A Korean farmer publicly committed suicide this morning outside the WTO meeting in Cancun, Mexico to protest the impact that WTO policies are having on small farmers. Eight others were injured by repressive police actions at the first day of protests.

http://cancun.mediosindependientes.org/feature/display/350/%20index.php

The impact that 'free trade', as enforced by the WTO, NAFTA, the FTAA and now CAFTA are having and will have is not going unnoticed by famers here, either. Particularly at risk is the Louisiana sugar cane industry, as reported on by the Plaquemines Post-South

http://www.postsouth.com/articles/2003/09/04/news/news07.txt

About 25 New Orleans peace/anti-war activists gathered at the end of Poland Street Wednesday night, Sept. 3 to protest the prosecution of LCpl Stephen Funk in front of HQ Marine Reserve. Two days later, he was sentenced to six months in the brig for being AWOL.

Ahmad Nelson, a young African-American man, was aquitted recently of the charges of murdering an off-duty NOPD officer. A campaign had been organized in support of Ahmad, and he is free now after rotting in jail for months. He was released by a judge who threw out the case after hearing the rediculous and contradictory testimony of the prosection's witnesses. Supporters of Ahmad Nelson proclaimed his innocence all along. Welcome home Ahmad!

Update from New Orleans Indymedia staff- 9/5/03- Ahmad Nelson's legal defense comittee raised around $38,000 to pay for his legal bills, but as of Thursday night they were still roughly $12,000 short of the amount they need. See the site for more details.

ahmadnelson.com

Last week Public Citizen obtained and published a secret memo by Vivendi Universal, the owner of US Filter, the leading bidder on New Orleans Water system. The compromising memo was first reported locally by Urban Conservancy, and exposes the vicious attitude of Vivendi towards the democratic process and the media.[ read more ]

Dan Thompson of Buras, Louisiana, and Jason Neville and Les Evenchick, both of New Orleans, became the first candidates in Louisiana history to officially run for state office on the Green Party ticket this Tuesday, even though an unannounced redistricting has placed one of the candidates’ homes outside of his district. Jason Neville, 24, became aware of the change this Tuesday after filing to run for state senate in district 3 against Lambert Boissiere, a Democrat.   [ read more ]