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Two Melanesian activists are currently touring Australia to promote their campaigns against land privatisation through the Asia-Pacific region.
In the past year in Indonesia, almost 3000 asylum seekers have been stopped from heading to Australia, the Herald Sun said on March 23. The Australian government does not care what happens to these people, who are often detained in horrific conditions or deported back to unsafe countries.
SYDNEY — A model drone, Guantanamo-style orange jump suits and many colourful banners were part of a 100-strong protest to mark the seventh anniversary of the invasion of Iraq (timed to coincide with the visit of US President Barack Obama that was subsequently cancelled).
The vicious underbelly of the right-wing “tea party” movement was on full display in the run-up to March 21 vote on health care in Washington.
In what is emerging as a deadly pattern in Western Australia, a 39-year-old Aboriginal prisoner died tragically in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital on March 22, after laying for several days in a brain-dead state.

French voters have dealt a blow to right-wing President Nicolas Sarkozy in the first and second rounds of voting in the French regional elections. The opposition Socialist Party (PS) expanded its control of regional presidencies to 23 of the 26 regions, based on a record voting percentage in the second round on March 21. There were mixed results for parties to the left of the PS, and also a resurgence of the far-right National Front (FN). The elections have been marred by record-low voter turnout, with 46.5% and 51% of voters taking part in the two rounds.