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Rudd government to leave most of Work Choices in place

In the afterglow of saying sorry to the Stolen Generations, the federal Labor government introduced its first piece of industrial relations legislation into parliament on February 13 — the Workplace Relations Amendment Bill. While the government claims that this legislation is the first step in dismantling Work Choices, in fact, it will leave most of Work Choices intact.

United States: Writers' strike wins gains

Hollywood writers won gains following a 14-week strike against TV and film producers that ended with a new contract giving them a percentage of revenue for programs streamed on the internet — a demand that industry bosses had vowed to resist.

Public meeting demands action on prisoner death

On February 13, 50 people attended an angry public meeting at the Derbarl Yerrigan Health Services centre in East Perth. The meeting called for an immediate cessation of transporting prisoners long distances in road vehicles following the death in custody on January 27 of an Aboriginal elder.

Venezuela: Socialists discuss struggle for revolutionary party

Since January 12, more than 1600 delegates to the founding congress of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) — along with thousands of local socialist battalions (branches — have been discussing the new party’s program, principles and statutes, and in large part the future of the Bolivarian revolution.

Fuck the flag

On January 26, Invasion Day, Anti-Flag opened their Sydney show, with bass player, Chris #2 beginning, “On behalf of all nationalist, racist holidays, this songs called ‘Fuck You and Your Fucking Flag!’”

Indonesia: Scared of the truth in Papua

The following is abridged from a January 18 article by Richard Samuelson, the co-director of Britain’s Free West Papua Campaign ().

Iraq: Refugee crisis continues to mount

Despite claims by Washington’s puppet government in Baghdad that “security” in Iraq has dramatically improved over the past six months, the latest figures compiled by the UN’s refugee agency show that many more Iraqis are continuing to flee their war-torn country to neighbouring Syria than are returning.

On the box

The Prodigal Son — Explores how two first-generation migrant parents have struggled to come to terms with their son's sexuality. SBS, Friday, February 22, 3pm. Footprints in the Sand — It is over forty years since "Yullala", as Geoffrey is

A diarist of the tragedy of war

Last Night I Dreamed of Peace: An Extraordinary Diary of Courage from the Vietnam War
By Dand Thuy Tram
Rider, 2007
225 pages, $32.95 (pb)

El Salvador: Renewed state-sponsored terror

In what country does protesting against water privatisation — or better put, protesting against the removal of your only source of water — lead to the police killings of a protesting child, arrests and bashings of protesters and a threatened 60 year jail sentence under the “anti-terrorism” legislation?

Buzzing February in Cuba

Politics, culture and sports take center stage in Cuba this February, beginning with a Chinese New Year celebration, a coast-to-coast cycling competition, international jazz festival, mammoth book fair and, yes, the election of the next Cuban president.

An inspiring collection of stories and verse

The heArt of my reVersing: a redemption song through original poems and short stories in verse
Lili Tuwai
Vusa Wai Tui Publishing, 2007
$14.95, <http://www.lilituwai.com/>