Beijing Launches “All-Out Offensive” Against Uyghur Minority
Beijing has unleashed an “all-out offensive” in the far western province of Xinjiang on the pretext of a terrorist threat from members of the nation’s predominantly Muslim Uyghur ethnic minority. Thousands of paramilitary personnel have been dispersed throughout the region, along...
Far Right Wing Politics – Fanning the Flames of Hate
It’s a month into Trump’s presidency, and in that time we’ve seen him produce a range executive orders delivering on several campaign promises: the defunct, soon-to-be newly-revised, Muslim ban, the $21.6 billion US-Mexican border wall proposal and a crackdown on undocumented migrants....
Portugal’s Experience of Drug Decriminalisation
Around one percent of the population in Portugal was addicted to heroin in 1999. The nation also reportedly had the highest number of drug-related AIDS deaths in the European Union. The government had been waging the usual war on drugs since...
Hang Paedophiles, demands Philippines President
By Blake O’Connor and Ugur Nedim The death penalty was abolished in the Philippines in 2006, partly due to pressure from the powerful Catholic Church. However, controversial Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte is reported to have called for the reintroduction of death by hanging...
The Netherlands is Helping the Homeless, While We’re Criminalising Them
As in many developed countries, it’s becoming increasing rare for people in the Netherlands to carry cash, as electronic payment technologies are embraced for a wide variety of transactions. However, a section of society that’s being left behind by these...
“Good People Don’t Smoke Marijuana”: New US Chief Lawyer an Obstacle to Reform
US President Donald Trump has named Jeff Sessions as the US Attorney General, the chief lawyer and prosecutor for the federal government. There are concerns Mr Session’s appointment will mean the end of proposals designed to reduce the US prison...
Stop Trying to Make Gay People ‘Straight’: An Interview with Brave Network’s Nathan Despott
The Victorian government has set up a new health complaints watchdog. The Health Complaints Commissioner has the power to place temporary or permanent bans on unethical health providers, and this will include practitioners of gay conversion therapy. The legislation that gives the...
Buddhist Monk Charged with Commercial Drug Supply
Last Sunday night, senior Buddhist monk U Arsara was driving in his Toyota Kluger from Shwe Baho village in southern Maungdaw district, in the northwestern state of Rakhine, Myanmar. At around 6 pm, he was stopped by police at the...
Rolf Harris Cleared of Indecent and Sexual Assault Charges
A jury in London found Australian entertainer Rolf Harris not guilty of ‘groping’ a blind and disabled woman, and a 13-year old girl who asked for an autograph at a radio station. He was also cleared of sexually assaulting a...
‘They give God a bad name,’ says victim
More than 1,800 Catholic Church figures and 4,444 allegations of abuse. Horrific numbers, which a senior Catholic Church figure has described as ‘shocking’ and ‘indefensible’ at the 50th public hearing of the Royal Commission - the 16th hearing dealing with...
