The justice minister said East Timorese independence leader Xanana Gusmao should be freed to allow him to make a greater contribution to the peace process. But the minister, Muladi, indicated that his remarks reflected his own opinion, and not necessarily the government's. The demonstration was the largest seen in the capital since the 1989 student-led Tiananmen Square protest. News reports said Wu had quit in protest at Premier Zhu Rongji's failure to consult him over concessions offered to the U.S. as part of China's bid to join the World Trade Organization. The contract with Sandline led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Julius Chan.
Exact dates have yet to be set.
When . . . Hundreds of pig farmers protested in Kuala Lumpur over the government's handling of a viral epidemic that has claimed over 100 lives and severely damaged the pig industry. The protest came as experts warned that the Nipah virus could spread to other countries. If found guilty, the former deputy prime minister faces a mandatory flogging and a jail term of up to 20 years. He is already serving a six-year sentence.