Today: some dream of Australia as an international nuclear waste dump – the ultimate in colonial degradation
Right now, the Boris Johnson crowd in Britain, and the Emmanuel Macron crowd in France are enthusiastically thumping the tub for the mythical ”New Nuclear”, and for prolonging the operation of their creaky old nuclear reactors way beyond their proper use-by date.
Their whole plan is super expensive, and also pretty much irrelevant to climate action, seeing that new nuclear reactors take decades to become operatiinal.
But it’s not just the cost that’s so unwise, so imprudent.
It’s the waste problem. Both governments have a nonchalant attitude to that
Manwhile, back in this colony, the nuclear fans, which include Keith Pitt, the Minister for Resources, and sundry other politicians, keep pushing for a ”temporary” nuclear waste dump at Kimba, South Australia. (Other quieter players push for one in WEatern Australia,)
It looks to me as though the old nightmare of Pangea still lives in Australia – the transforming of this colony into a colonial nuclear waste dump. Australians need to be aware that this plan – to benefit a few greedy grasping Australian entrepreneurs and sycophantic politicians, could be seen as a convenient solution for our international ”betters”.
Today: Hypersonic missiles for Australia. We sure will be in danger now – another nuclear target, like Pine Gap.
Australia’s ruling party Liberal-National Coalition, and Australia’s pale copy of it, the Labor Party in opposotion – all seem happy to keep Australia’s fine tradition of Deputy Sheriff to the militaristic American empire.
Well, we already do form some sort of a sacrifice zone for the USA in time of war. I’m pretty sure that the last Australian government that had the guts to resist this was quickly removed – surely under the indfluence of the USA – Gough Whiltlam’s effort to prevent Pine Gap military spy centre.
Now Australia has cemented itself as a USA patsy – with AUKUS, nuclear submarines, and now the plan for hypersonic missiles based here. No earthly use for Australia’s own defence, but a helpful target place to put USA’s military paraphernaia, – for which we will pay – to add to the $171 billion that the nuclear submarines will cost us.
Today. Non-nuclear production of medical radioisotopes Time to think about closing down Lucas Heights nuclear reactor?
With the federal government funding a new cyclotron, Australia might now be moving with the times, away from the dirry dangerous nuclear industry, and towards the modern, and much more practical, way of supplying medical isotopes. Cyclotron production means very minimal radioactive wastes, a welcome development, as ANSTO does not know what to do with its existing store of wastes, let alone with future production.
Nuclear news – quiet in Australia? Tense worldwide
Some bits of good news:Photos show increasing numbers of rare one-horned rhinos in Indian national parkBritain’s butterflies bolstered by conservation efforts. Indigenous rangers program doubles with $636 million boost . Back from the brink: Tiny bush carnivore gets a new lease on life. Ancient rock art site returned to Aboriginal owners — and they’re keen to share it, on their own terms.
On the nuclear and military scene – what a mess ! Yes, the Russian invasion is illegal and wrong. And yes, atrocities are being committed, and the Ukrainian people are suffering terribly. But, I hope that people are becoming aware of the very carefully managed anglophone media coverage, which is emphasising human emotional stories, while not really covering the progress of the war, nor the USA resistance to peace talks.. No other invasion, such as those in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, has been media-manipulated in this way.
Meanwhile – inexplicably, Western governments are pushing for new nuclear reactors at the very time when Ukraine is demonstrating how terribly dangerous they are!
AUSTRALIA.
Julian Assange’s family tirelessly advocate for his freedom.
NUCLEAR/URANIUM Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency Key explanatory ARPANSA quotes on nuclear waste management in Australia.. Under the shadow of Fukushima and Juukan Gorge: Deep Yellow uranium takeover poses deep risks at Mulga Rock. Conservationists in bid to kill WA’s last uranium project. It’s been three years, but tourism operators say there’s no sign of $276m promised for Kakadu National Park
Australia’s Parliament has little control over military matters, and Prime Ministers kow tow to USA and the White Anglosphere to go to war. Weapons corporations infiltrate our schools and charities, promoting war-mongering to our youth. NATO Enhanced Opportunities Partner Australia to deliver armored vehicles to Ukraine — Anti-bellum.
