30/November/20

 

Those looking for a credible independent investigation into the origins of the current pandemic, including whether the SARS-CoV-2 virus leaked from a lab, have expressed dismay at the WHO and the Lancet Commission’s announcements of their teams of investigators and the WHO investigation’s terms of reference. The investigators are conflicted, biased and/or China-approved, and the possibility that the virus originated from a lab will not be looked at. In sum, an independent and credible investigation will not be achieved. GMWatch

 

 

More than 80% of the area planted to GM crops in the US has been planted with herbicide-resistant crops, the most common being glyphosate-resistant. The intensive use of glyphosate has resulted in the evolution of resistance by some 48 weed species in the US, one of the most problematic being Amaranthus palmeri (Palmer amaranth). The US is the largest source to Japan of corn, soybean, and cotton crops genetically modified to be glyphosate-resistant. A study detected A. palmeri resistant to glyphosate at Japanese ports. The plants collected from the ports were genetically similar to the US plants. Because GM plants have not been commercially cultivated in Japan, their feral occurrence is evidence of spillage during transport of GM grain commodities. Third World Network

 

 

Currently the UK parliament has no meaningful say over trade deals - it does not even get a vote on them. Without democracy, trade deals have become a blank cheque to slash standards, entrench privatisation and privilege a corporate agenda. The Trade Bill going through parliament could change this. It is currently in the Lords and Labour and the Lib Dems have put down an amendment that could give parliament a vote and the right to meaningful information on what is on the table in negotiations. Email the leaders of the political parties in the Lords now to tell them how important this amendment is and ask them to vote in favour. Global Justice Now