1250

Fenian Fear looks into the truth of a 19th century Irish would-be assassin

“Not of sound mind when I committed me crime, some said. Others... I'd orchestrated the whole damm thing. On reflection, I do ask meself… Was I morally or legally responsible for what I had done? You see, I never set out to harm anyone, but simply to remind the British empire dat as an Irishman... I wasn't about to stand idle and watch as me fellow countrymen were being hanged for defending their own country.”

So wrote Henry James O'Farrell, an alleged Irish Fenian (as 19th century Irish revolutionaries were known), who made a failed assassination attempt on Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, in Sydney on March 12, 1868.

Protest colonisation ‘celebrations’

Elders from the Gweagal-Bidjigal community on the southern side of Sydney near Botany Bay have called for people to join a convergence protesting the Coalition government’s “celebrations” to mark 250 years since Australia was colonised.

Third Brisbane rally: Sack Scomo, Fund firies

Around 250 people rallied in Brisbane on January 24 around the slogan "Sack Scomo, Fund firies". This was the third such rally in three weeks, though smaller than the first two. The passionate march featured a large number of home made signs, a march through the Queen St mall and a sit down in Adelaide Street.

More photos on the Green Left Facebook page.

Anti-war GIs: Two books unveil the anti-Vietnam War movement among US soldiers

At the height of the US invasion of Vietnam, about 500,000 United States military personnel were involved in the conflict. Of those, more than 50,000 lost their lives — and the US lost the war.

Two new books illustrate the enormous breadth, depth and courage of the soldier (GI) movement against the war.

Waging Peace in Vietnam is an ideological hand grenade thrown at the war mongers. Winter Warrior, for its part, uses a graphic, comic-book style to show the terrible personal cost inflicted on at least one anti-war Vet.

US war threat against Iran remains

The decision by United States President Donald Trump not to bomb Iran in retaliation for its missile strikes against US military bases in Iraq (themselves retaliation for the assassination of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani) has eased fears that the US would launch another war in the Middle East.

Murdoch University drops suit against academic

Mudoch University’s decision on January 13 to drop its lawsuit against Associate Professor Gerd Schröder-Turk is a partial victory for him, academic freedoms and whistle blowing.

Survey finds little trust in capitalism

A survey released on the eve of the World Economic Forum has found that just 18% of people believe capitalism is working for them.

Unsurprisingly, the poll, conducted by public relations firm Edelman, also found that trust in capitalist institutions remains higher among "wealthier, more educated, and frequent consumers of news” than the mass population.

According to the report, "distrust is being driven by a growing sense of inequity and unfairness in the system".

US uses Mexico, Guatemala to repress caravans of migrants

The United States is continuing to muscle the governments of Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala to stop the flow of refugees across its border.

Many migrants are fleeing the consequences of US political intervention and economic policy in the region. They choose to travel in “caravans” for safety.

Immigration officers have gone on the offensive against the caravans, writes Tamara Pearson.

Residents dig in to save Gandolfo Gardens

The residents’ battle to save the trees in the historic Gandolfo Gardens is far from over, despite the Herald Sun’s claim that it “has ended”.

Yazidi genocide survivors call for US to stop Turkey bombing Sinjar

The Yazidi minority community in Sinjar, Iraq, is still recovering from the horrendous 2014 genocide by Islamic State (IS) terrorists. Yet, on January 15, it was the target of another deadly airstrike by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's dictatorial regime.

The Australian fire crisis has a global context and it is scary

The latest fire emergency in four states has rammed home the meaning of the words “catastrophic climate change” in the minds of most people in Australia. Most now realise that this is a climate emergency and our society should mobilise all its resources to address it.

Lebanon’s ‘Week of Anger’

Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced a new government on January 21. The cabinet, made up of technocratic ministers backed by the main parties, is promising to tackle the country's deep economic crisis.

Protests are continuing, however, as the announcement falls short of the movement’s key demands for a government independent of the ruling parties and new elections.

Karim Traboulsi reports on the protest movement, which shows no sign of letting up.

Smoke in the city: The dire health implications

Looking out my office window in early January, the smoke haze blanketing Melbourne CBD blocked all sight of the city. It made visibility on the roads a problem and venturing outside a dangerous activity.

DP World escalates attacks on workers

Negotiations over a new enterprise agreement at stevedoring company DP World have turned bitter.

Wallarah 2 land clearing will threaten koala habitat

The discovery of a significant koala population in close proximity to the proposed Wallarah 2 coal mine on the New South Wales Central Coast has given renewed vigour to a 20-year long community campaign against the mine.

‘Abolish the billionaires’ say high school climate activists

“It is time to abolish billionaires ... because we cannot afford them, the planet cannot afford billionaires,” Kenyan climate activist Njoki Njoroge Njehu told 10,000 protesters in Lausanne, Switzerland on January 17. She is right. It is the billionaire class that is blocking moves to make the urgent shift to create a safe climate.

Pages

Subscribe to 1250