France bans pro-Palestine protests
鈥淔rance's Socialist government provoked outrage today by becoming the first in the world to ban protests against Israeli action in Palestine,鈥 the Daily Mail on July 18.
鈥淚n what is viewed as an outrageous attack on democracy, Socialist Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said mass demonstrations planned for the weekend should be halted 鈥 Thousands were set to march against the ongoing slaughter in Gaza.
1017
You know, there is a lot of ridiculous and quite unfair criticism of Israel floating around, simply because it has been relentlessly bombing 1.5 million people trapped in a 360 square kilometre open-air prison over which it maintains a brutal siege and has slaughtered hundreds of people including dozens of children, supposedly in retaliation for homemade rockets fired from Gaza that has kill a total of one person in the current conflict.
But there is a little reported story that shows exactly what Israel's true values are.
The Community and Public Services Union (CPSU) has slammed a move by the federal government's biggest department, the Department of Human Services, which incorporates Centrelink, Medicare and the Child Support Agency, to force staff to work extra time for no additional pay. The department wants its 35,000 staff to work an additional half hour a week in negotiations for a new industrial agreement.
In a September 2006 article for the Electronic Intifada, I defined the Israeli policy towards the Gaza Strip as an incremental genocide.
Israel鈥檚 present assault on Gaza alas indicates that this policy continues unabated. The term is important since it appropriately locates Israel鈥檚 barbaric action 鈥 then and now 鈥 within a wider historical context.
Numerous wind farm developments across Victoria may face termination due to the highly inflexible and restrictive nature of the Denis Napthine government鈥檚 anti-wind farm laws and permit rules.
The Weekly Times reported that the 20 companies granted permits before the introduction of these laws have to their turbines.
Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro has launched an 鈥淪OS Palestine鈥 campaign to demand an end to Israel鈥檚 ongoing bombardment of Palestine鈥檚 Gaza strip, said on July 12.
鈥淓nough already, I鈥檝e joined the campaign,鈥 he told supporters during a televised broadcast. 鈥#SOS Palestina, let鈥檚 launch it.鈥
Holding up a handwritten placard, he asked fellow citizens to join the campaign, stating, 鈥淭he Palestinian people have the right to live in their ancestral lands in peace.鈥
Journalist Nic Maclellan spoke at a public meeting in Melbourne on July 10 about his visit to New Caledonia to observe the May 11 elections.
Maclellan said New Caledonia was colonised by France in 1853. Indigenous Kanaks have been reduced to a minority in their own country. Kanaks are now 44% of the population. In addition to settlers from France itself, there are also people from other French colonies in the Pacific (Tahiti, Wallis and Futuna), as well as people whose ancestors came from former French colonies such as Vietnam and Algeria.
Two teenage asylum seekers have been taken from their homes in a community detention program in Adelaide鈥檚 inner-northern suburbs and sent to a closed detention centre, causing other young asylum seekers to run away from their homes in fear.
On June 26, two young Vietnamese asylum seekers, who attended Woodville High School, were taken from their homes and detained by the immigration department.
It was the theme du jour at the B20 gathering in Sydney, which brought together more than 300 business leaders seeking to shape the agenda of the G20: Business knows best so leave the big decisions to us.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said it and numerous self-serving CEOs happily served as a chorus.
But the standout croaky voice was that of global media mogul Rupert Murdoch: 鈥淓verybody in this room knows dozens or hundreds of very, very fine businessmen. How many people know a politician who can run a business?鈥
Aboriginal communities from across Australia met in Brisbane on July 11 to attend a day of protest and planning against the ongoing .
Aunty Karen Fusi from the Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy and Aunty Hazel Collins from Grandmothers Against Removal Gunnedah told the that child removal is having devastating effects on families and communities.
Students for Women鈥檚 Only Services released this statement on July 14.
***
Candles, as well as petitions, will be given out at a Sydney rally to shine a light on the statewide closure of independent women鈥檚 homelessness services.
University students have organised the vigil for July 24 in Pitt St Mall at 5.30pm and hope to gain the attention and signatures of late-night shoppers.
Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe came out in an interview with Michael Parkinson on July 13.
Thorpe is a sporting hero. He has smashed 22 world records and won five gold, three silver and one bronze Olympic medals. He retired from professional swimming in 2012 after battling depression.
In the interview, Thorpe said: "I'm not straight and this is only something that very recently 鈥 we're talking in the past two weeks 鈥 I've been comfortable telling the closest people around me."
- Previous page
- Page 2
- Next page