Weekly Links 22/02/2009

International
Internationally the political temperature continues to rise, particularly for the Sarkozy regime in France, in Ireland, where 100,000 took to the streets and the inspiring Waterford occupation continues, in Latvia where the government has just fallen, and around the world as governments and their finances begin to look increasingly wobbly.


British Politics
The PCS union is mobilising around the proposed Labour Governmnent Welfare "reforms", with a lobby planned for next week.

Also this week, the Independent revealed the sorry tale of the possible destination of large quantities of British toxic waste.

On his Euro election blog this week, Derek Wall reports on the nasty effects of some EU policies on peasants and workers in Colombia.

There was a good turnout of Greens from London area (with some good work in achieving this from Green Left and the Campaign Against Climate Change)at the Downing Street demo last week against Heathrow expansion.

Peace
More details came out this week on the potentially disastrous crash between British and French nuclear submarines in the Atlantic. BBC report here and CND commentary here.

Gender Politics
For readers in England I have received the following about forthcoming events in Wolverhampton for International Women's Week -

A unique opportunity to listen to two prominent women leaders will take place in Wolverhampton on 12th March 2009. Ludmila Ermakova: Director and founder of the Crisis Centre “Ekaterina”, Ekaterinburg, Russia and Mavluda Shirinova: Director and founder of the Socio-Economic Development Centre “SABR”, Samarkand, Uzbekistan will be presenting their work together for the first time. You will also have the opportunity to listen to a contribution from Natalia Sukhareva, Head of the Sverdlovsk Regional Guild of Lawyers and her colleague Marina Zakharova, who were the first women in Russia to develop a training programme on domestic violence for lawyers.

The presentations will provide an opportunity to discuss the development of services for women abroad as well as debate and bring women’s issues to the forefront. The presentation is organised by The Haven Wolverhampton which has worked in partnership with the above organisations for over a decade and helped to support their work with vulnerable women and children (read more on http://www.havenrefuge.org.uk/International/International.htm).

The presentation will take place on 12th March 2009, from 1.00pm-4.00pm at the Light House Media Centre, Fryer Street, Wolverhampton. The event is free and open to anyone who wishes to learn more about women’s organisations in post-Soviet society. The presentations will be in Russian and in English. Please hurry, as places are limited.

On the same day the Light House will be hosting The Women’s Fair (11am-4pm) organised by WOW, The Haven Wolverhampton, YWCA and V Involved. This is a free event entitled ‘What Women Want’ which will include information stands, workshops covering everything from self defence and confidence building to pampering sessions, a children’s area and a large number of stalls from local groups and organisations. Free snacks and drinks will be provided. What’s more, the night will be rounded off with an evening of comedy from some of the UK best comediennes, courtesy of the Light House.

The events will take place as part of the City celebrations for International Women’s Week 2009 which was supported and managed by Wolverhampton City Council. All International Women’s Week events taking place in Wolverhampton are included in a programme which has been published by Wolverhampton City Council.

Amnesty to Screen Film on Situation of Women In Yemen

I have just been informed of the following forthcoming meeting in London hosted by Amnesty International :

Screening of the film 'Amina'

Date: Tue 4 November 2008

Directed by Khadija Al-Salami
Presented by Amnesty International UK’s Womens’ Action Network. A donation to the work of the womens’ action network will be requested at this screening.

In ‘Amina’, Yemeni film maker Khadija Al-Salami enters Yemen's female prison system to find 24-year-old Amina, married at 11 and a mother of three, awaiting execution for killing her husband. The director's full access to Amina and her forthright account of her life exposes the harshness of womens' lives in Yemen.

The film is always powerful, moving and engrossing and tells a story all too common even in the 21st century of misogyny, injustice and the oppression of women, but manages to keep hope burning throughout. The documentary is also a powerful example of how film and cinema can not only document, but act as a force for change, as it highlighted Amina’s fight for justice around the world.

Followed by a discussion with Dina el-Mamoun, Amnesty International researcher and Dr Andrew Long, both experts on human rights in Yemen.

More info here

Weekly Links - 09/03/08

Firstly, away from politics for a while, and as a Yorkshire born lad myself, may I say Glory, Glory Barnsley FC! who yesterday repeated their FA Cup "giant killing" of Liverpool by defeating the "mighty" (ho-ho)Chelsea. Barnsley's success and the promotion chasing efforts of Doncaster Rovers in League One give some much needed excitement to football in South Yorkshire, away from the trials of the two Sheffield Teams. Come on Barnsley and Donny!

Onto the blogs, and a football link there to start too - Anton at Enemies of Reason Blog has a piece on the latest despicable behaviour of the Express newspaper - this time in relation to Paul Gascoigne and his troubles.

Elsewhere, Phil from A Very Public Sociologist blog reports the death of holocaust survivor and veteran anti-fascist Leon Greenman.

Over at the Cedar Lounge Revolution there are some interesting thoughts on the return to print of the anti-postmodernist hoaxer Sokal.

Louise reports on the International Women's Day events in London this weekend over at the Socialist Unity Blog.

Septic Isle reviews the latest George Romero film, Diary of the Dead at Obsolete.

Liam MacUaid this week publishes an account of the situation with the Green Party in the USA as regards the upcoming elections, written by New York State Green Party Member Steffie Brooks.

Jack Ray has interesting reflections this week on the meaning of democracy and self determination in a world of globalised capitalism.

The GPTU blog has Derek Wall's Green Party statement on the Shelter dispute.

Green From Below this week has Guy Debord's Situationist Theses on Traffic.

Jim at Daily (Maybe) reports on the call from Green MEP Caroline Lucas for progressive opposition to the Lisbon Treaty. He also has a piece on the Bush regime and torture, and some thoughts on death. A cheery note to end on this week!

International Womens Day

Today was International Women's Day.
Green blogger Natalie Bennett has a piece on the topic on the Guardian site.

In a piece of terrible irony the events in Denmark over the past week have seen the destruction at the hands of the state (in co-operation with a fundamentalist Christian sect)of the building in which 99 radical women from 17 countries met in August 1910 and designated March 8th International Women's Day.

Meanwhile the LM cult and friends have been at it again on Channel Four, lining up with contrarians and such lovely human beings as Thatcher's slimey henchman Nigel Lawson. "Ex" Furedi-ite Martin Durkin began the prog with saying man made global warming was a lie and the whole scientific and political consensus on climate change is made up of liars. Channel 4 offers uncritical platform to paranoid conspiracists and slanderers? Enough said.

Friday Links

Some interesting links that came to my attention in the last day or two -

http://www.oxfordwomen.co.uk/festival07.html
This is Oxford's International Women's Festival scheduled for the first few weeks of March, with lots of events and meetings planned.

Meanwhile comment in various places on the House Of Lords Reform proposals put forward in the Guardian by Jack Straw - a response here from Jim Jay at Daily (Maybe).