Activists say Mexican president Pena-Nieto must be held accountable for
activist’s murders and torture during his governorship seven years ago … Read More
Activists Demand Mexican President Be Held Responsible for Deaths of Protesters
Occupy No Longer in Headlines But Activism Continues Nationwide
David Swanson: Activists succeeding in turning public opinion against drone strikes; other forms of actions on the rise … Read More
Egyptian abattoirs in cattle cruelty scandal
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Nigel Farage Under Pressure in Scotland
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‘Monsanto Protection Act’ might be repealed in Senate
According to the Huffington Post, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) plans to introduce an amendment in Washington that would repeal Section 735 from the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013, a provision that has put St. Louis, Missouri-based Monsanto in the sights of environmentalists around the world.Deep within the nearly 600-page spending bill, Section 735 includes language that lets biotech companies that experiment with genetically-engineered and genetically-modified crops test and sell lab-made products even if legal action is taken against them.“The provision would strip federal courts of the authority to halt the sale and planting of an illegal, potentially hazardous GE crop while the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) assesses those potential hazards,” dozens of farmers wrote the House of Representatives before the bill was passed in March. “Further, it would compel USDA to allow continued planting of that same crop upon request, even if in the course of its assessment the Department finds that it poses previously unrecognized risks.”But despite pleas from agriculturalists around the world, both the Senate and House approved the spending bill — with Section 735 in tow — and the act was signed into law just days later by US President Barack Obama.Since being passed in late March, the spending bill has attracted immense criticism from all different sectors, including small-time farmers, Tea Party activists and even members of Congress. According to Huffington Post, however, Sen. Merkley is expected to be the first lawmaker in Washington to walk into the Capitol with a plan to repeal the amendment. HuffPo reported on Thursday that Merkley is planning to introduce an amendment on a separate farm bill going up to vote shortly that will reverse the so-called ‘Protection Act.’Should the prediction prove correct, it would suggest a change of heart for Sen. Merkley. According to the Vote Smart Project, Merkley was one of 73 senators that voted in favor of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act when it went up for vote on March 22. Only 26 senators voted ‘nay’ during that hearing, and the House approved it shortly thereafter.Monsanto has called Section 735 “a positive step to ensure US farmers and our food chain are shielded from supply disruptions caused by litigation over procedural issues unrelated to sound science or the safety of biotech crops.” Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) told Politico earlier this year that he co-authored the language of the amendment along with Monsanto. Previously, Blunt received $64,250 from Monsanto to go towards his campaign committee between 2008 and 2012.Demonstrations are scheduled in 36 countries on six continents later this month for anti-Monsanto activists to come together and protest the company. Speaking to Bloomberg this week, Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant said his critics exercise a “strange kind of reverse elitism” fueled by social media campaigns to condemn his company.“Most of the people that become motivated to engage the political issues have become convinced that going down the road of genetically engineered foods is not the way to meet the needs of a food insecure population,” Grant said. “There is space in the supermarket shelf for all of us.” … Read More
Moscow again bans ‘gay pride’ parade
“We are sending official refusals for all the submitted applications,” the head of the department of regional security Alexey Mayorov told Interfax news agency on Wednesday. He explained that by “compliance with ethics” required by law alongside the need for “developing patriotism among the younger generation.”Earlier this year, Mayorov said that from the point of view of the city administration, there is no need for such events in the city.The rally organizer Nikolay Alekseev initially planned to hold the event in the form of a march on Myasnitskaya street and a rally in front of the Bolshoi Theater in central Moscow. Later, gay activists applied for a picket in the Sokolniki Park, which is a newly designated venue for popular political events under the capital’s ‘Hyde Parks’ initiative.The administration of the park in their turn has notified Alekseev that they also turned down their application. The officials said that on May 25 and 26 the park will be hosting celebrations for kids marking the end of school year in Russia.“In this regard, the conduct of political activities during this period in the park is inadvisable” said the administration according to the activists. So-called ‘Hyde Parks’ can deny an application if there are conflicting interests.But activists are sure that their rights have been violated, as the administration of the Sokolniki park, in case of refusal, should provide the nearest available time and notify the activists, which the administration reportedly failed to do. The organizer Alekseev intends to sue the officials.”Moscow ‘gay-pride’ showed the absurdity of the idea of a ‘Hyde Park ‘, which authorities initially created to give people an opportunity of free expression. As it turns out not all citizens can express themselves,” said Alekseev.Organizers reapplied intending to hold a rally on May 27, “when Russia will mark the 20th anniversary of the decriminalization of homosexuality.” In turn the deputy director of the park Sokolniki Aleksandr Lebedev said that the park administration will consider the application. Thought he noted that due to mass festivities of school graduates the move to hold a rally during that period is “impractical.”Moscow authorities have selected two city parks in the Russian capital for holding rallies and political debates – Gorky Park in the city center, and Sokolniki in the southeast. Starting with early January, anyone seeking to arrange a rally must inform the park’s management several days before the event. Russian media have dubbed the areas Moscow’s ‘Hyde Parks,’ referring to the London park where anyone can freely express themselves at ‘Speakers’ Corner.’ The parks can host up to two thousand people, but are not suitable for massive rallies, which will still require a special permit from Moscow authorities. … Read More
Activist calls for ‘Pure Food Movement’ among GMO fears
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