PLANET IN PERIL

CBC News  A Vancouver-based mining company that struck gold in the small East African country of Eritrea is being accused in a B.C. lawsuit of permitting forced labour to be used in the construction of its mine. Story here.

Sum    Of + Us Children are being rushed to the hospital with irreversible brain damage. The federal government has declared a state of emergency, and dangerous water contamination is causing residents to go blind, develop skin lesions, lose hair and even their memory -- just from bathing in their own homes. PLEASE SIGN!

NATIONAL OBSERVER Canada’s latest biennial climate change accountability report came out this morning, projecting increases in greenhouse gas emissions. Story here.

NATIONAL OBSERVER Rex Murphy caricature courtesy  of By the Bay Art Studio Climate change denier Rex Murphy took to the CBC Wednesday not so much to eulogize Calgary and its economic woes as to slap down anyone opposed to fossil fuel development. More here .

Georges Monbiot I am starting to hate the European Union. But I will vote to stay in. Story here.  

Manitoba Co-Operator PinP photo. Producers across the Prairies need to manage to minimize their risk of fusarium, a serious and costly disease of cereal crops. Story here. RELATED: "Field of Nightmares." 

NATIONAL OBSERVER Canada’s late biennial climate change accountability report came out this morning, projecting increases in greenhouse gas emissions. More here.

Take this, David CameronQ

UN News Centre Upholding women’s human rights is essential if the response to the Zika health emergency is to be effective, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said today, following the advice to women by some governments to delay getting pregnant due to the possible link between the virus and neurological disorders affecting newborns. Story here.

bilaterals .org Rice has been at the centre of Japan’s economy and culture for centuries. But changes are afoot. There is growing concern among Japanese farmers that the country’s rice-producing capabilities are diminishing in the face of international trade pacts such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. In fact, all local agriculture is in the spotlight as pressure mounts to increase local imports of overseas produce. Details here.

While the Trudeau government has gone ahead and signed the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, there remains many uncertainties about what's in store for Canada. The Harper government first negotiated this deal in secret.  Now we have the Liberals agreeing to a deal that can 't be renegotiated!  Any concerns or changes raised in future consultations won't matter. We do know that the TPP will: