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FRANCE: Blow dealt to capitalists' EU project

Doug Lorimer By a 55% majority, French voters rejected the draft constitution for the 25-country European Union in a national referendum held on May 29. The decisive "No" vote occurred despite the "Yes" campaign having the support of all of

Permanent war for permanent peace

Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the SithDirected by George LucasStarring Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen & Ewan McGregor REVIEW BY DAVE RILEY Just when you thought you'd had enough of the throbbing fluroescence of light sabres hovering

BRITAIN: 10 years on, no asylum decision

Ten years after he first applied, Kassab Al-Rashid, a prominent member of Committee for Defence of Legitimate Rights, a pro-democracy body suppressed by the Saudi monarchy, is still waiting for a decision on his initial application for asylum in

The Cuban Five - heroes fighting terrorism

John Percy For all the hypocritical crusading rhetoric of US President George Bush about his "war on terror", in practice he is promoting and sheltering real terrorists — the right-wing Cuban emigres who have been waging a terror war on

ACT moves to recognise same-sex unions

CANBERRA — A discussion paper released by ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope paves the way for formal recognition of same-sex unions in the ACT. The paper encourages submissions from the community to ascertain which of three models — marriage,

Where to next for the Socialist Alliance?

The Socialist Alliance will hold its fourth national conference in Melbourne on June 12-13. Green Left Weekly sought the views of four leading Socialist Alliance activists on the future direction of the alliance.From Green Left Weekly, June 8, 2005.

Traditional owners speak out

ADELAIDE — On May 28, elders and traditional owners from the Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara lands addressed a public meeting to express their concerns about the review of the 1981 Pitjantjatjara Land Rights Act. Organised by ANTaR SA and the

The hypocrisy of an imperialist neighbour

Max Lane Since soon after Schapelle Corby's arrest in Bali, sections of the Australian media have waged a non-stop campaign agitating for her to be found innocent in her trial, while at the same time launching persistent attacks against the

IRAQ: US deaths climb, Iraqi deaths go uncounted

Doug Lorimer May was the second deadliest month for the US occupation forces in Iraq so far this year, with 72 US troops killed. This took the total number of US troops killed in Iraq since the war began in March 2003 to 1657, according to a count

Adrian Moles' new diary

REVIEW BY DAVE RILEY Adrian Mole and the Weapons of Mass DestructionBy Sue TownsendMichael Joseph/Penguin, 2004460pages, $35 Adrian Mole is no longer thirteen-and-three-quarters, but he still keeps his diary. Adrian Mole is in fact 34 years old,

BANGLADESH: Workers protest deaths

On May 27, hundreds of garment workers protested on the site of their collapsed workplace, demanding compensation for the injured, and families of workers killed or missing. The nine-storey Spectrum garments factory caved in the dead of night on

Darwin Harbour under threat

DARWIN — The Northern Territory Labor government's pre-election trumpeting of the "waterfront development" in the Darwin Harbour has failed to take into account the associated environmental risks. The project is the jewel in the crown of Chief