CLIMATE. “Perverse:” Australian fossil fuel subsidies will top $22,000 a minute this year. Senate again blocks Angus Taylor’s bid to redirect ARENA funds to Carbon Capture Storage projects. Australia gets a fail-grade for climate action, falls behind G20 peers. Morrison Government’s climate record deemed ‘a catastrophic failure’: one in four Australians give zero rating.
INTERNATIONAL
The information war that precedes and complements kinetic war — Anti-bellum . Ukraine: Transfer of Power Balance from West to East.
. Chernobyl: radiation sickness in soldiers, theft of radioactive materials, wildfires – a frightening case of the multiple dangers of nuclear power. Ukraine Negotiations: No Fly Zone, Nukes, Neutrality, and Disarmament. Chris Hedges On Ukraine, Russia & NATO Urgent need to bring about new arms control agreements. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_I6ZkPi6NSI
Depicting Putin as ‘Madman’ Eliminates Need for Diplomacy. What is the current nuclear arms pact between Russia and the US? The Red Scare, Viewpoint by Alice Slater. Frenzy for selling bunkers, but they might not be much use, really. How would a nuclear winter impact food production?
Coastal communities across the world already feeling the impacts of climate change. Climate crisis worsened by population and economic growth. Nuclear on the ”frontline of climate change” – and not in a good way!
War in Ukraine has produced a new energy crisis. Energy efficiency is the fastest way to address this..
ANTARCTICA. Scientists caught off guard by massive ice shelf collapse in ‘coldest, driest’ part of Antarctica Hotter Antarctic summers posing increasing threat to stability of world’s largest ice sheet.
UKRAINE. Media coverage of the nuclear dangers in Ukraine often poorly informed and downplayed due to the influence of the pro nuclear lobby. Ukraine, Poland discuss NATO “peacekeeping” force in Ukraine — Anti-bellum. Russian troops pull out out of Chernobyl after suffering ”acute radiation sickness”. Wide reporting on Russian soldiers affected by radiation, leaving Chernobyl. Anxieties at Varash nuclear power station, and other ones in Ukraine – ”town smells of fear.”.
Nuclear catastrophe threatened, as fires sweep through forests towards Chernobyl site. 7 wildfires in Chernobyl Exclusion zone exceed Ukraine’s emergency classification tenfold. Head of IAEA to visit Chernobyl, as Russians withdraw from the site. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense warns on radioactivity danger from the Chernobyl Excusion Zone. UN nuclear watchdog chief in Ukraine for safety talks. U.S. ambassador incites Georgians to confront Russia — Anti-bellum.
Today: What’s Scott Morrison doing and not doing with our tax money?
Morrison’s Budget increaes spending on Aged care by $522 million. Big deal !
Morrison spends on climate action – well, nothing, really. No deal !
Morrison promises – open cheque for nuclear submarines when deal finalised – could be $171 billion.
Australia has a crisis in aged care, with the system being run almost entirely on a for profit basis.
Australia has a climate crisis, with large swathes of the East coast afflicted by repeated record floods.
Morrison is governing in the interests of multinational corporations. not us.
Today’s thought: Australia, Liberal and Labor, mindlessly toes the USA propaganda line
Christina Macpherson 1 April 22, UKraine President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Australian Parliament – to enthusiastic applause, a standing ovation. Fair enough. He’s a brave guy, with a good cause.
Did any of those donkeys in the Parliament understand that Zelensky has been trying to negotiate a peace deal with Russia? A dea lthat would involve Ukraine NOT joining NATO, and would involve fair treatment and some autonomy for the ethnic Russian areas in the Donbas, and recognition of Crimea as part of Russia. (nb. Crimea was not ”annexed” by Russia. They overwhelmingly voted to join Russia).
Do Australia’s sycophantic politicians understand that Joe Biden refuses to join in those negotiations? Do they understand that this war could have been prevented by the USA? That this is another, more sophisticated version of the proxy wars that USA has been orchestrating for decades?
Anthony Albanese, spineless opponent of the Liberal’s blustering bully Scott Morrison, joined in the fervour, comparing Putin to Hitler. All agreed that Australia must send more weapons so Ukraine – must join USA in continuing its lucrative, preferably endless, fight against Russia – a fight to the last Ukrainian!
This week in nuclear news
Some bits of good news. Some welcome news, in UK Government support for energy saving. Some Good News About Corals and Climate Change The UK’s first hospital-owned solar farm shows how renewables could be a way out of reliance on fossil fuels.. The Good News About Renewable Energy.
