#260 COMMUNITY SOLIDARITY WITH THREATENED MEDLAB WORKERS

GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE AUCKLAND NEWSLETTER
#260, November 13, 2008
Website: http://www.gpja.org.nz/

Contact details:
Forums – John Minto, Work: (09) 845 2132, Home 09 846 3173 jbminto@xtra.co.nz;
Newsletter Editor – Mike Treen 0295254744 mike@unite.org.nz;
Web page - media@ndu.org.nz Donations can be sent to GPJA, P O Box 7175, Wellesley St, Auckland.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

COMMUNITY SOLIDARITY WITH THREATENED MEDLAB WORKERS
Members of the community will be holding a protest in Pt Chevalier, Auckland, on Friday morning, November 14, in solidarity with Diagnostic Medlab (DML) workers who face job losses and/or poorer employment conditions. November 14 is the last day of the Auckland region District Health Boards' - DHBs' - public consultation on the future of the Community Laboratory Services. The protest will be held outside Pt Chevalier library, corner Gt North and Pt Chevalier Roads (close to Pt Chevalier Diagnostic Medlab), 8am – 9am; and 10am – 12pm.
Whatever the outcome of the latest appeal by DML to challenge the DHBs' ending of the their contract in favour of Labtests Auckland, job losses and a reduction in the availability and affordability of this well-delivered service are assured. The greatest reduction will be if the contract goes to Labtests Auckland. The public could be made to pay more for this essential service and free home visits could come to an end. Up to 50% of current labs could close, making access extremely difficult for many. Wages and employment conditions will deteriorate. The Royal College of GPs and pathologists working at DML have expressed their grave concern and criticism at what is happening and their fear for the future of Auckland’s health care.
We say, NO, to job cuts, and YES, to maintaining excellent standards of public health care, with no cuts in pay and conditions for Diagnostic Medlab workers.
For further information, contact Sigrid 828 3727 or 021 0582812

PETITION TEXT: MOROCCO’S ADVANCED STATUS MUST EXCLUDE WESTERN SAHARA
We, the signatories of this petition, demand that the European Union do not grant a so-called Advanced Status to Morocco, unless the occupied part of Western Sahara is specifically excluded from the agreement.
The EU and Morocco are currently in discussion on deepening their ties through this cooperation but, so far, there has been no mentioning in the reports from the EU-Morocco talks as to what is being done to prevent occupied Western Sahara from being included into the cooperation agreement.
http://www.wsrw.org/index.php?cat=105&art=801

GENERAL NOTICE OF JUSTICE ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND (JANZ)
Volunteers sought from all regions of New Zealand for:

* Preparations for the NZ public official launch (of JANZ)
* Distribution of the aims and purposes (of JANZ)
* Liaison with community – local and central government
* Organising public meetings prior to the official public launch
* Fundraising campaign nationally
* Assisting the progress of every aspect of this work
* Sincere people desiring fairness and equality for everyone
* All people 16 years and over (unless supervised by parent/guardian or adult supervision)
* People who can pledge their “solemn promise of allegiance to justice”

For further information contact: Nigel Holdaway (Secretary), Ph (09) 4803167, Email: nigelholdaway@xtra.co.nz

WHAT’S ON IN AUCKLAND

Thursday, November 13, 6:30pm - 8:30pm, City Side Church, 8 Mt Eden Rd
ANARCHIST ASSEMBLY: It's too easy to forget the thousands of political prisoners across the planet. Ordinary people who stood up against injustice prepared to break the law and activists framed by the state. They deserve our support. This month’s Anarchist Assembly will focus on the plight of political prisoners such as Rod Coronado, Jeff Luers, Mumia Abu Jamal. Short films and presentations will be given followed by a letter writing session. Don't forget- They're in there for us - We're out here for them. aspaceinside (at) gmail.com

Friday, November 14, 12 - 1 pm, Room: WT 032
School of Communication Studies Seminar Series Semester 2, 2008: Freedom of the Gatekeepers: A free media study of NZ and Fiji - self-regulation or state intervention? Associate Professor David Robie, Pacific Media Centre

Friday, November 14, 8.30pm, 37 Selwyn St, Onehunga
LA CIUDAD DE LOS FOTOGRAFOS CITY OF PHOTOGRAPHERS: A film by Sebastian Moreno which looks into the work of photographers under the military dictatorship in Chile in the 80's.Winner of several prizes, with subtitles in English
FREE ENTRY---DONT MISS IT

Saturday, November 15, 6.30pm, Ponsonby Community Centre, 20 ponsonby tce, near Tole St
NZSA (PEN NZ INC) FUNDRAISER - COURAGE DAY - THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE IMPRISONED WRITER
You are invited to join the NZ Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) in an evening of music, poetry and politics.
Doors open 5.15pm, Food & Beverages available. Lucky Draw Prizes Raffles.

