Nine Arrested at APEC Protests

The largest organised march during the APEC Summit has ended resulting in nine arrests and two NSW police officers been injured.
In a statement, police say those arrested face charges of assaulting police, throwing projectiles, offensive behaviour and resisting arrest.
The two officers injured during the protest received head injuries. One police officer who was injured after being hit with an iron bar during the protest has now left hospital.
Thousands of people protested against a range of issues - from the presence of US President George W Bush at the meeting to uranium mining - and were flanked by prison buses and human chains of police.
Police estimate about 3,000 people attended the protest march.
There were scuffles at the back of the march, which was organised by the Stop Bush Coalition and included anti-war groups and unions, after police made a number of arrests.
Two of the other protesters arrested were practically nude.
The people involved faced off against armour-covered members of the riot squad, backed by a water cannon, before leaving the march.
Despite the arrests, NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione says the majority of the thousands of protesters in central Sydney behaved peacefully.
Commissioner Scipione says the massive show of force by police and the poor weather led to today's successful outcome.
"It certainly caused numbers to dwindle, in fact it surely caused numbers not to turn up," he said.
"But more importantly, I think it was the combination of the show of force, the police were out there in big numbers, and we don't apologise for that.
"We always indicated that we would be there, in sufficient numbers to be able to act swiftly against those that broke the law.
"So was that overkill? I don't think so."
Meanwhile, about 1,000 people from the Vietnamese and Tibetan communities held a protest against the Chinese President at Sydney's Belmore Park.
Rally organiser Tenpa Dugdak has called on Prime Minister John Howard to make human rights in China an APEC issue.
"It's so important - this meeting that happened, 21 leaders - great, but [don't] just discuss about trade, discuss about human rights, environmental problems that can really impact on a global scale," he said.

Seven Trash Questioned

IN BRIEF | Seven News Reporter Dylan Howard has been questioned by Police following the official investigation into how medical records of two AFL players were obtained by the Seven Network.

Mr Howard was released from Heidelberg police station without charge.

In related news the AFL Player’s Association has lifted its boycott of the Seven Network, following an apology made by Seven late yesterday.

Youth meet on sidelines of APEC

With the APEC summit launced yesterday on youtube a unfooicial meeting got under way on Monday night.

Over 1000 high school students gatherd in the Sydney CBD to hold their own summit n issues like climate change and global trade ahead of this week's APEC summit.

They are hoping that the APEC leaders will pay attention to their voices and make choices that will affect future generations.

When you gather 1000 high school students in a room you are going to struggle for consensus

It is probably particularly hard when you are discussing big issues like climate change and globalisation

But 16-year-old Kunwar Bhatia says there is some commonality.

"The whole point of today is for youth to debate these issues," he said.

"It's for youth to make these opinions heard and of course youth, like any group in society, have differing opinions.

"But one thing I think that really bound this group together is the fact that they want to see action on these issues."



Tim Cooke
Editor at Large.

(Photo: Getty Images)

APEC Coverage

For indepth coverage of the 2007 APEC summit
Read The Independent, Australia's Online News Leader.
Updated Daily.

APEC Brothel Boom

Sydney's brothels are preparing for a thumping as thousands of delegates and journalists descend on the city for the APEC summit this week.

A well knowen brothel is offering its clients a "The Presidential Platter" or United Nations which features women from around the golbe.

Brothel enthusiast Chris Seage has been quoted saying hat Sydney's brothels had been fielding phone calls from overseas for the past two weeks.

The most "frequently asked question" is how discreet the visits are during the summit.

Mr Seage says that due to the expected increase in patronage, many of Sydney's "best" sex workers will not avail themselves of the special public holiday declared for Friday ahead of the weekend summit.

Tim Cooke
Editor At Large



(photo from Getty Images)

Garrett Slams Bush

Federal Labour's Environment spokesman Peter Garrett has slammed at the POTUS (President Of The United States) George W Bush saying that he is no supporter of the U.S' Enviroment Policy.

The POTUS will arrive for APEC in Sydney this week and Australian PM John Howard has told the nation time and time again that climate change will be at the top of the "agenda" after golf and climing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

-Opinion-

John Howard has told us in every press conference in the last week that talk on climate change will take up the majority of time at APEC. But is this going to be another Kyoto? Hardly if Australia and the U.S is getting serious about climate change then sign the Kyoto agreement. I see this as a ploy against Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd's popular Climate Change policy.

-Opinion-

Former Midnight Oil front man Peter Garrett went on ABC television this morning to say that Bush "has not shown global leadership on climate change"
He went on to say "I'm not a great fan of President Bush and his policies," Mr Garrett said.
"Particularly in terms of climate change, I think that it's held the world back, frankly, and the great tragedy is that Australia's been a part of it."

PM Howard has hit back at Peter Garrett's comments saying that "the criticism shows Labor's divisions on the Australia-US alliance."

"President Bush is the democratically elected President of the United States, he's the democratically elected President of our most important ally," Thee PM stated.
"I thought Mr Garrett's comments indicated the deep tensions within the Labor party regarding the American alliance."

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has tried to dumb down the remarks saying that "the American alliance would remain strong under a Labor government, despite some key differences of opinion."
"I think what Mr Garrett was talking about was his concerns about policies on climate change and policies on Iraq," Mr Rudd said.
"When it comes to the overall relationship with the United States, I am a life-long supporter of our alliance with the United States.
That doesn't budge one bit, never has budged one bit."

With APEC starting very soon its only going to get more interesting.

Tim Cooke
Editor at Large

(Photo from Getty Images: Patrick Riviere)

AFL Players Boycott Channel Seven's Coverage.

Following the revalations that a Channel Seven journalist (Dylan Howard) bought confidential medical records from an unknown source the AFL Players Association has encouraged its members to boycott Channel Seven's coverage of the AFL (which include Friday Night Football & Sunday Football). Many AFL players have expressed their disgust at Dylan Howard & Seven News.

Channel Seven also named the player that Jason Akermanis was refering to in his collom in Melbourne's rag The Herald Sun.
AFL Chief Andrew Demetriou spoke on Melbourne sports radio station SEN about the players' anger and disgust towards Channel Seven on not just this incident, but also the publicity surrounding the Braun / Akermanis incident.

Demetriou is disgusted with the Seven Network for purchasing the medical records in the first place.
Demetriou also wants players to still attend this years Brownlow Medal ceremony (which is coverd by the Seven Network).

Channel Seven has had a hard time this year in relation to anything AFL related. Thier coverage of the Home & Away season has been criticized by all parts of the media, even Channel Seven its self.

Channel Seven better improve ten fold next season.

Tim Cooke
Editor at Large

(some infomation & image from www.australian-media.com.au)