I’ve read so much on the Ukraine crisis. For an overview of that situation, Charles Freeman, former USA diplomat, is the best source. His interview is long. ”USA fighting Russia to the last Ukrainian’‘. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vxufUeqnuc I think I’m the only one to transcribe it. (that took me hours!). But I recommend that you persist with it. It is worth 100 other commentaries on Ukraine.
AUSTRALIA.
Scott Morrison has no plan for the economic growth that would be needed to pay for all his touted ”Defence – Security” stuff. Australian Nuclear Free Alliance (ANFA) statement March 2022. Friends of the Earth Australia’s Submission to Environment Minister calls out the dishonesty in the proposal for a national nuclear waste dump at Kimba, South Australia. Australian Radioactive Waste Agency – a couple of English nuclear waste officials conning the Australian public?
Thousands of hectares approved for projects that made koalas homeless.
Wilful ignorance . Blaming war and deadly floods on climate change activists .
‘Our dams are full’: northern NSW and south-east Queensland again brace for floods as heavy rain looms. Fears for more ’life-threatening’ floods in NSW. True impact of floods on animal populations remains unknown
‘We’d never touch it if we knew’: Farmer locked in carbon credit scheme backs inquiry into ‘rort’. Taylor’s office spent $1 billion on ‘sham’ carbon projects .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R8u11MDIjs Australian media – paid to distract you from the really important news – Michael West reports. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep2LConoNkg
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine war shows nuclear deterrence doesn’t work; we need disarmament — IPPNW peace and health blog. Dalai Lama, Other Nobel Winners Demand Explicit Vow Not to Use Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine. U.S. Peace Council Statement on Russia’s Military Intervention in Ukraine.
Zelensky ready to negotiate with Russia over NATO and Donbas sovereignty, but Biden won’t budge. More Evidence That The US Is Trying To Prolong This War– Caitlin Johnstone lays it bare.
We have a new energy crisis, and EFFICIENCY is the largest, cheapest, safest, cleanest and fastest way to address it.
Official cover-up by 7 governments of the cancer deaths of nuclear test veterans.
Western countries importing Russian uranium and nuclear supplies – WITH NO SANCTIONS.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to discuss climate mitigation efforts, including technology to remove CO2 from the atmosphere.
Climate change at the Poles. Temperatures hit ‘unthinkable’ highs at both of Earth’s poles on the weekend. Climate scientists are trying to find out why. Record-smashing heatwaves are hitting Antarctica and the Arctic simultaneously. Here’s what’s driving them, and how they’ll impact wildlife. Wildfires caused by global warming ‘are accelerating global warming’. In 20 years of studying how ecosystems absorb carbon, here’s why we’re worried about a tipping point of collapse. Fridays for Future school climate strikes resume across the world
Bitcoin miners want to recast themselves as eco-friendly
ANTARCTICA. Climate scientists alarmed at unprecedented heat at both the Antarctic and the Arctic. Record-smashing heatwaves are hitting Antarctica and the Arctic simultaneously. Here’s what’s driving them, and how they’ll impact wildlife. Antarctic heat – a horrifying reminder of the future with global heating. Gigantic Antarctic ice shelf collapses into the sea.
ARCTIC. Very low Arctic sea ice.
UKRAINE.
Forest fires erupt around Chernobyl nuclear plant. Chernobyl radiation monitors ‘not working‘. Chernobyl nuclear worker gives the inside story on the dire situation for the staff as Russians took over.
Ukraine war – the Nazi factor. What is the risk of a nuclear accident in Ukraine? Deal on Ukrainian nuclear safety to come ‘soon,’ says IAEA chief. Bellona explains Ukraine’s nuclear stations. International Atomic Energy Agency’s grave concern over safety of Ukraine’s nuclear reactors. IAEA concerned that Russia is shelling Ukrainian checkpoints in the city of Slavutych, near Chernobyl. The work of Ukraine-based European Institute of Chernobyl. So far, Zaporizhzhya’s nuclear reactors are being managed safely under Russian control . Warning on effect of Russian force’s attack on nuclear research facility.
Thought for the day -Australia joins in the joyous rebranding of nuclear power
Yay – today the Sydney Morning Herald goes for it, as author Lizette Chapman rejoices in the world’s richest people leading the way. The whole article looks like a beaut handout from the nuclear lobby.
