Issue 1306

News

The Colombian community and allies rallied in solidarity with a national strike in Colombia, report Federico Fuentes and Chris Slee.

Members of Sydney’s Latin American community want the Organization of American States general secretary Luis Almagro prosecuted and the regional body abolished. Federico Fuentes reports.

Peter Boyle reports on the opening of a newly-renovated Democratic Kurdish Community Centre in Sydney’s West.

The campaign to end period poverty gains momentum in Australia, with state governments starting to provide free sanitary products in schools, Rachel Evans reports

The head of Venezuela’s mission in Australia says the country remains under attack from the United States, Chris Slee reports.

Rachel Evans reports on a moving #StopAsianHate protest held in Sydney.

After more than a decade of campaigning, Traditional Custodians, farmers and environmentalists are celebrating the preservation of rich farming plains from a coal corporation, writes Margaret Gleeson.

The Tigrean community is calling for support as the war on the north-eastern Ethiopian province by the Ethiopian army, Eritrean and United Arab Emirates and Amahara militias continues. Alex Salmon reports.

Ken Canning, a much-loved fighter for the rights of First Nations people and all down-trodden, needs your help to return to Australia for medical treatment, writes Kerry Smith.

Members of the Eritrean community gathered in Melbourne to protest against Isaias Afwerki, the dictatorial ruler of Eritrea, reports Chris Slee.

Analysis

Sam Wainwright asks how would bosses, who are currently demanding that Fair Work Australia not raise award wages, react to a legislated freeze on the price they charge for goods and services.

Neoliberal ideology has reduced tertiary education to a commodity. Students have become “customers” and academics and lecturers are now “service providers”, writes Markela Panegyres.

The deaths in custody of two more First Nations people over the past week — bringing the total deaths to seven over the last two months — is nothing less than a national emergency, writes Isaac Nellist.

Casual relief teachers in Victoria are being ripped off, Alex Milne argues, because they are at the mercy of private hiring agencies.

The vaccine rollout in Australia, argues Markela Panegyres, has been held back by the lack of publicly-owned vaccine infrastructure and the government's own vaccine nationalism.

The latest Green Left Show, featuring Angela Carr, Sam Wainwright, Emily Bullock and Amy MacMahon, takes a look at the housing crisis in Australia, the relationship it has to domestic violence, and possible solutions as well as challenges in achieving them. 

It seems that everybody’s opinion about TAFE matters except that of us TAFE students, writes Wayne Barret.

New Zealand has legalised pill testing at festivals after the services made a positive impact. Paul Gregoire compares Australia's head-in-the-sand response to an important health issue.

A decade of inaction means that the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C will not be met, according to the Climate Council. Patrick McDonald reports.

Greens MP for South Brisbane Amy MacMahon speaks to Green Left about the Greens' proposal for universal free school meals and Labor's response.

World

Ecuador’s April 11 election that led to a 5-point victory by conservative banker Guillermo Lasso over progressive candidate Andrés Arauz was not what it appeared to be, write Medea Benjamin and Leonardo Flores.

Leftist candidate Pedro Castillo had unexpected success in the first round of Peru's presidential elections, reports Ben Radford.

Malalai Joya speaks to Green Left about the United States' recent announcement that it will withdraw its troops and the West’s support for the Taliban.

Environmental activists and local residents have been waging a long-running campaign against a toxic rare-earths refinery in Malaysia run by Lynas Rare Earths, an Australian corporation, reports Peter Boyle.

The show trial of 108 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) began on April 26 in Ankara, reports Susan Price.

West Papua solidarity activists fear an escalation of violence in West Papua, reports Susan Price.

Derek Chauvin’s conviction for the murder of George Floyd is a relief, but does not change the urgent need to end policing and the corrupt criminal justice system, argues Malik Miah.

The involvement of external powers in Syria's civil war has led to sheer devastation, writes Yanis Iqbal. Fantasies of "regime change" have fuelled sectarian war and revived jihadi groups.

Culture

Alex Salmon reviews a new book documenting 100 years of war and resistance.

Ian Angus introduces seven new books for activists.

April political albums artwork

Mat Ward takes a look back at April's political news and the best new music tackling the wars on workers, women and minorities worldwide.

Barry Healy reviews Mientras dure la guerra, a film illustrating human failure and the psychology of fascism during the Spanish Civil War.