By Shua Garfield

The Australian government is playing “Russian roulette with the climate system, with most of the chambers loaded”, according to CSIRO climatologist James Risbey. In an April 8 submission to the Senate select committee on climate policy, Risbey outlined the disastrous consequences if the government’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets for its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) — 5% below 2000 levels by 2020 and 60% below by 2050 — were emulated by the rest of the world.

By Sam King

At a May 21 mass meeting of more than 400 trade union leaders in Bolivar City, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and labour minister Maria Cristina Iglesias resolved to nationalise six strategic industrial companies. Chavez made the announcement after hearing submissions from union leaders who called, one after another, for workers’ control of industry, the sacking of capitalist managers and nationalisation of the companies, according to a report from a participant.

By Hamish Chitts

Last month the Melbourne Age revealed that members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) had covered up the killing and wounding of civilians in Afghanistan by Australian Special Air Service (SAS) troops. In the same month, The Australian newspaper proudly reported the use of SAS patrols as death squads carrying out assassinations in Afghanistan.