Politics

After yesterday's presidential run-off round, the leader of Austria's anti-immigration, right-wing party, Norbert Hofer held a comfortable lead based on votes from the ground, with Hofer leading the independent, pro-EU candidate Van der Bellen by 51.9% to 48.1%, according to interior ministry data. However, in the end it all came down to the postal votes, and as BBC reports, the Green Party leader, Alexander Van der Bellen has won Austria's presidential election, preventing Norbert Hofer from becoming the EU's first far-right head of state, the BBC has been told.

In the wake of French president Francois Hollande using an obscure article of the constitution in order to bypass parliament and force through labor reforms that are viewed as unfavorable to workers, protests have been ongoing in the country.

Now, French refinery workers have launched a strike to hit the government where it hurts the most. Protesters have blocked deliveries to gas stations from at least half of France's eight refineries, and workers at three Total refineries have voted to halt all output by Tuesday according to France 24.

Amnesty International have found banned British manufactured cluster bombs in a Yemeni village which was targeted in Saudi-led coalition airstrikes. This has lead to calls for the UK to come clean on its weapon sales and military support to Saudi Arabia. In a statement on Monday, the UK-based rights group said that  unexploded cluster bombs have turned northern Yemen into “minefields” for civilians. RT reports: The unexploded BL-755 cluster bomb is designed to be dropped from the UK-made Tornado aircraft used by the Saudi Air Force.

• Global stocks see-saw, yields slip as investors get week off to cautious start (Reuters)
• Bayer defies critics with $62 billion Monsanto offer (Reuters)
• Iran has no plans to freeze oil exports, official says ahead of OPEC meeting (Reuters)
• U.S. lifts arms ban on old foe Vietnam as regional tensions simmer (Reuters)
• Anthem, Cigna Privately Bicker as They Seek Merger Approval (WSJ)
• Fed's Bullard sees tight US labor market putting upward pressure on inflation (Reuters)
• A Mystery Deal in Canada Throws Spotlight on Anbang (WSJ)

Americans: A Conquered People: The New Serfs

Paul Craig Roberts

As readers know, I have seen some optimism in voters support for Trump and Sanders as neither are members of the corrupt Republican and Democratic political establishments. Members of both political establishments enrich themselves by betraying the American people and serving only the interest of the One Percent. The American people are being driven into the ground purely for the sake of more mega-billions for a handful of super-rich people.