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UK Social Struggles Newswire Archive

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Disrupt Miss University London Beauty Pageant NOW from your armchair!

15-02-2009 18:40

The Miss University London Cattle Market, is on the 10th March. Applications are still open! The audition day is on saturday 21st feb.

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MPs fiddle while parliamentary democracy burns

15-02-2009 11:43


At the very least, you might expect Labour MPs to pay attention while they strip this country of its freedoms. But apparently we have gone beyond that stage. Of the eight or nine Labour members on the select committee discussing the Coroners and Justice Bill, three were using the opportunity to go through their correspondence.

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Climate Chaos meets economic chaos - report on a discussion in Leeds.

14-02-2009 23:37

I went to an interesting meeting last week and as Leeds faces up to the collapse of neo-liberalism with a lot of meetings and events happening, I thought it would be useful if people started to report back so we can get an overall picture of what's possible.

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Direct Action; UK, Netherlands, Czech, Italy & Mexico

14-02-2009 21:26

OPEN RESCUE IN SUPPORT OF SHAC PRISONERS (Czech Republic)
ABUSED HENS RESCUED FROM "FREE RANGE" FARM (UK)
VACATIONING ALF VISIT HLS CUSTOMERS (Netherlands)
OPEN RESCUE IN SUPPORT OF SHAC PRISONERS (Czech Republic)
MAX MARA SHOP SPRAY-PAINTED (Italy)
TELMEX SABOTAGE CONTINUES (Mexico)

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More mayhem, please

14-02-2009 09:32

ANDREW MURRAY argues that, even though the elite wants to keep the rest of us in our place, green shoots of resistance may soon sprout.

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Public Action against Judicial Corruption & Institutional Failures

14-02-2009 09:02

Demonstration against Judicial Corruption, Unlawful Imprisonments, Convention Rights Violations, Institutional Failures and unaccountability in the UK; every week outside HMP Wormwood Scrubs, Du Cane Road, London W12 0AE; commencing from 12pm until 3pm.

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Abolition of King Coal, Fossil Fuels, Nuclear Power and Weapons(update Friday Fe

13-02-2009 21:11

Abolition of King Coal, Fossil Fuels, Nuclear Power and Weapons(update Friday Feb 13. 2009)

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These players are promoting a tricky way to whack Social Security benefits, but

13-02-2009 20:40

"These players are promoting a tricky way to whack Social Security benefits, but to do it behind closed doors so the public cannot see what's happening or figure out which politicians to blame. The essential transaction would amount to misappropriating the trillions in Social Security taxes that workers have paid to finance their retirement benefits. This swindle is portrayed as "fiscal reform." In fact, it's the political equivalent of bait-and-switch fraud.

Defending Social Security sounds like yesterday's issue--the fight people won when they defeated George W. Bush's attempt to privatize the system in 2005. But the financial establishment has pushed it back on the table, claiming that the current crisis requires "responsible" leaders to take action. Will Obama take the bait? Surely not. The new president has been clear and consistent about Social Security, as a candidate and since his election. The program's financing is basically sound, he has explained, and can be assured far into the future by making only modest adjustments.
But Obama is also playing footsie with the conservative advocates of "entitlement reform" (their euphemism for cutting benefits). The president wants the corporate establishment's support on many other important matters, and he recently promised to hold a "fiscal responsibility summit" to examine the long-term costs of entitlements. That forum could set the trap for a "bipartisan compromise" that may become difficult for Obama to resist, given the burgeoning deficit. If he resists, he will be denounced as an old-fashioned free-spending liberal. The advocates are urging both parties to hold hands and take the leap together, authorizing big benefits cuts in a circuitous way that allows them to dodge the public's blame. In my new book, Come Home, America, I make the point: "When official America talks of 'bipartisan compromise,' it usually means the people are about to get screwed."
The Social Security fight could become a defining test for "new politics" in the Obama era. Will Americans at large step up and make themselves heard, not to attack Obama but to protect his presidency from the political forces aligned with Wall Street interests? This fight can be won if people everywhere raise a mighty din--hands off our Social Security money!--and do it now, before the deal gains momentum."

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A Climate Deniers take on Tobacco Smoke

13-02-2009 18:18

It's no secret that many of the people and organizations funded by cigarette companies to defend "smoker's rights" and downplay the harmful effect of tobacco smoke have been involved in the energy industry-funded campaign to downplay the serious effects of climate change.

