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loose cannons

The mouth of a tiger? "What is safer than being in the hands of the police?" — Malaysian deputy national police chief Jamil Johari, responding to accusations that people arrested under the Internal Security Act have been mistreated. Also?

Higher education on the GATS chopping block

BY VIV MILEY As if the federal government wasn't enough of a threat to Australia's crisis-ridden tertiary education system, an agreement currently under negotiation in the World Trade Organisation's Geneva headquarters could enforce the further

Business to dominate CHOGM

BY ZANNY BEGG After the spectacular success of the M1 mobilisations many activists are turning their attention towards the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Brisbane, October 6-8, and the Commonwealth Business Council meeting in

Police attack Burma protest

BY DAVID GOSLING CANBERRA — Supporters of democracy in Burma were attacked, and several injured, by police here on May 4 when they attempted to burn a Burmese flag outside the military regime's Canberra embassy. The 80 protesters were calling

LATIN AMERICA: High 'nuna' over bean patent

Indigenous elders from six Andean communities that grow nuna beans met in late February for a traditional Quechua "tribunal" to deliberate on US patent no. 6,040,503 on the "bean-nut popping bean" awarded to US food processor Appropriate Engineering

SCOTLAND: Socialists march against capitalism

More than 900 people took part in a march in Edinburgh on May 5 to mark the 75th anniversary of the British general strike. Veteran Labour MP Tony Benn and Scottish Socialist Party MP Tommy Sheridan addressed the protest. "People complain about the

100 years of service to capitalism

100 years of service ... to capitalism When the likes of Kim Beazley, Paul Keating and Bob Hawke swell with pride at something, you know it must really stink. On May 8, Labor leaders, past and present, gathered in Melbourne to

SWAZILAND: Freedom of speech attacked

BY JABULANE MATSEBULA The Swaziland government launched a vicious attack on the freedom of speech and the press on May 4, when it issued an order to shut down the Guardian of Swaziland and the Nation Magazine. Police impounded copies of the

Nike protesters resist police assault

BY JAMES CRAFTI & JODY BETZEIN MELBOURNE — Around 250 people participated in the "regular" Friday evening Nike superstore blockade on Swanston Street on May 11. The Nike superstore was successfully shut-down by protesters for the eighth week in a

Communities vow to keep schools open

BY NOREEN NAVIN SYDNEY — Pressure is mounting on Bob Carr's state Labor government to back down on its controversial "Building the Future" plan, which will force the closure of several inner-city high schools. A rally outside the Department of

Sydney May Day rescued

BY LISA MACDONALD SYDNEY — It rained hard on May 6, the day scheduled for the traditional May Day rally and march. But, determined not to let the weather deter them, hundreds of activists nevertheless turned up to the assembly point in Hyde Park

Australia's GATS commitments

The federal government has already made formal liberalisation proposals in the following sectors: architecture services; engineering services; financial services; construction services;