TEN POETS: Serie Barford , Bernard Brown , Victor Dibble & Rob Tuwhare , Mike Johnson , Selina Marsh , Rosemary Menzies , Mua Strickson Pua , Tracey Tawhiao , and Ahmed Zaoui each have three minutes to get their message across. Rosemary 's theme in New Poems for Bosnia , is not merely the fact of recovery after the traumatic experience of war, but the quality of recovery. What has been learnt? What will be forgiven?

TEN SINGERS from China perform a Korean Opera song. Iris Cheng and Johnson Kwok, tenor, sing You & Me from the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics. Tabla player Raju Jadeja fills the air with compelling rhythms. Latin musicians Maskarada fire up the night – guitars, double bass, percussion. Hear Juegos Gitanos, & Bella Marina, exciting originals by Columbian Chico Zarate. Stanley Makuwe will speak on his experience as an African writer. His Play Overthrown was banned in Zimbabwe on its 2007 opening night. Davorin Ozich will speak on democracy and freedom in action, the Croatian experience. Jane Kelsey will speak on the implications for writers & publishers, film makers, museums, TV & radio on the proposed free trade agreement between the US and the 'P-4' countries.

International PEN, the writer's organisation that champions freedom of expression, brings together those using the written word to promote ideas. Event organiser, Sue Gee believes that in the telling of personal stories, Bridges of Understanding can be built across political, cultural and religious divides. In our search for a common, humanitarian vision, the creative arts are powerful in the process of developing a living peace.

5.30PM FREE SCREENING OF AN INDEPENDENT MIND a controversial, 90 min documentary by Director Rex Bloomstein , followed by panel discusssion with Mike Johnson , Gordon McLachlan & Gilbert Wong
7.30PM MUSIC POETRY & POLITICS
Ticket cost $25 includes a complimentary beverage. Advance tickets available from The Women's Bookshop, 105 Ponsonby Road , Ponsonby. Tel (09) 376 4399. Limited Door Sales.
The human rights groups Amnesty Intl, CCHR, Falun Dafa, GPJA, HR Commission, NZ Palestine HRC, & Soka Gakkai Buddhist Group will have information available. Enquiries: Sue Gee tel (09) 8363 099 suzannegeenz@yahoo.co.nz or Rae McGregor mcgregors@xtra.co.nz

* 15th November is the International Day of the Imprisoned Writer. Throughout the world, PEN holds events to recognise writers who have been persecuted for exercising their right of Freedom of Expression. The NZSA which incorporates PEN honors this event as Courage Day. It has been named jointly after James Courage and his grandmother. James ' novel A Way of Love was banned by NZ Customs in 1959 because he dared to express homosexuality in his writing. His grandmother, Sarah Couage 's book Lights and Shadows of Colonial Life which describes colonial life in NZ was burned by neighbours who resented comments she made about them.

Sunday, November 16, 10am – 2pm, Botany Town Shopping Centre (Cnr Ti Rakau & Ti Irrirangi)
VIGIL TO SAVE THE TAMILS - Shelling and bombings have become a day-to-day life for Sri Lankan Tamils living in the north-east areas. Displaced people are living in shelters without food, medicine and proper basic facilities.
The News Weekly highlighted this in their 7th of November column as below : Plight of persecuted Tamils worsens.
[ News Weekly ][ Nov 07 16:02 GMT ] “The Tamil-controlled north-east of Sri Lanka thunders "day and night" under bombardment from the forces of the Sinhalese government in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo as they attempt to destroy Tamil autonomy. Against this backdrop, "a great human tragedy" is also "exploding", according to Fr James Pathinathan of St Theresa's Church in Kilinochchi, the administrative capital of the de facto government of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). From the eye of the storm, Fr Pathinathan, who is also president of the local Justice and Peace Commission, reports that "deaths, injuries, displacements and attendant misery pervade the lives of innocent Tamil civilians... and the draconian economic embargo imposed slyly... has become a monstrous obstacle in giving relief and solace to the 170,000 persons recently displaced".
http://www.newsweekly.com.au/articles/2008oct25_t.html

