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REVIEW BY PHIL SHANNON Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas TruceBy Stanley WeintraubThe Free Press, 2001206 pages, $39.95 (hb) It was the war that was supposed "to be over by Christmas". It very nearly was. A spontaneous
BY BARRY HEALY On February 15 last year, at least 500,000 litres of an unknown mixture of toxic chemicals exploded in the Perth working-class suburb of Bellevue, after a fire broke out at the "waste collection/recycling" facility operated by Waste
British anarchist band Chumbawamba has turned over $210,000 it received from General Motors to anti-capitalist campaigners. The band was paid the money for the use of its song "Pass it Along" to advertise GM Pontiac cars. "We're planning on using
BY ALEX BAINBRIDGE HOBART — The ALP and the Liberals in Tasmania have both been rocked this year by scandals reflecting in different ways the ongoing crisis of legitimacy of the major capitalist parties. This demonstrates that the solid
Corporate Scumbag: Qantas Qantas is doing well. The world's second-oldest airline boasts more than a thousand flights a day, Australia's largest airline loyalty program and 30,000 staff. In the financial year 1999-2000, Qantas profits soared
BY JOHN PILGER At the end of January the US government announced that it was building the biggest-ever war machine. Military spending will rise to US$379 billion, of which $50 billion will pay for its "war on terrorism". There will be special
BY TIM STEWART Public outcry and protests against racist laws, human rights violations and Third World debt have dogged heads of government over the past 30 years during the biannual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, and as CHOGM meets next
BY TOM NELSON BYRON BAY — People power hit the streets on February 14 when 500 people defied the rain to march for refugees' rights. It was by far the largest pro-refugee action ever held in northern NSW. Protesters chanted, "Freedom not
Women still only get on average two-thirds the average wage of men. — Susan Austin, Brisbane. It's always women who bear the brunt of capitalism's attacks. Feminism is about getting out there and doing something about it, whether you're a man or
BY BRONWYN JENNINGS Since its formation in October, Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR) has organised hundreds of people to campaign in defence of refugees. With 16 RAR groups having been formed, the network has boosted the fight to close refugee
BY ROHAN PEARCE Predictions made by mainstream media commentators and spokespeople for the ruling elite that the movement against corporate tyranny would die in the wake of the September 11 terror attacks were disproved by the successful protests
BY PHIL HEARSE LONDON — On January 28-29, 2500 workers at South West Trains, which daily brings 250,000 commuters to Central London, struck over pay and against the demotion of local union leader Greg Tucker. Over the same two-day period,