By a vote of 30-2, the UN Human Rights Council approved a declaration that said indigenous people should be free from discrimination and that they have a right “to consider themselves different and to be respected as such.” Only Canada and Russia voted against it.

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Palestinians hit by sonic boom air raids

Some of you may have heard or read about ’sonicbooms’ over Gaza over the last few days. The Guardian had a story on these virtual-explosions last November and it’s worth revisiting.

–We should all be able to communicate freely. Any policy that limits this ability is not in the interests of the people and is regressive, no matter what age group we are supposedly targeting.

The Supreme Court has denied Inco’s appeal, which means that Canada’s largest environmental class action lawsuit to the tune of $750-million filed on behalf of 8000 Port Colborne citizens can go ahead. For more info on Inco and Port Colborne, visit: http://www.incowatch.ca and for more info on Inco around the world (currently under construction but with recent news posted), visit: http://www.jatam.org/english/case/inco/

–The right to exist is one of the catch phrases in the media right now but what happens when we turn the focus around? Hypocrisy comes through loud and clear.

–Workers united in Australia against regressive policy of Howard. The momentum must continue if we are going to actually push progressive reform not just stand up to moves backward.

More on the rallies and marches here. Lots of colour!

–You cannot ‘ban’ poverty. The people of Fredericton need to rally behind the poor and demand that their taxes be spent on helping those really in need instead of being spent on lining corporate quaffers. We have to respond loudly to these reactionary calls and intolerance of the poor if we are going to be heard over the current roar of the conservative media.

Ron Jacobs: Killing a Nation to Rescue a Soldier | Counterpunch

“The arrests of several elected Palestinians leaders on June 28, 2006 proves even further that the independent Palestinian nation we are told exists by Tel Aviv and its mentors in Washington, DC is nothing more than a sham.”

Sure the headline is sensationalist … but selling copies is not likely the only reason why. The continuing degradation of civil liberties is astounding.

Watch Us, Wiretap Us, Search Us, Jail Us … | Counterpunch

One nation … under surveillance

–A new article from the Montly Review on the Weather Underground. We all need to educate ourselves on the history of these types of movements both to see what went wrong and to make sure that the reactionary revisonists are not able to change history.

–An important question to ask in democratic organizations. There is always a fight for “democracy” within larger organizations but one must look more closely and the motives of the poeple involved at the top and their political policies to know if they really mean what they say.

–Always an interesting and ongoing debate around the world on whether the Left should ever engage in boycotts of elections. My answer is almost always No.

–The right wing continues its regressive and reactionary attacks on the people of Venezuela. Here is part of the continuing analysis of these attacks and a reminder not to believe most of what you read from “official” US sources about Venezuela.

–The fight continues against the regressive policies of the provincial and federal governements on education.

–I have been reading this a lot lately in the liberal media sources. There is something inherently flawed (with a hint of racism) in this analysis. Can you spot it?

–There is no reason to think that global warming is going to be dealt with without some massive changes in the US economy… and that is not going to happen with out a change in the system.

–This seems more than a little illegal.

–This report is being denouced by the Conservatives with nothing but rhetoric. The fact that this is a liberal think tank means that things are probably even worse than they are being reported. Bring the troops home now!

–The Cuba embargo continues to stifle communication between those that are engaged in some very interesting and important science and other accademic ventures. Not to mention that collective punishment should be denounced wherever it occurs.

–Not really all that surprising but it really needs to be put out there. The Liberals give out money illegally and the Tories take it. I wonder which is worse.

Anti-FTA Rally Shakes Lima | Prensa Latina

A clear message is being sent to President Garcia … that his presidency is contingent on the terms of trade the country agrees to.