Opposition “National Sit-in” Unleashes Fresh Wave of Violence, 4 Dead

by LUCAS KOERNER

venezuelanalysis.com | April 25, 2017

 

Caracas, April 25, 2017 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Four people were killed across Venezuela Monday in the latest round of violent anti-government protests convened by the opposition.

Protesters took to the streets to block roads and highways throughout the South American country in a “great national sit-in” organized by the right-wing opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD).

According to National Assembly Vice-President and hard-right Popular Will party leader Freddy Guevara, the goals of the mobilization were to “unmask the true face of the dictatorship” and “create ungovernability”. The opposition coalition called on its supporters to take to the streets indefinitely at the beginning of April in a bid to force early presidential elections among other demands.

Chavista Trade Unionist Kidnapped and Murdered in Venezuela

teleSUR | April 24, 2017

Chavista union leader Esmin Ramirez | Photo: Twitter / @EsminRamirez

Venezuela trade union leader, Esmin Ramirez, was killed Sunday in the state of Bolivar after being kidnapped in an act that people close to him claim was driven by political motives.

Local Venezuelan Socialist Party Leader Assassinated in Miranda State

by LUCAS KOERNER

venezuelanalysis.com | April 24, 2017

Grassroots leader Jacqueline Josefina Ortega, 48, was killed on Saturday April 22. (Aporrea)

Caracas, April 24, 2017 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan Authorities are investigating the assassination of a local United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) leader in Miranda state.

Venezuelan Social Leader Killed Near Opposition Barricade

teleSUR | April 25, 2017

Venezuelan opposition protesters set up a road block during an anti-government protest. | Photo: Alba Ciudad

Venezuelan social justice activist Efrain Sierra Quintero died on Tuesday after he was injured during protests on Monday, Tachira Governor Jose Vielma Mora reported, raising Monday’s death toll to five people.

THAAD equipment in S Korea: police and villagers clash as residents oppose deployment of the system

A Journal of People report

Police and villagers have clashed in a South Korean village as the people were resisting mobilization of the U.S. anti-missile Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in the village.

A Seongju, South Korea, April 26 datelined news-report by Yonhap said:

“Six trailers carrying the radar and other equipment for a U.S. THAAD missile defense battery entered the deployment site at a golf course in South Korea early Wednesday, sparking a clash between police and villagers.”

The report was headlined “THAAD equipment enters deployment site in S. Korea amid clash between police, residents”.

World Bank undermines right to universal healthcare

Commercial healthcare companies undermine the principles of universal healthcare system

by Jane Lethbridge, University of Greenwich

Brettonwoods Project | April 6, 2017

Medical supplies for Kenyan hospital, Credit:: SIM USA

Universal healthcare services funded through taxation and free at the point of access are the most effective ways of funding and delivering public health services. They provide a system of shared risk and universal coverage while the privatisation of healthcare services draws resources away from the public healthcare system. Studies have found little evidence that the private healthcare sector is more efficient or accountable than public systems.¹ Instead, public health expenditure in low and middle income countries have been found to produce better outcomes because higher levels of public healthcare funds are invested in healthcare infrastructure as compared to private healthcare investment.² Commercial healthcare companies also invariably seek to draw profitable middle and upper income patients from the public sector, thereby undermining the principles of a universal healthcare system.

Drylands will suffer if world reaches 2°C

By the end of the century, changes in evaporation rainfall patterns will extend drylands to 56% of the Earth’s surface

by Santosh Koirala

Climate News Network | April 25, 2017

The extension of subtropical drylands has implications for humans, plants and animals.
Image: Ollivier Girard for Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)

In what may be good news only for cactus, termites and drought-resistant grasses, subtropical dry areas are going to expand over large parts of the Earth as the climate warms.

This will seriously reduce the amount of land that can be used to grow crops for human consumption and prevent many deeper-rooted shrubs and trees from growing at all.

Pollution from Canada’s oil sands may be underreported

Volatile organic compounds emission rates from oil sands production were between 2 and 4.5 times the levels companies reported

by Bobby Magill

Climate Central |  April 24, 2017

A Suncor Energy oil sands plant near Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. Credit: Suncor/flickr

Canadian scientists have found that the standard way of tallying air and climate pollution from Alberta’s oil sands vastly understates pollution levels there — by as much as 4.5 times, according to a Canadian government study published Monday.

The study shows that air samples collected using aircraft may be a more accurate way to tally air and climate pollution from oil and gas production than using industry estimates.