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Three weeks to reach funding target

In the first issue of 麻豆传媒 Weekly for this year, we announced the campaign to raise $100,000 in pledges for GLW by its 1000th issue, due March 12.
飩 Congratulation messages for 麻豆传媒 Weekly, 1000th issue celebration details, and more here.
麻豆传媒 1000th issue graphic.

麻豆传媒 Weekly 1000 Issues

On March 12 this year the 1000th issue of 麻豆传媒 Weekly will be published. We are marking this significant milestone by launching a special fund appeal. The aim is to raise $100,000 in pledges and donations by March 12.

Left govt鈥檚 condemn colonialism, capitalism at historic Havana summit

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has called for an 鈥渆radication鈥 of 鈥渃olonialism鈥 in Latin America at the annual summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). During the summit held in Cuba鈥檚 capital, Havana, over January 28 and 29, Maduro called for Puerto Rican independence and an end to British administration of the Falklands/Malvinas Islands, to which Argentina claims sovereignty. Puerto Rico was offered full membership of CELAC under a proposal made to the summit by Venezuela.
Kshama Sawant supporters.

United States: Seattle victory inspires Chicago socialist campaign

If a socialist can win an election in Seattle, why not Chicago? That was the spirit at the University of Illinois-Chicago鈥檚 Jane Addams Hull House Museum on January 22, where close to 100 Chicagoans gathered for the founding meeting of the Chicago Socialist Campaign.

Syria: Kurdish people fight for self-determination amid civil war

Salih Muslim is co-president of the Democratic Union Party (PYD), a Syria-based Kurdish party fighting for self-determination. The PYD is a sister party of the left-wing Turkish-based Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The party is the ruling force in the Kurdish areas of Syria and took over three enclaves with Kurdish majorities in 2012.

Spain: 鈥榃hite tide鈥 wipes out health privatisation plan

Victories are rare in the ongoing struggle against the sell-off of public services in southern Europe. So when one occurs as big as the recent defeat of the Madrid regional government鈥檚 plans to privatise hospital and community health centre management, it should be enjoyed to the full. The crowning moment in the 15-month-long battle to keep administration of six hospitals, four specialist centres and 27 community health centres in Madrid in public hands came on January 27. That afternoon, a gloomy regional premier, Ignacio Gonzalez, announced the suspension of the privatisation.

What's new at LINKS International Journal of Socialist Renewal

New at International Journal of Socialist Renewal.听Philippines: Popularising socialism with a local flavour听补苍诲听South Africa: Forging a new movement .

South Korea: Railworkers struggle shakes government

Thousands of railway workers returned to work on December 31 after a three-week strike. The workers were striking against government plans to set up a subsidiary company to operate a KTX bullet train service in competition with the state-run carrier Korail. The 22-day strike was the longest railway strike in South Korean history. Workers across the world held solidarity actions in support of the workers.

Protests across North America target TPP -- 'NAFTA on steroids'

Workers across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico united in an Inter-Continental Day of Action on January 31 to stop a massive new trade agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership 鈥 commonly referred to as 鈥淣AFTA on steroids.鈥 In the U.S., the immediate fight is to block a bill that would grant the president 鈥渇ast track鈥 authority to sign off on the TPP. Defeating fast track would likely stop the TPP. Fast track is designed to swiftly pass trade deals, circumventing the standard Congressional procedures of hearings, debates, and resolutions.

First woman arrested under Qld 'anti-bikie laws'

A 40-year-old library assistant, Sally Kuether, was arrested and charged on January 24 under Queensland鈥檚 controversial anti-bikie laws. She has been charged under new laws that prohibit more than two alleged bikies from meeting in public. The mother-of-three met her partner Phillip Palmer and friend Ronald Germain at the Dayboro Hotel, north-west of Brisbane, on December 19. The ABC said they were supposedly 鈥渨earing club colours鈥 and were 鈥渁lleged associates of the Life And Death motorcycle club鈥.

Australia changes position on Israeli settlements

The Abbott government has sunk to a new diplomatic low, with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop suggesting Israeli settlements should not be considered illegal. Bishop made the comments during a visit to Israel. In a January 15 interview with the Times of Israel, she argued 鈥渢he issue of settlements is absolutely and utterly fundamental to the negotiations that are under way and I think it鈥檚 appropriate that we give those negotiations every chance of succeeding鈥.

Victorian 'move on' laws to criminalise protesters

Unions and community groups have strongly criticised a bill that aims to give Victorian police unprecedented power to disband protests and ban individuals from taking part in protest activity. The will increase powers available to police under 鈥渕ove on鈥 laws.