To bring this to the attention of the world, Tamils living all over the world are organising vigils and prayers. Tamils living in Auckland are also organising a vigil to protest against the genocide of Tamils and to recognise their right to self determination. Please come along and render your support to this vigil. We look forward to seeing you there.
Please forward this message to your friends and contacts. Thank you, Consortium of Tamil Associations in New Zealand (COTANZ), George Arulanantham, 021 577 351.

Sunday, November 16, 12.30pm, outside the Waihi War Memorial Hall, Seddon Street, Waihi.
Fredrick George Evans Memorial. More Information - Whangarei: 021 954 386 Auckland: 021 674 310 Hamilton: 021 776 023 Wellington: 021 797 927 Christchurch: 027 226 9950. “ An Injury to One is the Concern of All” From: In Memoriam ode to Frederick George Evans First published: Maoriland Worker 22 November 1912

Saturday, November 22, 9.00 am - 1.00 pm, Somervell Church Centre, 497 Remuera Rd, (corner Greenlane and Remuera Roads)
Pacific Women’s Watch [NZ]invites you to a Conference. Honouring the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Promoting Peace and Justice in NZ; Overcoming Discrimination in Media, Health/Education, Community Violence. Keynote Speaker: Rosslyn Noonan, Chief Human Rights Commissioner
Other speakers: Judi Clements, CE Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand; Jane Drumm, Executive Director of Preventing Violence in the Home; Ruth Thomas, School of Communications, Auckland University of Technology.
Morning tea will be provided; car parking is available – ALL WELCOME # Registration by 14 November would be appreciated – $20 – Please write cheque to PWW[NZ] & post to P.O. Box 99464, Newmarket, Auckland 1149. [There is some discretionary funding for unwaged]Inquiries: Jane 538 3727 or Christine 278 4373, mobile 0274 394 395 or Shakti 634 5426, 636 8514. 25 November is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and White Ribbon Day.

Wednesday, November 26, 7.30pm, Trades Hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn
HEAR AFRIDAL DARMI, HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER FROM Aceh Director LBH Aceh (LBH- Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation). Mr Darmi is a graduate from Syah Kuala University, Banda Aceh and Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago. He is an expert on post-conflict reintegration, and community peace-building. He has played a leading role in major peace projects involving local government and local and international NGOs. Mr Darmi was appointed a team leader of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). Indonesia Human Rights Committee, PO Box 68-419, Auckland maire@clear.net.nz

Saturday, November 29, 9.30am-4.30pm, Engineering School, 20 Symonds Street
GOING GREEN 2008 - GREEN “HOW TO’S” FOR EVERYDAY LIVING: Going Green is a day of free interactive seminars by leading environmental experts for green conscious but slightly confused consumers. This event has been organised by The University of Auckland. This free public event is designed to educate and promote green living practises and provide environmental insights for the way we work, play and live. Topics covered include ‘How to Buy Green’ and ‘How to Renovate Green’ through to ‘How to Travel Green’ and ‘How to Have a Green Funeral’. For more information and to register visit Going Green also have 28 exhibition spaces (2 sizes) for businesses to purchase. These spaces are available for ‘green conscious’ businesses who want to reach a cross section of green minded consumers. If you are interested in exhibiting please visit out website and/or contact :
Carlee Atkin Ph: (09) 3737599 ext: 89539 Email: conference-sec@auckland.ac.nz

