Now this is news, a growing realisation that the status-quo in Palestine is simply oppressing Palestinians. Civil society is rising: Australian unions are signing up to an international campaign to boycott Israeli goods. But a fight is brewing over a proposal for the Australian Council of Trade Unions to endorse the movement. The broad-based divestment…
Showing all posts tagged Britain
Serco continues its glorious work in the UK
Guess who runs this privatised detention centre in Britain? Serco: A pregnant woman detained at Yarl’s Wood immigration centre who was told by a midwife she could not find her baby’s heartbeat was refused a scan for four days despite repeated requests and a high court order. Theresa Diedericks, 26, a South African who has…
Media power does not bring democratic norms
The overwhelming influence of any one media owner, Rupert Murdoch or otherwise, should always be opposed, even if in this case commercial fears probably beat ethical considerations: Fleet Street’s highly factionalised newspaper industry today set aside historic differences to join forces in an unprecedented assault against the power of Rupert Murdoch‘s media empire. The companies…
Hello fascism, the radical right and Judaism
The strange and disturbing mix of radical Zionism, hatred of Muslims, neo-conservatism and increasingly mainstream politics: The English Defence League, a far-right grouping aimed at combating the “Islamification” of British cities, has developed strong links with the American Tea Party movement. An Observer investigation has established that the EDL has made contact with anti-jihad groups…
Is a social impact bond more than just a buzz world?
An interesting idea and one to consider as an alternative to the rampant privatisation agenda pushed by both major sides of politics in the Western world: Help the unemployed! Cut spending! Provide a safety net! No new taxes! America expects the impossible of government right now, if campaign events are any indication. But what if…
Just the kind of person to be working with David Cameron
Rupert Murdoch must be so proud of his former staff. This is what ethical journalism is all about: The prime minister’s media adviser, Andy Coulson, personally listened to the intercepted voicemail messages of public figures when he edited the News of the World, a senior journalist who worked alongside him has said. Coulson has always…
Outsourcing detention centres open to mental and physical abuse
The following article is in this week’s Green Left Weekly newspaper: During recent protests in Villawood Detention Centre that followed the September 20 suicide of detained Fijian exile Josefa Rauluni, detainees who tried to help rooftop protesters with water and blankets were stopped by security. One man was bashed. Hunger strikers were kept quiet in…
David Cameron’s love affair with a Sudanese butcher
We love war criminals for their nice cars and resources: The Government is courting the regime of the indicted war criminal Omar al-Bashir by declaring that relations with Sudan have entered a “new epoch”. The announcement came as Britain welcomed a trade delegation from the country which has near pariah status, for the first time…
Private armies are out and looking for business
Private mercenaries have never have it so good. Business is booming as governments increasingly rely on them to do the dirty work they no longer want to do: Insurers have drawn up plans for the world’s first private navy to try to turn the tide against Somali pirates who continue to plague the global shipping…
Shell and Iran kissing in a tree
The sheer futility of trying to boycott Iran is revealed once again: Shell, the Anglo-Dutch oil giant, paid the state-owned Iranian oil company at least $1.5bn (…£0.94bn) for crude oil this summer, increasing its business with Tehran as the international community implemented some of the toughest sanctions yet aimed at constricting the Islamic republic’s economy…