Le Pen is defeated; the struggle for a new France continues

by Pierre Laurent

People’s World | May 08, 2017

Supporters of the French Communist Party march at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. | PCF

Pierre Laurent is the national secretary of the French Communist Party (PCF), the largest force in the “La France Insoumise” (France Unbowed) coalition that backed left-wing candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the first round of the country’s presidential election last month. After centrist independent Emmanuel Macron and far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen advanced to the second round run-off, the PCF called for broad unity to defeat Le Pen while also remaining critical of the austerity program pursued by Macron. The following article is an edited version of Laurent’s immediate commentary on Sunday’s result. It was originally published in L’Humanite newspaper earlier this morning.

PARIS – Yesterday evening, Marine Le Pen, the candidate from the far-right National Front was roundly defeated in France’s presidential election. 66.1 percent of French voters refused to elect a head of state who promotes ideas of hatred and division, a nationalist project that is racist and xenophobic, and public policy that is violently discriminatory and belligerent.

Road to Trump’s Climate Change Hell Paved by Obama and Clinton

Gerald Horne, Robert Pollin and Paul Jay discuss the debate within the Trump White House on whether to leave the Paris climate accords or just undermine them; and how this relates to the fight within the Democratic Party

The Real News Network | May 08, 2017

PAUL JAY: Welcome to The Real News Network. I’m Paul Jay in Baltimore.

According to the New York Times, there’s a big debate going on within the Trump White House. A debate is on one side, led by Steve Bannon and his allies, pull out of the Paris Climate Accords altogether. And on the other side of this debate is, “Let’s not pull out, but let’s make sure we actually don’t do very much.” In other words, “Can we stay within the Paris Accords?” this side argues, and that includes Secretary of State Tillerson, we are told.

This side says, “Well, we can stay in it, but we actually don’t have to do very much. In fact we can lower our pledge, and we will still be within the legality of the agreement.” Which is all kind of odd anyway, because the agreement’s non-binding. But one side argues, let’s keep the positioning looking not as bad, and the other side says let’s be honest and just get the heck out of it.

Climate crisis: Paris target may be smashed by 2026

A Journal of People report

Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) is likely to accelerate global warming, which may smash the agreed Paris target of 1.5°C by as early as 2026, finds a new research. And, the amount of dissolved oxygen contained in the water has been declining for more than 20 years, reveals another new research.

A research report from the University of New South Wales says:

Global temperatures could break through the 1.5°C barrier negotiated at the Paris conference as early as 2026 if a slow-moving, natural climate driver known as the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO) has, as suspected, moved into a positive phase. (University of New South Wales. “Paris 1.5°C target may be smashed by 2026: A change to a positive phase of the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation could see global warming accelerate rapidly.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 8 May 2017. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170508184929.htm>.)

Swath of States Experiencing Hottest Year to Date

by Andrea Thompson

Climate Central | May 8th, 2017

For a swath of states from New Mexico over to Florida and up to Ohio, 2017 has been the hottest year on record through April. For the Lower 48 as a whole, the year is the second warmest in records going back to 1895.

State temperature ranks for January through April 2017. Red states were record warm for the year to date.  Credit: NOAA

Several states in the mid-Atlantic had their hottest April on record and a few Southeastern states were near-record warm, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data released Monday.

Report: World Bank fuels land grabs in Africa

Pambazuka News | May 04, 2017

Source: Food Ingredients First

The report, Unjust Enrichment: How the IFC Profits from Land Grabbing in Africa, was released today by Inclusive Development International, Bank Information Center, Accountability Counsel, Urgewald and the Oakland Institute.

“Pouring money into commercial banks that are driven only by profit motivations is not the way to foster sustainable development,” said Marc Ona Essangui, Executive Director of Brainforest and winner of the Goldman environmental prize in 2009.  “In Gabon, this development model has instead enabled a massive expansion of industrial palm oil, which threatens our food security and the ecological balance of Congo Basin’s ancient rainforests.”

Exposing the profiteers of globalisation, disaster, conflict and detention

Book: Disaster capitalism: Making a killing out of catastrophe

Author: Antony Loewenstein

ISBN: 978-1784781156

Publisher: Verso, 2015, AUD 26.95*

*Book price at time of review

Review Title: Exposing the profiteers of globalisation, disaster, conflict and detention

Reviewer: Jason K. von Meding

Affiliation: School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Newcastle, Australia

In Disaster capitalism: Making a killing out of catastrophe, acclaimed Australian journalist Antony Loewenstein turns his passion for justice to deliver a stunning critique of the thriving disaster capitalism industry, in its many forms; the profiteers of privatised detention, militarised security, the aid industry and multinational mining are relentlessly skewered with style and poise, and their predatory tactics exposed.