In science fiction, it’d be hard to believe! But in the real world today – in the midst of a war crists, with nuclear sites threatened, they are rebranding nuclear power as a good idea!!! Come in – suckers !!!
Thought for the day- Antarctica is melting at a rapid pace – oblivious Australia doesn’t care!
As so often happens – there’s sort of a funny side to this. You must admire the skulduggery and marketing skills of our not-very-revered Prime Minister Scott Morrison – killing two birds with one stone. He’s using tax-payers’ money to boost the coal industry- sending coal to Ukraine, while making himself look good.
But – Morrison and his scurvy crew care not for Australia’s present nor future, as they happily embrace climate denial – and it’s not just them. It’s the whole damn country seems not to notice what’s happening in the Antarctic, and what that’s going to do to us!
Yes, I know that this page is supposed to be about nuclear issues….. but really !!!
This week: Australian nuclear news, and more
Some bits of good news: Giant Floating Solar Panel Flowers Replace Coal in Korea.
Most significant environmental deal since Paris’: UN agrees on landmark plastic pollution treaty. Solar Panels Built From Waste Crops Can Make Energy Without Direct Light. The ‘charismatic’ Mexican tequila fish has been saved from extinction
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I know that it’s all about Ukraine. BUT – is anybody noticing? – the global climate is weird- it’s getting hot at the Poles. In the total scheme of things – that process is going to matter more to the world, even than the Ukraine horror.
Meanwhile, inexplicably, governments are pushing futuristic not-yet -existing gee-whiz nuclear reactors to solve this climate problem, which is already upon us! A space alien, observing us, might have a laugh at that. And also laugh that, just as the Ukraine war is demonstrating the awful danger to nuclear reactors there, politicians are touting nuclear as the safest energy source.!
Oh, and by the way, – the pandemic is still happening.
AUSTRALIA.
Extradition of Julian Assange. REMEMBER – he’s an Australian citizen! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv5GDnApfqc
Nuclear.. South Australian Unions stand with Traditional Owners in rejecting nuclear waste dump. A genuine Environmental Impact Statement must thoroughly cover the plan for National Radioactive Waste Dump, including transport issues, and the alternative option.
Report to U.S. Congress on AUKUS agreement, allows Australia access to Highly Enriched Uranium and Plutonium. Australia’s ‘Historic’ Submarine Pact Enters 1st Phase; Will Become Only The 2nd Country With US Nuclear Propulsion Tech. Nuclear testing in Maralinga, sixty years on. HOW AUSTRALIA GOES TO WAR.
Defence Minister Peter Dutton off-target with claim Labor cut billions from defence.
Scott Morrison says coal power stations should ‘run as long as they possibly can’ Honest Australian Government explanation on the flood crisis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvFy2TuPDaw After the flood: Lismore’s future in doubt with 4000 homes uninhabitable. What does a ‘once-in-100-year’ weather event actually mean?
INTERNATIONAL
A “no-fly zone” does not becalm the skies. Veterans warn against no-fly zone in Ukraine: Examine Western propaganda critically. Putin’s ‘Peaceful Atom’ Apocalypse Draws Closer by the Minute. How Much Less Newsworthy Are Civilians in Other Conflicts?
Chris Hedges: Waltzing to Armageddon .
HELEN CALDICOTT: Russia’s war could spell worldwide nuclear disaster. International Committee of the Red Cross calls for States to join UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The $multibillion question. Will UKraine have to pay for all those foreign weapons?
“Russian Invasion of Ukraine Spotlights the Dangers of Nuclear Reactors in War,”
Why New Technology Is Making Nuclear Arms Control Harder.
Fears of nuclear war in Europe stoke demand for fancy bunkers.
What the nuclear industry and its supporters have to say about the economic viability of nuclear power.
ANTARCTICA. Record minimum amount of Antarctic sea ice. Temperatures in eastern Antarctica are 70 degrees warmer than usual.
ARCTIC. Exceptional warmth at North Pole https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nJczShXwaU
UKRAINE. Zelensky Says He’s ‘Cooled’ on Joining NATO, Ready for Talks With Russia on Crimea, Donbas. Shrouded in doubt: safety issues at Russian-occupied nuclear stations in Ukraine. Electric Power Restored to Ukraine’s Chernobyl Plant. Safety fears, as Chernobyl nuclear staff tired and stressed. Danger of radioactive disaster at Chernobyl and other nuclear sites, with exhausted staff, and risk of loss of remote control. Understanding the war in Ukraine. What next for Ukraine’s nuclear sites and Wylfa and Trawsfynydd?
