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BY RAY FULCHER MELBOURNE — "There is no need for the creation of a new federal offence of terrorism because current criminal law is sufficient to catch all the activities perpetrated by terrorists", Chris Maxwell, from Liberty Victoria, told a
A massive demonstration in solidarity with migrants and asylum seekers took place on January 19 in Rome. Between 100,000 and 150,000 people protested against immigration laws proposed by Italy's far-right coalition government. The three-hour march
BY NORM DIXON Last November, US government spokespeople flatly denied reports that mysterious aircraft were taking off in the dead of night from the besieged northern Afghan city of Kunduz. They were lying. The White House secretly approved the
LISMORE — Twenty activists from the new Refugee Action Collective (Lismore) occupied a roundabout on February 1 and set up a symbolic detention centre. Many passers-by responded positively. In the previous week, the Refugee Action Collective (Byron
BY KAREN FREDERICKS BRISBANE — The fight for refugees' rights was given a boost on January 31 when 50 people picketed a meeting attended by immigration minister Philip Ruddock at Brisbane's main immigration department offices. Organised in 24
BY KIM LINDEN NEWCASTLE — On January 31, a meeting at the Joy Cummins centre decided to set up Newcastle Action for Refugee Rights (NARR). Attended by 20 people, the meeting was called to organise a Newcastle contingent to the February 12
BY NADEEM ANSARI & KERRYN WILLIAMS CANBERRA — At a January 31 public meeting, Lionel Bopage from Friends for Peace in Sri Lanka appealed to the new Sri Lankan government to begin peace negotiations with the Tamil population. Bopage recently
BY GILLIAN DAVY MELBOURNE — In the largest demonstration for refugees' rights held here so far, 4000 people rallied on February 2 in City Square to demand that immigration detention centres be closed and that the refugees be freed. The
BY ADAM HANIEH RAMALLAH — Over the last week one topic has dominated conversation in the West Bank town of Ramallah: will tonight be the night? A general consensus holds that it is only a matter of time before Israeli tanks and troops take over
REVIEW BY PHIL SHANNON A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for IndependenceBy Ray RaphaelPart of the New Press People's History series, edited by Howard ZinnThe New Press, 2001386 pages, $55.90 (hb)
BY DICK NICHOLS CHICAGO — Inevitably, the annual convention of the US International Socialist Organization, which took place in this freezing "windy city" between January 18 and 20, was dominated by two questions. How invulnerable is the US
BY JESS MELVIN MELBOURNE — It is the day before Australia Day. Matt Rich, Tim Doughney, Rachel Evans, Kim Halpin, James Crafti and myself — all members of the socialist youth group Resistance — are standing on the doorstep of the Maribyrnong