Judge upheld rights of Lucas Heights anti nuclear activists
..Conscientious protestors and activists should not expect immunity from the laws they break….. But in some cases, society’s interest in seeing its laws challenged and broken is greater than its interest in seeing them enforced...the judge dismissed the charges without conviction..….In some cases, as the courts recognise, breaking the law is rightly not illegal.
Is breaking the law always illegal? | Greenpeace International, by Daniel Simons – January 11, 2011 Early in the morning of 17 December 2001, a group of intruders penetrated the area inside the perimeter fence surrounding the Lucas Heights nuclear plant, Australia’s only reactor. Continue reading
Germany would NOT join USA attack on Iran’s nukes
“We are definitely not going to participate in a military action” to scuttle Iran’s suspected nuclear bomb program,
Germany Wouldn’t Join Military Action to Halt Iran Nuclear Aims, Bloomberg, By Indira A.R. Lakshmanan – Jan 13, 2011 Germany wouldn’t join in a military strike to halt Iran’s suspected nuclear weapons program even if the U.S. determined that such action was required, Germany’s deputy foreign minister, Werner Hoyer, said today. Continue reading
Australia would support USA attacks in Middle East
Afghanistan to remain our biggest worry | The DailyTelegraphIan McPhedranJanuary 11, 2011 THE campaign in Afghanistan will dominate the military landscape this year as Australia and the other 44 nations involved in the international force struggle to develop a workable exit strategy from the eight-year conflict…. Continue reading
Iran not likely to build nuclear bomb any time soon
U.S. agencies believe Iran’s nuclear efforts have slowed By Mark Hosenbal, Jan 12, 2011 WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. intelligence agencies believe Iranian leaders have not yet decided to build a nuclear bomb, and some officials say recent problems affecting Tehran’s nuclear equipment and personnel have set back Iran’s nuclear program by two years or more. Continue reading
Victoria starts off an Australia-wide movement to community-owned wind farms
In the United Kingdom and Europe, community-owned projects are commonplace. Denmark alone has over 200,000 investors owning more than 5,500 turbines.
Communities embark on clean energy path — EcoGeneration — January/February 2011 Construction has commenced at Australia’s first community-owned wind farm in Victoria. Going first has meant a long, hard road for the team behind the project, but now many other communities around Australia are asking how it was done. Embark’s Alicia Webb reports. Continue reading
2,500 Indian schoolchildren protest against Jaitapur nuclear power plant
Last week, district officials visited schools and asked teachers to promote the project among pupils.
Indian schoolchildren ‘boycott’ over nuclear plan, Google hosted news, (AFP) –12 Jan 2011, MUMBAI — Pupils from 70 schools in the Indian state of Maharashtra have boycotted classes after teachers tried to persuade them to support plans for a local nuclear power station, media reported on Tuesday. Continue reading
May Wikileaks sue the hell out of Visa and Mastercard
I hope Wikileaks sues the hell out of Mastercard and Visa and anyone else who has determined Wikileaks is guilty even before charges have been laid, much less proven. I blame it on ridiculous American patriotism: Our [Australian] govt, which we all hate anyway, is under assault from some over-sexed foreigner so let’s close ranks. I hope the credit card companies pay a big price for that! Land of free speech indeed — as long as no one is talking about me! M T Pockets , Sydney Morning Herald, – January 11, 201
Mastercard and Visa help govt efforts to suppress Wikileaks
these credit companies have a monopoly on the credit card business – so while Visa and MasterCard can “boycott” WikiLeaks their customers don’t have the same freedom.
What price is free speech?, Sydney Morning Herald, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, January 11, 2011 “……..supporting free speech and the protection of whistle-blowers: priceless! As the US and Australian governments got grumpy about their dirty laundry being aired by leaked cables to WikiLeaks, MasterCard and Visa last month chose to block their cardholders from donating money to the whistle-blowing organisation.
A spokesman for MasterCard, Chris Monteiro, was quoted as saying the company’s website suspended dealings with WikiLeaks because “MasterCard rules prohibit customers from directly or indirectly engaging in or facilitating any action that is illegal”. Continue reading
France’s bad example on uranium mining tailings waste
Some examples from France (where about 50 million tons of tailings are stored) and Niger are given below……When the mines are shut down, the radioactive waste remains, and it seems that the costs for managing this radioactive legacy will have to be largely supported by the society, not the companies.
W.A. govt ready to over-ride Aboriginal landowners’ rights
The rightful traditional owners have been promised a generous benefits package whether the project proceeds with their consent or not.
Another native title claim over gas hub land – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) 12 Jan 2011, A third over-lapping native title claim has been lodged over the land chosen for the $30 billion gas hub in Western Australia’s Kimberley. Continue reading
America’s white elephant nuclear waste commission hits the road
Environmental activists like Peggy Guy held up signs and wore hats that had a clear message for the Blue Ribbon Commission..
.”Stop Making Nuclear Waste”.Guy: “Welcome to the nuclear heartland. You get to the share the roads possibly with thousands of trucks carrying radioactive waste to SRS.”
Nuclear Waste Debate Hits Very Close To Home WJBF–TV, 8 Jan 2011, Augusta, GA –-A national panel is in Augusta to find out what to do with nuclear waste. Friday, the Blue Ribbon Commission got input from politicians, advocates and environmentalists. Continue reading
Antinuclear 