Zelensky Announces Ban on 11 Political Parties-, although no evidence linking any to Russian government.
Nuclear news – week to 15 March
Some bits of good news – Climate-resilient coral species offer hope for the world’s reefs How China uses renewable energy to restore the desert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uv-Yw9MZFE Solar-Powered Desalination Device is a Game-Changer: Requires Only Cheap Common Materials and Sunlight.
I’m sorry, people, but they’re putting it over us big-time, on the root causes of the current Ukraine disaster.. This week, I am shocked at the propaganda blanketing all media . Universally we are brainwashed with the depiction of Putin as an evil madman, and of the need to buy ever more weaponry from the big USA, UK and German corporations. No – Putin is not a nice man, and Yes, the attack on Ukraine is illegal , cruel and wrong.
BUT – there is never a mention of genuine negotiation, which would accept Russia’s genuine cause to not be surrounded by NATO and its missiles, not have Ukraine as a NATO base. There is no consideration of the plight of ethnic Russians in the Donbass area, nor of the existence of the Nazi faction in the Ukrainian side And there’s the mindless repetition of lies about Crimea, where 87% turned out to make a 97% vote to rejoin Russia. President Biden is doing his best, I suppose, but can he hold out against the belligerent calls for an air war against Russia?
AUSTRALIA.
Nuclear. Australian First Nation’s take a stand for all nations — WA Nuclear Free Alliance
Morrison’s selected sites for nuclear submarine base were not the Defence Dept choices – and opposed by the local towns. $10b plan for nuclear submarine base under fire over timing, potential site. Sydney ruled out as nuclear submarine base – despite topping list of sites in Defence study. Nuclear subs base will put Port Kembla on the map … a big, fat targeting map Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells wants Port Kembla as nuclear submarine base – Dr Helen Caldicott and Wollongong Council disagree. Students, Maritime Union, strongly oppose proposal for nuclear submarine base at Port Kembla. Jellyfish would inevitably fore nuclear submarines into shutdown, if fleet based in Brisbane.
Directors net $3.7 million in selling off their Paladin Energy uranium shares, then uranium stocks plummet. Scott Morrison has been urged to act over fears Australian uranium could be used to fuel Russia’s nuclear arsenal.
One Two or Three Nuclear Waste Dumps for Australia? Huge cask of nuclear waste to be quietly transported to Sydney. Nuclear waste now returning to Sydney can be stored safely at Lucas Heights. Then we need to work on a permanent solution. Strong security measures for secret transport of nuclear waste from Port Kembla to Lucas Heights.
Climate. Australian government’s bungling incompetence over the record floods in Queensland and New South Wales. Morrison government blasted for ‘bungling’ eastern Australian flood disaster Prince of Wales links Australia’s floods to climate change in message of support When it comes to climate-induced disasters the Coalition wants to save for a rainy day – but it’s already pouring.
After the floods, the distressing but necessary case for managed retreat ‘Climate system on steroids’ reignites debate on where we should build homes The problem on the floodplain where we should not be building. There’s no sense in rebuilding homes on flood plains Experts warn ‘horse has bolted’ with floodplain developments, leaving communities at risk ‘Rain bomb’ set to cost Queensland billions.
INTERNATIONAL.
Julian Assange denied permission to appeal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFk7Gqfmih8 Lies leave the Assange case exposed – this is a political persecution.
Los Alamos Study Group outlines a clear solution to the Ukraine war. So many half-truths from Zelensky, and from the nuclear industry! The politics behind Ukraine’s alarming nuclear warnings. Western media trumpets blanket condemnation of Putin, without any consideration of the circumstances.
Ukrainians will pay the price in suffering for long drawn-out USA’s proxy war on behalf of wealthy corporations. Hypocritical cries of grief from weapons and other corporate businesses, as Western governments and media ramp up war fever.
Umm….. Are we the baddies?
Women leading the fight against climate change. New IPCC Report Calls for Adapting Today to Ensure Tomorrow’s Climate Security .
‘Limited’ Tactical Nuclear Weapons Would Be Catastrophic. Markets are in denial about nuclear risk.
