest against PM John Howard during his visit to Darwin in September 2004. Justin Tutty and Stuart Highway were arrested at the protest
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Sue Bull, Ballarat On July 30, 500 workers voiced their anger over the federal Coalition government's proposed changes to industrial relations laws at a community rally organised by the Ballarat Trades and Labour Council. BTLC secretary Graham
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Anti-nuclear and anti-war activists rallied and marched around Australia, and the world, on August 6 to mark the 60th anniversary of the US nuclear bombing of Hiroshima. The Sydney rally (pictured) called on the Australian government to withdraw
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Sue Bull, Ballarat At a meeting on August 5, 90 National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) members employed at Ballarat University vowed to fight any attempts by their administration to stand them down for bans imposed as part of a dispute over a new
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Sibylle Kaczorek, Sydney On August 2, Sister Susan Connelly, assistant director of the Mary MacKillop Institute for East Timor Studies, said that "fairness" should be the overarching principle in the David versus Goliath stand-off that
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Susan Price, Sydney Carmen Walacz Vel Walewska picked mushrooms for a living until she was sacked on July 27 for resisting signing an individual contract. The contract reduced her pay to $16.50 per hour, below the award rate, and removed all
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DARWIN — Phillip Ruddock's visit to Darwin on August 3 was met by a protest in support of Guantanamo Bay detainee David Hicks. When protester Cindy Watson questioned Ruddock about the protection due to Australian citizens, he replied that any right
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BRISBANE — "While we're fighting the IR laws, socialists need to never lose sight of the goal of replacing the capitalist system entirely", well-known left-wing historian Humphrey McQueen told a public forum held at the Brisbane Activist Centre on
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MELBOURNE — Brunswick Town Hall was full for Melbourne's Global Solidarity Fiesta on July 30. An annual event now in its fourth year, this һƷ̽ Weekly fundraiser was, once again, a great night out. Guests heard greetings from Joan Doyle
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Marce Cameron, Sydney Without any public consultation, Sydney City Council (SCC) voted on August 1 to allow a council sub-committee to consider a development application that would grant "consent to enable the lodgement of a development application
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Thank you supporters, we have raised nearly half our target! Peter Boyle In just three weeks of campaigning, һƷ̽ Weekly's supporters have raised $46,630 for the Emergency Appeal. This is a spectacular response. Certainly, John Pilger's
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Protecting the business environment "The US Environmental Protection Agency is failing to protect the public from tens of thousands of toxic compounds because it has not gathered data on the health risks of most industrial chemicals, according to a
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Following the success of the June 30-July 1 nationwide union protests against the Howard government's proposed anti-union laws, in which up to 350,000 people participated, the ACTU executive has called a national day of protest action on Tuesday,
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Sue Bolton, Melbourne When General Motors-Holden's contract with Pilkington Glass to supply windscreens and back windows for cars ends at the beginning of 2006, 120 jobs will be lost from the Geelong and Laverton plants in Victoria, and the Pooraka
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CANBERRA — One-hundred-and-fifty Community and Public Sector Union members rallied on August 5 alongside Department of Employment and Workplace Relations workers who are campaigning to have their certified agreement ratified. The rally marched
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Susan Price, Sydney The announcement by two key NSW Labor MPs — former treasurer and deputy premier Andrew Refshauge and former planning minister Craig Knowles — that they would be following former Premier Bob Carr into political retirement has
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Jim McIlroy& Mike Byrne, Brisbane Prominent Indian anti-neoliberal globalisation campaigner Arundhati Roy's saying, "Another world is not only possible, she is on her way", was the theme for the fourth Brisbane Social Forum (BSF), held at the
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Sue Bolton The Labor Party has again undercut the union movement's campaign against the Coalition government's plans for broad-sweeping attacks on workers' rights. On July 29, in response to a journalist's question about whether a Labor
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Farida Iqbal, Perth The Western Australian Labor government is granting exploration leases for mining tenements holding uranium. The government claims that the leases include a condition to prevent uranium mining from occurring, however the
Analysis
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"Media executives [have] to accept their responsibilities in time of war", argues Daniel Pipes, a rabidly pro-war US commentator. "On their initiative, they should exclude the enemy's apologists and advocates. Lively debate does not require such
World
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Bernie Stephens, Harare The finding by UN Special Envoy Anna Tibaijuka that Operation Murambatsvina (drive out rubbish) — the bulldozing of informal settlements — has left up to 3.3 million Zimbabweans "deeper in poverty, deprivation and
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Rohan Pearce The August 1 death of Saudi Arabia's King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz al Saud triggered a predictable, and nauseating, flurry of tributes from the "Coalition of the Willing" — the Iraq invasion alliance of Australia, Britain and the US. In
