Issue 1296

News

Having locked聽out workers at its Smeaton Grange warehouse since November, Coles has just announced this measure will be extended indefinitely, reports Jim McIlroy.

Kerry Smith reports that hundreds of people, mostly from Sydney's Burmese community, turned out at short notice聽to protest against the military coup in Myanmar/Burma.

Activists from Quaker and Catholic community groups took action outside weapons manufacturer Nioa鈥檚 gates in Pinkenba, reports Kerry Smith.

Released refugees are pleading with supporters to keep up the pressure on the government until all refugees are released from onshore and offshore detention. Chris Slee reports.

A protest called by Gamilaraay Next Generation outside the officers of the Hunter Gas Pipeline company gave notive that the First Nations' owners would not back down, reports Pip Hinman.

The forced amalgamation of Marrickville, Ashfield and Leichhardt Councils into the Inner West Council has been an expensive failure, and impending big rate rises for many residents prove this, writes Pip Hinman.

The Indian community organised a rally to show support for farmers protesting against the Indian government's attempts to privatise and corporatise the agricultural sector, reports Jacob Andrewartha.

The Burmese community 鈥渟plashed鈥 the city鈥檚 Esplanade with red in protest at the coup in Burma/Myanmar, reports Jonathan Strauss.

Protests were organised in Melbourne and Sydney on February 6 to demand an end to the oppression of Tamils and Muslims in Sri Lanka. Chris Slee reports.

Analysis

麻豆传媒 is celebrating its 30th birthday. Peter Boyle takes a look at the idea behind this unique publication and what has sustained this people-powered project.

The Socialist Alliance strongly condemns the military coup in Myanmar/Burma and calls on the Australian government to deny recognition to the regime.

It may seem a surprise to learn that Australia鈥檚 sustainable development is currently ranked very low compared to other OECD countries, writes Patrick McDonald.

The New South Wales government's plan for聽鈥渟ocial housing鈥 is all about helping its developer mates and pushing poorer communities out of inner city spaces.听Paul Gregoire investigates.

Twitter鈥檚 permanent suspension of Donald Trump鈥檚 account on January 8 was an anti-climactic conclusion to a presidency that ultimately finished with a whimper rather than a bang, writes Leo Crnogorcevic.

As the debate over the efficacy and availability of various privately marketed anti-COVID vaccines intensifies here and internationally, the time to re-establish our own critical public medical institution is right now, argues Jim McIlroy.

Anti-tollway activists are disappointed that the Greens councillors seem to have accepted the North East Link is a fait accompli, writes Mary Merkenich.

This episode of the 麻豆传媒 Show features聽Gauri Gandbhir, Lizzie O'Shea 补苍诲听Aleks Wansbrough focuses on the government's proposed media code, Google's threat to abandon Australia聽and the debate around online free speech.

Alex Bainbridge writes about 麻豆传媒's new聽video podcast 鈥 the 麻豆传媒 Show 鈥 which aims to cover聽important topical issues and involve guests from the diversity of progressive opinion 补苍诲听campaign areas.

World

Last month's protests in Russia may have been sparked by the arrest of opposition figure Aleksey Navalny, writes Aleksandr Buzgalin, but they were mostly a mass response to the social and economic suffering of the people.

Turkey has opened a new front in its ongoing war of annihilation against the Kurdish liberation movement, writes Marcel Cartier.

Vaccinations must reach all the peoples of the world, or COVID-19 will continue to spread, with the threat of more dangerous variants emerging, writes Barry Sheppard.

A Tatmadaw 'goodwill' delegation led by Senior General

As protests grow against the military coup in Myanmar,聽Australian mining companies are carrying on as if nothing happened, writes Allen Jennings.

Brazil's failure to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic arises from a combination of neoliberalism, crippling debt and anti-science virus denialism, writes Yanis Iqbal.

In a landmark decision, the International Criminal Court has affirmed its jurisdiction over war crimes committed in Palestine, opening the door to possible criminal charges against Israel, writes Susan Price.

Physician Susan Moore died of COVID-19 in December, after making a video from her bed describing the racism she experienced from a white doctor when she presented for treatment, writes Malik Miah.

Under new COVID-19 regulations, it is now a criminal offence聽鈥 for the first time in South Africa鈥檚 history 鈥 to hold any kind of political gathering, writes Dale McKinley.听

Culture

David Robie reviews Australian journalist John Martinkus's new book about the Trans-Papua Highway, which is bringing military occupation, exploitation, environmental destruction and colonisation to West Papua.

Jeremy Goldstein

Barry Healy talks to the creator of Truth to Power Caf茅, a theatrical experience where audience members are invited to respond to the question: 鈥淲ho has power over you and what do you want to say to them?鈥