The importance of continuous cooling of nuclear spent fuel.
I was a nuclear missile operator. There have been more near-misses than the world knows.
Ukraine war fills Pentagon’s, NATO allies’ war chests.
UKRAINE. Nuclear facilities targeted in Russia’s war on Ukraine. Video analysis reveals Russian attack on Ukrainian nuclear plant veered near disaster.
Ukrainian military to blow up experimental nuclear reactor at Kharkov Institute. Russians fire at Kharkov Institute nuclear reactor. [two versions of the story]. Research reactor in Kharkiv has been completely destroyed. IAEA doubts that the attack on Kharkiv Institute was a serious radiation hazard.
External electricity returned to Chernobyl. Chernobyl workers still stranded at the power station. Chernobyl nuclear workers ”exhausted and desperate’‘. Fears are growing over nuclear safety atthe Chernobyl nuclear plant as staff remain hostage. Chernobyl’s radiation monitoring system has stopped sending readings to IAEA. What a Power Cutoff Could Mean for Chernobyl’s Nuclear Waste. The dangers of uncontrolled releases of the vast amounts of radioactivity contained in the Ukrainian reactors and their unprotected fuel stores should not be underestimated.
EUROPE.. NATO fighters integrate with U.S. nuclear-capable B-52s in Black Sea region . European Union won’t be including nuclear power in its plan to get off Russian gas. European countries report a rush in sales of iodine tablets, in fear of nuclear war. Nuclear option is not the best for transition away from Russian fuels. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) very anxious about Chernobyl nuclear situation. Former Yugoslav FM: U.S., NATO expansion root cause of Ukraine war. EU military aid to Ukraine to exceed $1 billion.
RUSSIA. Russia prepared to stop war, if Ukraine agrees to conditions, including independence of Donbass areas. Russia’s disinformation machine, (and Trump’s, in USA). Rosatom’s woes before and beyond the war: implications of Russia’s embattled nuclear industry.
SERBIA. Serbian parliament president: When Hitler entered Ukraine, the U.S. did not declare war. Serbia will not join NATO, will never forget bombing victims – president .
USA The US And Ukraine Have Every Reason To Lie About The War . Ukraine is a sacrificial pawn on the imperial chessboard. USA cheers Ukrainian fighters on, makes sure to keep Americans out of it.
JAPAN. Greenpeace statement on anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear accident. Japan’s power companies move to reduce plutonium stockpiles held overseas. Court rejects bid to suspend nuclear reactors in Takahama. Eleven years on and impact of Fukushima still felt in Japan. Japan to finish radioactive soil transfer to interim storage site . Fukushima Workers Tell The Harrowing Story Of How They Tamed One Of The World’s Worst Nuclear Disasters. Fukushima nuclear tragedy hovers over Japan and region 11 years after tsunami and accident.
GERMANY. German government concludes that it is unwise to extend the life of its remaining nuclear power stations.
UK. UK love-in between Tories and Labour, on wasting billions of pounds on new nuclear reactors. Nuclear threat: Faslane, home to Trident, symbol of humanity’s power and folly. UK’s Ministry of Defence called out for lobbying MPs on nuclear weapons. Investors keen on renewable energy, while UK govt is trapping consumers into paying upfront for nuclear power plants to be built in a decade or more, Hopes for Bradwell nuclear power station now fading away like the ebbing tide.
Cumbrian campaigners’ strong opposition to nuclear waste dump in the Lake District. ‘‘Save the Severn Estuary’‘ fights to stop EDF dumping Hinkley Point’s nuclear mud into this Marine Protected Area.
FRANCE. Macron government considering nationalising France’s debt-laden nuclear company EDF.
Australian nuclear news, and more. Sorry no cricket story.
A bit of nearly good news. On International Women’s Day we can reflect that, in some parts of the world, justice and equality for women continue to improve. Also, the role of women in addressing climate change is becoming apparent – WOMEN LEADING THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE. In the nuclear-free movement, too, women continue to show their leadership – going on from Dr Rosalie Bertell, Alice Stewart, to Setsuko Thurlow , (pictured above), Dr Helen Caldicott , Beatrice Fihn, Linda Pentz Gunter and so many more. Their work has slowed, if not yet stopped, the development of the nuclear horror.
AUSTRALIA.