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If You Don’t Trust Governments Then You’re In Good Company

13-02-2009 17:56

There’s a lot to be said for having progressive targets in all sorts of things, foremost among these is reducing the amount of climate changing gas being poured into the atmosphere; so when, for instance, a government (like that of the UK) says that it will aim to reduce the amount of carbon the nation is sending into the atmosphere by 80% by the year 2050, then it’s good to know that somewhere down the line people are going to check that they are on target. That said, of course 80% by 2050 is hopelessly inadequate, given that that only a net reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere - as distinct from the amount being emitted - by, say, 2050, will have any chance of preventing the worst effects of climate change.

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NCADC News Service Friday 13th February 2009

13-02-2009 08:55

Raphael & Oluseye have left the UK
"I am sorry to have to report that, despite everyone's efforts, Raphael & Oluseye were taken from Yarl's Wood and put on a flight to Lagos yesterday morning. Five-year -old Raphael spent 69 days in immigration detention. Thank you all for all your support for mother and son."
Best wishes, George Heron
 http://www.ncadc.org.uk/Newszine103/Raphael.html

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When Will We March Against Obama?

12-02-2009 23:09

It isn’t too soon to protest. He told us right away that there is no change we can believe in. We don’t have to wait for bombs to fall on Iran or for more prisoners to be denied their human rights.

It is time to take not only Obama to task, but faux progressives to task as well. They are the Obamites who claimed they would hold his feet to the fire if we would just shut up and let him get elected. It is time to protest against them too and call them out for being the hypocrites they are.

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UEA Students Break the Occupation After 24 Hours

12-02-2009 19:02

The students occupying one section of the Arts building on campus have peacefully ended their action, having seen their demands addressed by the University. This action was provisionally a success. Thankyou to everyone involved for their support.

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Direct Action Germany: 27th Jan-7th Feb

12-02-2009 17:11

Again two arsons against upperclass cars
07/02/09: Attempted arson on cars
06/02/09: Administrative building of the police attacked with butyric acid
05/02/09: Attack against the CDU offices
01/02/09: „Car-Lofts“ attacked with stones and color
01/02/09: Several buildings spraypainted
31/01/09: Again two arsons against upperclass cars
30/01/09: CDU offices trashed
30/01/09: Porsche torched
28/01/09: Action against DHL: letter boxes painted olive green
28/01/09: BMW burned
27/01/09: Again a car burned in Berlin: state security investigates

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Brighton Family to be Deported to Algeria

12-02-2009 13:36

Assia & Nouha
Assia Souhalia her husband Athmane nationals of Algeria and their UK born daughter Nouha, residents of Brighton were 'Snatched' from their home yesterday morning and are currently detained in Yarl's Wood IRC. They are due to be forcibly removed from the UK on Tuesday 17th February on British Airways Flight BA895 from Terminal 5 Heathrow Airport @ 08.40 to Algiers, Algeria.

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spike eviction in progress - London

12-02-2009 10:03

the spike surplus scheme of 39b consort road, peckham, London is being evicted as we speak. bailiffs, cops, pcsos and "community wardens" are on site.

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Around the Campaigns Thursday 12th February 2009

12-02-2009 08:06

Tony Lola and his mother Mireille Maswa
Great news for all you lovely people - Pegah Emambakhsh is here to Stay
"We have just heard today that Pegah has finally been granted refugee status in the UK.  This is fantastic, wonderful, wonderful news and a great reward for all the hard work you all put in to ensure she was not sent back to Iran - so thank you, thank you, thank you.  Will be in touch again as soon as we have more details.  This  has been a long struggle but is a real vindication of what can be achieved when we all work together."

Love to all, Lesley, for Friends of Pegah Campaign

Background: Pegah Emambakhsh Must Stay!
 http://www.ncadc.org.uk/emmaginnsfolder/emmaginnsfolder/aug%2007/pegah.htm

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PUBLIC EVENT London Basque Solidarity Campaign

12-02-2009 06:18

PUBLIC EVENT
London Basque Solidarity Campaign
Thursday 12th February 2009 (7:00pm) Oxford House
Projection The Spanish Inquisition
Speaker Saleh Mamon

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McLibel Film Night

12-02-2009 03:19

The Flier They Could Not Rip Up!
Special film show to mark the Anniversary of the McLibel victory at European Court of Human Rights

McLIBEL! The Story of Two People who Refused to say ‘Sorry’!
The postman and gardener who took on McDonald's. And won.

85-minute Director's Cut, released for McDonald's 50th birthday!

9pm at The Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone St, Forest Fields, Nottingham NG7 6HX on Wednesday 18th February.

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Golsmiths University Occupied!

11-02-2009 19:32

on the way
TWENTY SEVENTH UNIVERSITY OCCUPATION NOW IN EFFECT