Story

CANBERRA – Australia’s tough anti-terror laws likely will be softened in response to criticism about raids, preventive detention, a shoot-to-kill provision and infringement of free speech, The Australian reports. Attorney General Philip Ruddock said that members of a parliamentary security committee already have forced some "minor changes," and agrees that there could be more.

The new laws allow a sentence of up to seven years in jail for inciting violence or racial hatred. Some lawmakers warn that the law could be misused to restrict legitimate criticism. Muslim and civil liberties groups also object to a shoot-to-kill provision for police in cases where a terror suspect attempts to escape or avoid "preventative detention." read more

BEIJING – China is now by far the world’s biggest driver of rainforest destruction, according to a new report by Greenpeace that documents vast deforestation due to soaring demands of China‘s enormous timber trade, the world’s largest.

Citing figures from the International Tropical Timber Organization, the study says that nearly five out of every 10 tropical hardwood logs shipped from the world’s threatened rainforests are heading for China, more than to any other destination. read more

PANAMA CITY – As if Pres. Bush doesn’t have enough critics at home, his planned Nov. 6-7 visit to Panama could expose him to militant students and trade unionists who oppose his neo-liberal trade policies and handling of Iraq. “We will give a warm welcome to the greatest genocidal killer on earth," university leader Javier Vasquez told Prensa Latina last week.

In anticipation of trouble, the government recently closed some schools and cracked down of protesters. As Vasquez sees it, the current Panama government obeys the mandates of "Emperor Bush," but most Panamanians don’t agree. Protests are expected to resume before the U.S president arrives, focusing not only on the visit but also on the recent rise in fuel prices and a possible increase in bus fares. read more