Scott got a war but not the one he was pushing for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCHRebHYNZ0 Australian Security Policy Institute – funded by weapons corporations, and federal govt – drumming up the frenzy for war with China. Australia’s Defence Department silent about its slippery dealings using tax-payers’ money, involving Russian contractors . While Scott Morrison froths against Putin, Australia rushes to become a top weapons seller to the world. Brisbane, Newcastle and Port Kembla shortlisted for nuclear submarine base on Australia’s east coast.
Peter Dutton enthuses – weapons to Taiwan, nuclear submarines ASAP. Friendlyjordies allegations against MP Peter Dutton met with silence. Peter Dutton’s war machine cult.
Perth could be the first city in the world to be nuclear bombed, in the (unlikely)event of Putin deciding on a show of nuclear strength. A nuclear bomb on Sydney, or Melbourne would mean umimaginable carnage.
The Kimba nuclear waste dump was NEVER about the supply of nuclear medicine.
Uranium miner BHP under criticism for guzzling precious artesian water, and for not keeping its word to Aboriginal native title holders. Australian companies’ uranium shares plummet.
‘Dishonest’: Morrison government wanted IPCC to say Great Barrier Reef ‘not yet in crisis’
CLIMATE. Why the listless reaction from governments, the hush on climate change? IPCC throws down the gauntlet on Australian institutional deficiencies. The facts we need to face if Australia’s coastal towns are to survive devastation. Scientists warn seawalls can make rising waters worse in the long run The vast majority of us are uninsured’: Australia’s insurance crisis set to worsen. Residents facing eighteenth once-in-a-hundred year event since last January – satire . “A misinformation ecosystem:” Scott Morrison’s climate ads given Public Disservice Award — RenewEconomy
Freedom & Democracy Via Censorship. Australian government and media join in.
INTERNATIONAL.
Ralph Nader: Everyone Loses in the Conflict Over Ukraine
Now Is the Time for a Global Movement Demanding Nuclear De-escalation. Freedom & Democracy Via Censorship. NATO Intervention In Ukraine Could Spark Nuclear War. Here’s How It Could Happen. The US and NATO’s Sacrifice Of Ukraine.
As Russia’s Ukraine war intensifies, some warn nuclear escalation is possible. Russia’s nuclear alert means Nato must tread carefully. Countries Flood Ukraine With Military Support After Zelensky’s Appeal.
Noam Chomsky: US Military Escalation Against Russia Would Have No Victors. How the U.S. Started a Cold War with Russia and Left Ukraine to Fight It. Calling Russia’s Attack ‘Unprovoked’ Lets USA Off the Hook. Mapping the unthinkable: inside the new nuclear war games. A fatal disconnect? the different narratives of Russia and the West on the Ukraine crisis. Ukraine war – a great opportunity – each new NATO country was a new customer for the weapons industry.
Kevin Rudd on the ‘decisive decade’ between USA and China. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeZBMvyJ9bU
The US and NATO have never been sanctioned for starting wars. Why? — RT World News.
UKRAINE. The situation at Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station. ‘Grave concern’ as Ukraine Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant under Russian orders. The Risks of Russian Attacks near Ukraine Nuclear Power Plants. Fire Is Out at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Seized by Russian Forces, Officials Watch for Leaks. Ukraine: Fire breaks out at Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. The very perilous situation of Ukraine’s nuclear power stations. Greenpeace analysis of nuclear power plant vulnerability during military conflict – Key Findings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEqpc1b03rs . New analysis on severe nuclear hazards at Zaporizhzhia plant in Ukraine– only solution is immediate end to war. Russian military claims Chernobyl nuclear plant under joint protection with Ukrainian forces. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noFe_iNnAbk. Setting the record straight on the background to events in Ukraine. Western govt, media, and public, ignorant about the complex history of Ukraine.
To 1st March – Australian nuclear news, and more
Some bits of good news (hard to find this week!):
India’s Mass Tree Planting Success: Forest Cover Grows by Half-Million Acres in Two Years
Humpback whales no longer listed as endangered after major recovery.
What can I say ?– No breakthrough at Ukraine talks as Russian assault continues. Ralph Nader: Everyone Loses in the Conflict Over Ukraine We’re in a new era. Not only is the war situation now so different, with the nuclear threat looming as never before. But also, the media war has become so very complex and confusing. Social media plays its role – but increasingly – much information is crooked, devised to mislead the recipient. Bad enough from Western sources, but Russia has turned this deception into a pervasive mass art form.