Monday, December 1, 7.30pm, Trades hall, 147 Great North Rd, Grey Lynn
GPJA FORUM – “THE POLITICS OF THIRD WORLD MINING”. Speakers include:
Maire Leadbeater, human rights activist, will talk about the struggle for self-determination in West Papua and the impact of the Freeport mine operations, December 1st is the day the local people raise the West Papuan flag in defiance of their Indonesian occupiers who have banned the flag raising ceremonies in West Papua.
Joe Hendren, New Zealand trade union activist recently returned from the Philippines and will talk about the struggles for trade union rights among workers in the country. In particular he will look at Oceania Gold Mining in Nueva Vizcaya Philippines. Oceania Gold Mining is an Australian NZ Gold Mining Company, with mines in NZ in Macrae and Reefton. It has members of the board of Directors in Auckland and is financed by the ANZ and the HSBC banks. There is currently a campaign lead by local indigenous communities to close the Mine and they are seeking assistance in doing so from activists here. We plan to discuss this at the meeting. Information and an online petition can be found at: http://www.kalikasan.org/kalikasan-cms-new/

Saturday, DECEMBER 6, 2pm, QEII Square, Customs Street and Queen St intersection, Downtown Shopping Centre
RALLY FOR JUSTICE AND PEACE IN PALESTINE On the First Saturday of Every Month. Come support JUSTICE and PEACE based on:

1. End 41 years of Israeli Occupation of the West Bank & Gaza Strip (including East Jerusalem) ;
2. Right of Return for Palestinian Refugees.
3. Share Jerusalem.
4. Vacate all settlement colonies in Israeli occupied Palestine.
5. Stop Israel's annexation / apartheid wall in occupied Palestine
www.palestine.org.nz

PALESTINE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN END OF YEAR RALLY AND SOCIAL GATHERING!
The final rally of the year will be FOLLOWED BY @ 3.30 ish A SHARED AFTERNOON TEA / PICNIC at OUTHWAITE PARK & TIME TO DISCUSS 2009 .. & BEYOND Cnr Corner Park and Carlton Gore Roads, Grafton. (Near to Domain and easy access to motorway and buses, has toilets etc see link below)
http://www.wonderwalkers.co.nz/default,619,outhwaite-park-grafton.sm

Saturday, December 6, 9am-5pm, Unitec, Mt Albert
UNVEILING THE VEIL/MUSLIM HEADSCARF: A 1-DAY WORKSHOP. Muslim Expert to conduct 1-day workshop on Muslim Hijab/Headscarf in December. A 1-DAY Workshop has been organised for all those seeking clarity on the ever-confusing and controversial issue of the Muslim headscarf. All those, Muslim and non-Muslim, who would like to understand the philosophy and practice of the hijab/headscarf are invited to come along with their questions, concerns or perspectives - there will be time set aside for questions and answers throughout the workshop.
Please visit the RMDT EVENTS page for more information, and to register now - places are limited. COST: $30 (waged) $20 unwaged. (Further details upon registration). REGISTER: now at www.rmdt.org.nz

Sunday, December 7, 1.30-5pm, Unitec, Mt Albert
INVITATION TO CONTRIBUTE TO CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM CO-OPERATION PLANNING
Co-operation between followers of the world's two largest faiths - Christianity and Islam - has always been held obvious importance for the world. Christians and Muslims, through their largely similar moral and ethical values, are able to pull together an enormous variety of diverse peoples under a single umbrella. It is hoped that such an umbrella unites as many people in New Zealand for projects that benefit our wonderful country, and the world.
An initial stragic planning session held earlier this year by the Council of Christians & Muslims and Rasheed Trust set the original foundation for local practical cooperation. This was attended and facilitated by reknowned workers and academics in the area. A planning session following on from that is now intended to identify and plan towards projects that will benefit our city and country. REGISTER: now at www.rmdt.org.nz

QUOTES OF THE WEEK
“Wars throughout history have been waged for conquest and plunder.... the working class who fight all the battles, the working class who make the supreme sacrifices, the working class who freely shed their blood and furnish their corpses, have never yet had a voice in either declaring war or making peace. It is the ruling class that invariably does both. They alone declare war and they alone make peace....They are continually talking about their patriotic duty. It is not their but your patriotic duty that they are concerned about. There is a decided difference. Their patriotic duty never takes them to the firing line or chucks them into the trenches.” Eugene V. Debs

BEST ON THE WEB

NEW ZEALAND
TV3 coverage of McDonalds' Strike Action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SPYdNPkR4g

