News In Brief
An American conglomerate is negotiating to purchase rights to over 700 square km around Eppawala in Sri Lanka . Their plan for this home to thousands of villages, half a million rural Sri Lankans, pristine forest, countless endangered species, and extensive 2000-year-old archaeological monuments? They want to turn it into a gigantic phosphate strip mine.
Genetically modified food giant, Monsanto, has banned GM food from its own staff cafeteria at the company's headquarters at High Wycombe, Bucks. A company spokeswoman confirmed that Granada Food Services, which provides catering, had stopped serving food containing GM soya and GM maize after customers expressed concern. Monsanto denied it was an embarrassment to have GM banned at the head office of a firm manufacturing GM crops.
The Gartocher residents in Glasgow held 2 successful demos actions on 14 and 18 December - on 14th they occupied the Shettleston police station for 10 hours! - ring the residents on 07979 836223 for details.
McDonalds have struck a deal with the teletubbies to market McShit in the states with a 'Teletubbies Hugs' campaign. Sell-outs!
On 25th Jan, the trial began in Lancaster for the women who disabled the testing equipment and painted slogans on a Trident submarine when it was in Barrow in Jan/Feb last year. It is continuing as we go to press, with lots of local support work and even a piece of land, squatted by women next to the court building! Contact the Friends Meeting House, tel: Adrian 01524 62971) or the camp mobile: 07881 970 518.
The Ramblers' Association has won its case over the footpath that runs across the estate of millionaire anti-semite Nicholas Van Hoogstraten. The RA proved the 100-year-old footpath crossing the estate had been blocked by various obstructions, rendering it impassable for over a decade. The bad guys were fined £1,600 for two counts of blocking the footpath illegally, and ordered to pay costs of £3,500.
Witnesses are required who were outside Euston station during the evening of 30th November (N30) and were detained against their will, assaulted, or saw any police abuse. Contact: N30 c/o Gareth Crossman, 21 Tabard St, London, SE1. Also, anyone who saw a male, orange top, black pants, 6ft. assaulted 7 - 7.15 pm by the police. Call 0850 751575 or contact RTS or GEN.
A campaign to get all McDonald's ads banned by the Independent Television Commission is being launched. This is on the grounds that the High Court judgment that McDonald's 'expoit children' and that their food has been promoted as 'nutritious' when in fact it is linked to heart disease. Contact McLibel.