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From The Guardian:
The more you know about the odious Trans-Pacific Partnership, the less you’ll like it. It’s made for corporate intellectual property and profits
No clearer demonstration of the real White House view is offered than a just-leaked draft of an international treaty that would, as many had feared, create draconian new rights for corporate “owners” and mean vastly fewer rights for the rest of us.
I’m talking about the appalling Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, a partial draft of which WikiLeaks has just released. This treaty has been negotiated in secret meetings dominated by governments and corporations. You and I have been systematically excluded, and once you learn what they’re doing, you can see why.
Read more at The Guardian
The proportion of vessel capacity operating from Asia to ECNA via the Suez Canal increased from around a third between October 2010 and October 2012 up to 42% in October 2013, with the Panama Canal’s share conversely falling from two third’s to 58%. Source: Drewry Maritime Research
The further postponement to the opening of the Panama Canal’s enlarged locks from mid-2015 to end 2015 will be welcomed by the Suez Canal Authority. It has already persuaded several ocean carriers operating on the arterial route between Asia and the East Coast of North America (ECNA) to change allegiance this year, and now has more time to persuade others to follow suite.
More at Maritime Executive
Excerpts from National Public Radio:
ILWU Local 19 loading grain ship at the Port of Seattle’s Terminal 86. Port of Seattle photo by Don Wilson.Over the past quarter-century, the Merchant Marine has hit one obstacle after another. Rising labor costs in the U.S. made U.S. mariners less competitive and environmental laws raised the cost for U.S.-flagged ships.
Now, a proposed change in the U.S. food aid programs threatens to further reduce funding. Currently, the U.S. government buys millions of dollars of food here in the U.S. and ships it abroad on American vessels.
Chris Barrett, who researches economics at Cornell University, says the proposed change would allow the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to shop locally for food aid. It would be able to purchase up to 45 percent of food aid for developing countries in local markets. That would essentially divert purchases from the American market. And less food coming directly from the U.S. would mean less shipping for the Merchant Marines.
Hear the full story at National Public Radio
Source: Huffington Post
Source: Omaha World Herald-AP
Source: In These Times
Source: In These Times
Source: In These Times
Source: In These Times
Source: NBC
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