McDonald's workers escalate campaign - Hot summer to begin
http://indymedia.org.nz/feature/display/71992/index.php

Malcolm Evans: 10 min film on YouTube:
This was filmed and produced by Scott Ewing at Tivoli, Waiheke Island. Malcolm Evans was NZ Cartoonist of the year in 2003 and had been cartoonist for the NZ Herald for several years until the controversy surrounding his work focusing on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In this segment of his presentation at Tivoli, which displayed a number of his cartoons in the winter exhibition 'Focus; Iraq and Palestine' (including the now famous 'Apartheid' cartoon), Malcolm discusses the cartoonist's craft, his works on international issues, including Iraq, Israel and Palestine, and the cartoons that preceded the loss of his job at the Herald.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=676-wftOu94

As We Speak - Stephen Chan talks with Zaeem Baksh. 35 min interview-doco, a first Tivoli Media production, produced by Elizabeth Eastmond, edited by Scott Ewing and Elizabeth Eastmond. Stephen Chan is Professor of International Relations at the University of London. He has written several books including Out of Evil, Robert Mugabe: A Life of Power and Violence, Grasping Africa, The Zen of International Relations. He visited New Zealand as Hood Fellow at the University of Auckland in 2007 and was in the country a the time of the police raids on Tuhoe, which, among other issues (the media, NZ foreign policy, the role of the intellectual, Edward Said...) he speaks out about in the interview/conversation with Zaeem. Stephen Chan was a prominent student activist at the University of Auckland in the late '60s and early '70s. A short 9 minute segment of the 35 min interview is on Youtube and Axis of Logic. It was recently shown on Triangle Television. The full 35 min DVD of As We Speak is available from Tivoli for $15, or $20 P&P, via tivolinz@gmail.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBGz0MhuMCA
see also http://waihekepedia.com/index.php?title=Tivoli

Sir Roger Tipped As New Minister for Zoos | Nov 09, 2008 13:22 David Haywood on the wire
NZPA-Reuters: National-ACT coalition negotiations look set to return Sir Roger Douglas to government in a role outside cabinet as Minister for Zoos. "I'm delighted to be considered for a leadership role in this position," says Sir Roger. "I believe that the ACT party is uniquely qualified to make a contribution...
http://publicaddress.net/5492

Residents Join Workers On Picket Lines
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0811/S00159.htm

WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS

Under The Mountain Of Debt: The current credit crisis is not primarily due to failing single family home mortgages, although mortgage debt is part of it. It is the coming due of capital debts that resemble Russian nested dolls, each one opening up to reveal yet more debt. These are the now-famous 'toxic assets', the 'collateralized debt obligations' and 'jumbo covered bonds' which promised to pay the holder based on the interest that would be collected on yet other debt instruments
http://www.countercurrents.org/laing041108.htm

Spain offers mortgage relief to 500,000 workers: The Spanish government said on Monday it will allow unemployed workers to delay making half their mortgage payments for two years as it seeks to cushion the impact of rising joblessness and economic slowdown.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/7978974

Boehner Demands Fed Identify Recipients of Loans
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=au7CSC89tBYs&refer=h...

"Making a Killing from Hunger." Global Starvation Ignored by American Policy Elites: It turns out that while farmers grow enough food to feed the world, commodity speculators and huge grain traders like Cargill control the global food prices and distribution. Starvation is profitable for corporations when demands for food push the prices up.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21208.htm

AUSTRALIA
LEX WOTTON SENTENCED TO 6 YEARS - BUT THE FIGHT CONTINUES! You have probably heard by now that Lex Wotton was sentenced today to 6 years, with a minimum of two to be served. for the best coverage of the case, please see The National Indigenous Times www.nit.com.au But Lex is not giving up. There will be an appeal, and Lex and his family will need money to continue with the appeal, and to allow Lex to continue to see his family throughout the ordeal. 100% of this money goes to Lex's family. Please give today so we can continue to support Lex! Bank name: Melbourne University Credit Union Limited Account name: Free Lex Wotton cuscau2sxxx (only if transferring from overseas) BSB: 803-143 Account number: 13441 (all transfers) And please please keep sending your emails of support to Lex at freelexwotton@gmail.com We send a batch off every week to Lex and will continue to do so until he is free!

