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Hedge funds crisis worsens global economic meltdown

By Eva Cheng "There is a credit crisis going on around the world, and it was brought home to us in spades by the bailout", Henry Cavanna, the head of JP Morgan Investment Management told Bloomberg news agency on September 25. Cavanna was commenting

Escaping the white-picket cage

Review by Sean Healy The Truman ShowDirected by Peter WeirWith Jim Carrey and Ed HarrisNow showing at cinemas everywhere This is one film where you have to try to forget who the star is, and what he represents in Hollywood-land — this is not a

... and ain't i a woman?: Hypocrisy — they just keep doing it

Hypocrisy — they just keep doing it The script of a currently screening television advertisement goes: "Why is there no "Friday Night Netball"? Why are girls who like sport called tomboys? Why are women who play sport accused of being

Malaysia: Will Mahathir follow Suharto?

By Max Lane The widespread protests against the Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohammad's sacking of deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim have revealed an unexpected depth of discontent among urban Malay youth and professionals. Twice during the

A Communist in parliament: the story of Fred Paterson

By John Nebauer It's been said that the only honest person to enter parliament was Guy Fawkes (who tried to blow up the English parliament building in the early 1600s). Looking at the major parties in Australia, one is inclined to agree. But there

CPSU prepares for action in the ACT

CPSU prepares for action in the ACT By Francis Geraldson CANBERRA — The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has notified the Australian Industrial Relations Commission of its intention to bargain with the ACT government. This allows the

ASIET attends human rights meeting in Jakarta

ASIET attends human rights meeting in Jakarta By Max Lane On September 28-30, human rights and solidarity groups from around Asia met in Jakarta to discuss coordinating campaigns in support of democratisation in Indonesia. Groups based in

International news briefs: Sri Lanka; South Africa; Ecuador; West Papua; and WWIII

International news briefs Metalworkers strike continues Members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa employed in small workplaces associated with the motor industry are continuing their indefinite national strike that began on

Germans vote left

The following is abridged from an analysis of the September 27 German federal election results written last week by Germany's Party of Democratic Socialism. After 16 years, the era of Chancellor Helmut Kohl has come to an end in Germany. The

Fem X goes conservative

By Emma Murphy MELBOURNE — The National Union of Students' women's policy conference, "Fem X", was held at Melbourne University on September 26-27. About 100 women from around the country attended. The conference agenda was broad, including

Battle for the forests: who's winning?

By Francesca Davis In 1995, the environment movement had the Keating Labor government on the run when it mobilised thousands of people around the country to demand an end to woodchipping in Australia's native forests. The potential existed to

South Africa invades Lesotho

By Norm Dixon As South Africans awoke on September 22 and tuned their radios to the morning news, they could be forgiven for thinking they had entered a time-warp. The acting president, they heard, had ordered a force of 600-800 South African