Daily Archives: September 2, 2008

Congo, Environment

Africans in the Dark over the Congo River project

NewsFromAfrica

23 April 2008 – Terri Hathaway (International Rivers, Africa Campaigner)

A lucrative hydropower scheme proposed for the Congo River has become Africa’s next great scramble. Led by the World Energy Council, major industries, banks, and governments met in London this week to seek their piece of the US$80 billion Grand Inga project – the world’s largest hydropower installation. The scheme is being promoted as a development venture to electrify the African continent, where two in every three people now lack access to electricity. Nearly a hundred officials and big money interests discussed how to profit from one of Congo’s great natural resources, but Congolese officials disappeared shortly after the meeting commenced with no explanation to organizers. Worse, organizers had refused to invite Congolese civil society and area communities, leaving no voice to defend the country’s interest. Continue reading Africans in the Dark over the Congo River project →

Church, Environment

Hundreds of nuns and monks march on Parliament to call on UK to kick carbon habit

Independent Catholic News
Hundreds of nuns, monks and clergy descended on Westminster yesterday, today to demand that MPs strengthen the Climate Change Bill and ‘kick the carbon habit’ for the sake of the poorest in the world.

Those in developing countries are the first to experience the devastating impacts of climate change – despite contributing to it the least. In its current form, the Climate Change Bill ignores the latest scientific evidence and key recommendations from all three parliamentary committees that reviewed the draft bill and recently the United Nations Development Programme also warned that the Bill needed improving as its targets were not ambitious enough. Continue reading Hundreds of nuns and monks march on Parliament to call on UK to kick carbon habit →

Economic Justice, Latin America, Migration

U.S. Woes, Anti-Immigrant Moves Hit Latin America

By Abid Aslam

WASHINGTON, May 13 (IPS) – Economic woes and hostility against immigrants in the United States are having a financial impact thousands of miles away, in the communities to which migrant workers send their hard-earned savings.

In particular, fewer Latin American immigrants are sending money to their homelands on a regular basis, the Inter-American Development Bank’s Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) has found. Continue reading U.S. Woes, Anti-Immigrant Moves Hit Latin America →

Latin America

The Return of the Fourth Fleet

Venzualenanalysis.com
May 10th 2008, by BBC

The U.S.S. George Washington is currently in Brazilian waters carrying out military exercises.

After 58 years, the United States Navy will reactivate the Fourth Fleet, which will be in charge of patrolling Latin American waters.

The fleet had been deactivated following the end of the Second World War, but starting July 1st of this year, U.S. naval forces will have a high level command specifically dedicated to supervising the projects of its units in Latin America and the Caribbean.

A U.S. military spokesperson pointed out to the BBC that this does not imply in itself an increase in U.S. military presence in the region. Continue reading The Return of the Fourth Fleet →

Peace

40,000 people marched to the Republican National Convention to say ‘US Out of Iraq Now

Dear Friend of United for Peace and Justice,

Yesterday, on a hot and humid day in St. Paul, Minnesota, upwards of 40,000 people marched to the front door of the Republican National Convention to say ‘US Out of Iraq Now’, ‘Money for Human Needs, Not War’; ‘No to the Republican Agenda’; ‘Yes to Peace, Justice, and Equality’.

Like most major marches, no one knew for certain how many people would turn out for the March on the RNC. The media coverage of the long struggle with local officials for permit rights had, in the end, helped organizers get the word out throughout the Twin Cities area for the march. Groups all around the upper Midwest organized buses, vans, and carpools to bring people into town. It was clear that this was an opportunity not to be missed. As the Republican Party was beginning its four-day gathering to nominate John McCain as their presidential candidate, we would be on the streets to raise a clear strong voice addressing the war and a range of other issues. Continue reading 40,000 people marched to the Republican National Convention to say ‘US Out of Iraq Now →

Economic Justice, Environment

World Bank Carbon Plan ‘A Protection Racket’

OneWorld UK

Carbon credits are a key component of national and international emissions trading schemes that have been implemented to mitigate global warming. They provide a way to reduce greenhouse effect emissions on an industrial scale by capping total annual emissions and letting the market assign a monetary value to any shortfall through trading. Credits can be exchanged between businesses or bought and sold in international markets at the prevailing market price. Credits can be used to finance carbon reduction schemes between trading partners and around the world. Continue reading World Bank Carbon Plan ‘A Protection Racket’ →

Economic Justice, Food Security, Latin America

Food Crisis Reverses Middle Class Trend in Latin America

New America Media

The food crisis in Latin America is eroding the spending power of the new middle class, and with it, their optimism in the future of the region’s economy. In Latin America, the global food crisis has done more than just trigger protests and force governments to scramble for stopgap solutions. The crisis has begun to reverse the most positive regional trend of recent years: the decline of poverty and the nascent emergence of a new middle class. Continue reading Food Crisis Reverses Middle Class Trend in Latin America →

Economic Justice, Food Security, Haiti

Multinationals make billions in profit out of growing global food crisis

The Independent

Speculators blamed for driving up price of basic foods as 100 million face severe hunger. Monsanto reported net income for the three months up to the end of February this year had more than doubled. Cargill’s net earnings soared by 86 per cent and Archer Daniels Midland increased its net earnings by 42 per cent. Continue reading Multinationals make billions in profit out of growing global food crisis →