AFGHANISTAN
The Promise and the Reality - Reckless Soldiers, Slappers and Smack By Yvonne Ridley in Afghanistan. The day after US war planes bombed an Afghan wedding party killing more than 30 women and children, I drove from Pakistan's troubled tribal areas to the border crossing.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21183.htm

The Case for U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan: International law is clear on this subject. No country may occupy another indefinitely and certainly not without the will of the people being occupied. If an Obama administration truly thinks that withdrawing U.S. and NATO troops would be a bad thing for Afghans, hold a referendum to see who would like the troops to remain.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21187.htm

AFRICA
Deception In Darfur - Excerpt from Steven Fake and Kevin Funk's book , "Scramble for Africa"
http://www.countercurrents.org/funk121108.htm

BOLIVIA
In Latin America, leftist leaders evict US drug warriors
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/1110/p01s01-woam.html

CHINA
Realities of China today
http://links.org.au/node/730

CUBA
A Parasitical and Rapacious Empire By Fidel Castro Ruz: It is the largest producer and exporter of weapons. The military industrial complex also has an insatiable market within the same country. Its air and naval forces are concentrated on dozens of military bases in other countries. The strategic missiles of the United States, which carry nuclear warheads, can reach any point in the world with total precision.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21156.htm

Lula salutes Obama, asks him to lift Cuba embargo: Lula, however, also cautioned that there is "a very big difference between winning an election and governing a country like the United States ... Let us wait until he is inaugurated to see what happens."
http://tinyurl.com/59vo9l

INDIA
The United States Of India? When will this day dawn in India, when we will stop engaging in fratricidal attacks on our own fellow citizens, when we will all learn to respect each other's origins, faith, and language and human rights of each other, being from the same large and diverse joint family, and and remember we are all like children playing on the lap of the same mother? When will the United States of India become a reality?
http://www.countercurrents.org/stephen061108.htm

IRAQ
General who probed Abu Ghraib says Bush officials committed war crimes: The remarks by Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, who's now retired, came in a new report that found that U.S. personnel tortured and abused detainees in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, using beatings, electrical shocks, sexual humiliation and other cruel practices.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/41514.html

ITALY
Massive protests as racist offensive launched
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/774/39906

PALESTINE
Israel breaks Gaza ceasefire, assassinates six: The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns in the strongest possible terms the killing of six Palestinians carried out by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in the Gaza Strip yesterday evening and this morning
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9937.shtml

Gaza residents 'terribly trapped': A former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson, has told the BBC she was taken aback by the "terrible" conditions in Gaza on a recent visit.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7708670.stm

Media Silent On Evidence Of Israeli Targeting Of Youngsters
http://www.medialens.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9923

USA
Obama's Historic Victory By Howard Zinn: Those of us on the Left who have criticized Obama, as I have, for his failure to take bold positions on the war and on the economy, must join the exultation of those Americans, black and white, who shouted and wept Tuesday night as they were informed that Barack Obama had won the presidential election.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21182.htm

John Pilger: Beware The Obama Hype - What "Change" In America Really Means: He says he wants to build up US military power; and he threatens to ignite a new war in Pakistan, killing yet more brown-skinned people. That will bring tears, too. Unlike those on election night, these other tears will be unseen in Chicago and London.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21205.htm

VENEZUELA
Crucial test for Bolivarian revolution:
http://www.greenleft.org.au/2008/774/39899

Venezuela takes over gold mine: Las Cristinas mine, which is rich with gold, diamonds, iron and other minerals, is currently operated by Canadian firm Crystallex International Corp.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2008/11/200811642137630552.ht...

SOUTH AFRICA
‘Transformation’ from above: the upside-down state of the `beautiful game' in South Africa
http://links.org.au/node/729

SYRIA
Bush's Last Bullet: Why the US Attacked Syria
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21184.htm

UK
Copy of Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty Four" Sent To Every MP - The books will be inscribed with the words, 'This book was a warning, not a blueprint', and will arrive at Parliament on or before November 5th -- a date of well known historical significance for that building.
http://thejournal.parker-joseph.co.uk/blog/_archives/2008/11/4/3962135.h...

In case you missed it: George Orwell - 1984 - The Movie - Video Runtime 108 Minutes
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article15531.htm