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G20 sentencing: upping the ante on the right to protest

In an obvious attempt to silence political dissent, on April 14, 10 G20 protesters who had pleaded guilty to charges of common law riot, criminal damage and recklessly causing injury received severe sentences in Melbourne’s Magistrates court.

Terror laws \'on trial\'

On April 15, 200 people attended a public meeting entitled Β“Putting the terror laws on trialΒ” at the Kaleide Theatre, RMIT. The meeting was jointly sponsored by the Civil Rights Defence campaign group and Amnesty International.

Pro-Tibet protests grow β€” why Tibet deserves justice

ACT police have been given enhanced stop-and-search powers for dealing with protests planned for the Canberra leg of the global Olympic torch relay on April 24. This comes as protests by the Tibetan diaspora and their supporters have turned the torchΒ’s world tour into a public relations disaster for the Beijing Olympics.

Stop the global warming gangsters for good

NASAΒ’s chief climate scientist, Dr James Hansen, wrote an open letter to Kevin Rudd on March 27 urging him to halt the construction of new coal-fired power stations. He also demanded that Rudd implement the Garnaut reportΒ’s recommendations.

Patricks dispute anniversary marked

On April 3 Fremantle wharfies stopped work for two hours to commemorate the 1998 Patricks dispute and thank all those who generously and courageously supported the Maritime Union of Australia. Nearly 1500 MUA members and other members of the community marched through the streets of Fremantle. In other ports the anniversary was marked with a one-minute stop work on April 7.

Why did the 'Man of Steel' get scrapped?

Β‘Exit Right: The Unravelling of John HowardΒ’
By Judith Brett
Quarterly Essay, Issue 28, 2007
Black Inc. $15.95 (pb)

Nepal: Left wins big victory

The Nepalese left has stunned the world yet again. The Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M), a US-designated β€œterrorist” outfit, won a landslide victory in April 9 general elections.

A great step forward in Nepal

The Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) victory in the constituent assembly elections held on April 10 is a great step forward for the forces of the left in the region and internationally. The masses voted for those with no experience of elections but with full experience of fighting for basic rights.

The hidden fist that guides the market

The Secret History of the American Empire: Economic Hit Men, Jackals, & the truth about Global Corruption
By John Perkins
Dutton Books, 2007
384 pages, $55 (hb)