Around the Web

Triumph closes factory in Burma
The Clean Clothes Camapign has forced underwear manufacturer Triumph International to close its factory outside Rangoon, Burma. The factory has been accused of using forced and child labour and of funding the Burmese military junta.
Clean Clothes Campaign press release
http://www.cleanclothes.org/companies/triumph02-01-28.htm
BBC report
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/asia-pacific/newsid_1787000/1787871.stm

GATS and the globalised assault on education
Report on series of actions and rallies against the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)
From Indymedia
http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=21202&group=webcast

Star Wars: Protecting Globalization From Above
The United States is moving full-speed ahead on a missile defense program with events of September11th giving a big boost to the scheme. Missile defense, or 'Star Wars,' advocates maintain the terrorist attack demonstrated the kind of future assault - the next time around with missiles - that the U.S. must seek to offset…Meanwhile the troubled aerospace industry is hoping to be shored up by big-ticket defense contracts.
From CorpWatch US
http://www.corpwatch.org/issues/PID.jsp?articleid=1333

Constructing 'Sound Science' and 'Good Epidemiology': Tobacco, Lawyers, and Public Relations Firms
Article analysing tobacco companies use of front groups, propaganda and lobbying to discredit evidence of the dangers of passive smoking as 'junk science' as opposed to their own 'sound science'. Interesting in itself and as a PR case study.
From the American Journal of Public Health
http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/full/91/11/1749

The Women of Santa Fe, Argentina, speak
Economic manifesto from the Sindicato de Amas de Casa, proposing an alternative, people-friendly, non-corporate way out of Argentina's economic crisis.
From Indymedia
http://uk.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=20586&group=webcast

Cultural colonisation - McDollars exploit Asterix
In what some might see as an act of crass commercial exploitation, and others as an assault on an icon of French independence, McDastardly in France last week replaced Ronald McDonald with Asterix. As Obelix might put it, 'These corporations are crazy!'. The BBC, however, thinks they're trying to take on a local flavour…hmmm.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/showbiz/newsid_1721000/1721029.stm