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Everyone should be concerned about the June 30 US Supreme Court鈥檚 ruling in favour of retail arts and crafts company Hobby Lobby. Along with two other family-owned firms, it sued the federal government, saying they should not have to pay for health insurance plans covering four contraceptives to which they object on religious grounds. The decision represents an expansion of corporations鈥 rights at the expense of workers, health care provision and women鈥檚 reproductive health choice 鈥 all in the name of protecting religious freedom.
After the June summit meeting of the G77 + China leaders held in Santa Cruz, the Bolivian government and the Bolivian Workers Central (COB) sponsored an 鈥淎nti-Imperialist International Trade Union Conference鈥 in Cochabamba over June 30-July 2. The conference was attended by representatives of unions in 22 countries who are affiliated with the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU).
Palestine solidarity protesters burned their TV licences in front of BBC Bristol鈥檚 HQ on July 28 in protest at the broadcaster鈥檚 biased coverage of Israel鈥檚 onslaught on Gaza. Peace activists began their occupation of BBC Bristol鈥檚 grounds on July 23. The act of civil disobedience came after campaigners handed a dossier to BBC bosses providing examples of biased reporting of Israel鈥檚 war on the Palestinians. It came after the BBC issued 鈥渘otice to quit鈥 letters in past couple opf days threatening court action if the protesters don鈥檛 end their 鈥渋llegal occupation.鈥
For the second consecutive Saturday, a huge demonstration took place for Gaza in London on 26 July. : "Tens of thousands of people amassed outside the Israeli embassy in London today to protest against Israel's incursion into Gaza which has killed over 1000 Palestinians, including at least 192 children.
The Brazilian government recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv on July 23, the Wall Street Journal said the next day. Brazil condemned the "disproportionate use of force" by Israel in a military offensive in Gaza. Brazil's foreign ministry said in aJuly 23 statement: "We strongly condemn the disproportionate use of force by Israel in the Gaza Strip, from which large numbers of civilian casualties, including women and children, resulted. "The Brazilian government considers unacceptable the escalation of violence between Israel and Palestine," it added.
Ireland: Sports fans fly flags for Gaza Dublin Gaelic Athletics Association fans unfurled a huge banner reading 鈥淔ree Gaza鈥 during the Leinster Senior Football Final on July 20, while Palestinian flags were flown by crowds at other sporting events across the country.
Charlie's Country Directed by Rolf de Heer Starring David Gulpilil In cinemas now From the opening moments of Charlie鈥檚 Country you know that you are witnessing a different kind of cinematic experience. Co-written by its star David Gulpilil and its director Rolf de Heer, and produced by Aboriginal actor Peter Djigirr, Charlie鈥檚 Country presents an Aboriginal cinematic vernacular.
Citizen Strangers: Palestinians & the Birth of Israel's Liberal Settler State Shira Robinson Standford University Press, 2013 352pp, US$24.95 If anyone still believes that the apartheid label applies only to Israel鈥檚 occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, and not to present-day Israel itself, they need only read Shira Robinson鈥檚 Citizen Strangers: Palestinians and the Birth of Israel鈥檚 Liberal Settler State to be disabused of the notion.
Malaysian Airlines lost its second Boeing 777 this year on July 17, when flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was apparently hit by a missile over war-torn Eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. The incident happened while the Ukrainian army was carrying out a huge land and air offensive to crush breakaway republics in eastern Ukraine, over whose territory the plane was shot down. Most passengers were Dutch, but 38 Australians were also killed.
British Prime Minister David Cameron may want a politics-free Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, but campaigners have railed against sponsors鈥 links to deaths and human rights abuses at home and abroad. The Tory PM told business leaders on a jaunt to Glasgow University on July 23 that he wanted to steer clear of politics as the clock wound down to the games opening ceremony. A crowd of protesters thronged outside the university library where he spoke, with picketers ranging from the Radical Independence Coalition to Our People鈥檚 National Health Service.
The city of Detroit has been declared bankrupt, reeling from the closure of many auto plants and related enterprises that were once the backbone of the city. City administrators are making working people bear the brunt of this severe economic crisis. They are driving many out of their homes and out of the city, while a small area is gentrified. Whole neighbourhoods are disaster areas. Schools and community centres are being shut. Now a new twist has been added -- cutting off water to the poorest, creating a humanitarian and health crisis.
Mississippi cuts $1,3 billion from schools, gives $1.3 billion to Nissan 鈥淪ince 2008, Mississippi has violated a constitutional mandate to adequately fund the state鈥檚 public K-12 schools,鈥 on July 23. 鈥淢ississippi has spent $648 less per student than it did in 2008. Currently, Mississippi has underfunded its public schools by at least [US]$1.3 billion.