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Dick Nichols The death on July 26 of renowned French Marxist historian Pierre Broue after a long and painful battle with cancer closes the life of one of European Trotskyism's most remarkable figures. Born in 1926 into a family of deeply
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Colin Hughes, Apartaderos The old man carries his X-ray across the brand spanking new clinic. He enters the specialists' room and is given the news he is to be flown to Cuba within five days for a life-saving operation. Three days earlier, the
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Paul Benedek, Venezuela solidarity "brigadista", describes his experiences meeting with workers and unionists, including teachers, in Merida. After returning from a beautiful trip through the Andes, we entered the offices of the UNT (National Union
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Federico Fuentes, Caracas With a firm date, December 4, set for Bolivia's presidential elections, the left is discussing how to best approach the current political situation. The elections were won through a popular uprising in May-June, which
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Tonga's public servants, who have been on strike since July 22, rejected a new government pay offer on August 1, which fell well short of the 60-80% rises the workers are demanding. A further offer was also rejected on August 4, and on August 5 a
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John Pilger, London The latest bombings in London have produced a strange political atmosphere here; I cannot recall anything like it. A truth is struggling to be heard. It is being said guardedly, apologetically. Occasionally, a member of the
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Lee Sustar, Chicago Call it the wishbone strategy — grab hold of a big part of the labour movement, give a hard pull and hope to end up with the biggest piece. That's the method of the seven-union Change to Win coalition, whose three biggest
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Kim Bullimore On August 4, Eden Natan Zada, an Israeli military deserter and member of the outlawed anti-Arab terrorist organisation Kach, open fired on a bus carrying Palestinians with Israeli citizenship (so-called Israeli Arabs), killing four
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The following is abridged from a July 27 article by Thamrin Ananda, the chairperson of the Acehnese Popular Democratic Resistance Front (FPDRA). The negotiations between the Indonesian government and the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) to resolve the Aceh
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The South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) will embark on an indefinite strike from August 8 in support of its demands for a living wage. This follows a three-day strike that began on July 27, along with large marches in most major cities. On
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The Israeli government has cancelled a course on multiculturalism because of the inclusion in the curriculum of articles by Palestinian writer and activist Edward Said. The course, initiated and funded by the Jerusalem Foundation, was designed to
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Speaking at an event in New Mexico on July 23 to promote her new book My Life So Far, actor and activist Jane Fonda announced that she was joining the movement to oppose the war in Iraq. "I've decided I'm coming out. I have not taken a stand on any
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On August 1, more than 300 women from Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and more than 20 men marched in Bulawayo to hand over a letter to the provincial governor for President Robert Mugabe. The letter called for the repeal of unjust laws and the
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On August 4, 90% of nurses went on strike across Fiji after the government failed to agree to agree to their demands. The nurses are demanding a wage rise and are refusing to accept a pay cut due to a recent overpayment. Labour minister Kenneth Zinck
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Girma Belay, a 52-year-old Ethiopian refugee who has lived in London for 12 years, was detained for six days in connection with the London bombings. He told the August 4 Guardian that he was at a friend's apartment when officers burst in and forced
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Doug Lorimer Over the last few weeks the US corporate media have been abuzz with reports that the Pentagon has secretly drawn up plans to withdraw most of its troops from Iraq next year. This story was given a major boost when General George Casey,
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Marcus Pabian, Ciudad Bolivar On August 3, our solidarity brigade group ventured out early to visit 16 young Indigenous students at the National Experimental University in Ciudad Bolivar. As we arrived, a veteran indigenous leader was addressing
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On July 27, a 100-strong protest of mostly women textile workers in the south-eastern province of Kerman was brutally attacked by security forces. The workers at the Asia Wool-Spinning Company are owed up to 3 million Tomans (about $3500) in unpaid
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Workers on all of Argentina's railroads, except the Buenos Aires subway network, went on strike on August 4, together with other sectors, demanding a salary rise. Engine-driver guild representatives warned that if there was no agreement in a week,
Culture
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Citizens Guide to Climate RefugeesPublished by Friends of the Earth AustraliaDownload at <; It is now widely accepted in the scientific community that climate change will lead to both
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Navigating FlindersBy Don ReidDirected by Christopher HurrellStarring Drew Forsythe, Jonathan Gavin & Ksenja LogosEnsemble Theatre, SydneyUntil August 27 REVIEW BY BRENDAN DOYLE There must have been a conspiracy to make Australian history boring
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Oil: Anatomy of an IndustryBy Matthew YeomansThe New Press, 2004246 pages, $39.95 (hb) Crude: The Story of OilBy Sonia ShahSeven Stories Press, 2004232 pages, $48 (hb) REVIEW BY PHIL SHANNON Oil was in trouble until the German inventor, Karl