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Cuba: what is the US scared of?

BY SUE BOLAND One of the main claims made about the capitalist system by its defenders is that it is based on freedom of choice. If this was true, then the capitalist rulers in the United States and other countries would not go to such

Why be a feminist?

Because: * The average women's earnings (including overtime) are around two-thirds what men earn. * Abortion is still part of the Crimes Act in most states of Australia. * Women are still largely judged by how they look, rather than what they

and ain't I a woman: Angelic Feminism?

"I love the idea of women being women and men being men. [Charlie's Angels] is a way to put forward to girls that you can do anything, achieve anything, be anyone." Cameron Diaz, star of the film Charlie's Angels. Charlie's Angels was the surprise

Casuals win job security

BY CHRIS SPINDLER MELBOURNE — Three hundred thousand casual workers in the manufacturing industry have won a boost to their conditions, following a successful legal claim by the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) for improvements in

J20: 'Hail to the thief'

BY SEAN HEALY While corporate media reports focused on "history" being made on the steps on Congress, where George Bush junior was sworn in as the chief executive officer of the world's most powerful state on January 20, there was far more

Protest at human rights abuse in Nigeria

BY ANDREW HALL CANBERRA — On January 24, the Australian Refugee Alliance and Amnesty International organised a protest of 80 people outraged at the treatment suffered of Bariya Ibrahim Magazu at the hands of the Nigerian government. The

International Women's Day 2001: Fighting for global justice

By Sophie Fischer & Lauren Carroll Harris Women activists played a vital role in the S11 blockade of the World Economic Forum in Melbourne. Many were part of the organising collectives, were speakers, marshals, spokespersons, performing artists,

Latest Links magazine: Equip yourself for global dissent

REVIEW BY MARGARET ALLUM Links — International Journal of Socialist Renewal Number 17, January to April 2001New Course Publications, 128pp, $8 <http://www.dsp.org.au/links> There couldn't have been a better time for this issue of

Nuclear rods secretly shipped out

BY JIM GREEN Three-hundred and sixty irradiated fuel rods were secretly shipped out of the nuclear reactor plant in the southern Sydney suburb of Lucas Heights on January 22. The irradiated (or "spent") fuel rods — vastly more radioactive than

WA: vote for an activist, not a career politician

BY SUE BOLAND Governments don't mind if their policies are unpopular with the majority of the population, as long as the only reaction they provoke is passive grumbling. What they don't want is for widespread grumbling to turn into active and

Melbourne Uni speak-out

MELBOURNE — Around 60 students and staff joined a speak-out at enrollment hall organised by Melbourne University Student Union and the National Tertiary Education Industry Union (NTEU). It highlighted for the thousands of first-year students

PHILIPPINES: People's power rides again

BY SEAN HEALY For the second time in 15 years, the Philippines people have risen as one to overthrow a corrupt leader. In 1986, millions gathered on EDSA, Manila's main avenue, to demand the resignation of dictator Ferdinand Marcos; on January 20