AUSTRALIA
How Australian uranium ended up in war-torn Ukraine.
Meet Australian Public Affairs, the lobbying firm that pushed the Kimba nuclear waste dump for the Federal Government.
Remembering the success of the nuclear-free movement at Muckaty in Australia’s Northern Territory. Australia’s rushed nuclear submarine plan- irrelevant, as China’s technology will outpace it.
Like rivers in the sky: the weather system bringing floods to Queensland will become more likely under climate change
Queensland, NSW floods live updates: Deluge hits northern NSW, Queenslanders wait for waters to recede
INTERNATIONAL
A rogue journalist ponders on Ukraine situation. Glenn Greenwald: war propaganda about Ukraine becoming more militaristic, authoritarian, and reckless. Blanket anti-Russian propaganda leaves no tolerance for nuanced reporting – media censorship is expanding.
As Russia Seizes Chernobyl Site, Ukraine’s 15 Nuclear Reactors Pose Unprecedented Risk in War Zone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20gVRaQdVmY
Climate impacts should be a regular part of war coverage
UN report on global increase in wildfires due to climate change change.
ANTARCTICA. Antarctica’s pristine snow besmirched with horrid black pollution, scientists say
UKRAINE. Ukraine has 0% of winning, so sending weapons is a pointless exercise, except for the money. U.N. nuclear watchdog to hold emergency meeting on Ukraine. Russian control of Chernobyl may have been aimed against alleged Ukrainian plan to produce nuclear weapons.
Ukraine’s reactors – largest nuclear complex in Europe – IN DANGER Russian forces now control Chernobyl, inviting speculation and uncertainty. The Most Immediate Nuclear Danger in Ukraine Isn’t Chernobyl.
Increased radiation levels around Chernobyl probably due to military’s disturbance of soil around exclusion zone. Radiation levels increased at Chernobyl, after Russian troops seized the area.
Why nuclear risk from war in Ukraine isn’t missiles but accidental hits on reactors. Putin says that Ukraine is a nuclear threat. Abandoned mines and old Yunkom nuclear test site in Donbas region of Ukraine pose ”singular threat” of radiation contamination.
RUSSIA. Russia President Vladimir Putin puts his nuclear forces on alert.
UKRAINE Special – the madness continues
It is almost unbelievable that the entire Western media and just about all governments are mindlessly jumping on the war bandwagon again. All that Russia wants is for the West to keep to the 2014 Minsk agreement , and not to be surrounded by hostile NATO and its weaponry.
But no – Biden’s USA is intransigent, and all the lackey nations just fall into line, (including my own, Australia). ”National Security” – my foot! Russia is not threatening any of them.
Haven’t they learned?
There was Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya – all unmitigated disasters, all unnecessary – and now the sheep are going in for fleecing again!
And fleecing it is. Ukraine and everybody else are buying not only the story, but more importantly the weaponry from multinational weapons corporations led of course by the USA. (Probably Russia and China’s equivalent macho men love weaponry, too)
When do we all wake up? The USA government is in the grip of the military-industrial-complex. Remember – the Pentagon brass, the weapons executives and big shareholders are NRB (Not Real Bright), and don’t quite grasp that even they themselves are not immune from the effects of war.
Australia and more – nuclear news this week
Some bits of good news: The green bucket list When you’re immersed in environmental science and environmental politics, it’s sometimes hard to step back and measure progress. Here are a few gains and victories to charge your batteries .
Nuclear. Ukraine dominated the news. The map above might help to explain why Russia really doesn’t need another NATO base on its doorstep.
Coronavirus: COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 14 February
Climate. Adapting to climate change ‘happening worldwide’, essential. Fixing the Climate: Hopes and Hazards.
AUSTRALIA
Nuclear. Practical considerations may hamper Australia’s path to nuclear submarines. South Australian Labor supported Greens. motion opposing SA as nuclear waste dump, but Liberals SA Best and Advance SA blocked it. INVITATION TO WEBINAR – AUKUS WILL COST THE EARTH – 24 February
Climate. Climate projections paint a grim future for WA if emissions not cut Former UK prime minister urges Australia to lift its game on climate change. People are prepared to vote for stronger climate policies
Labor rules out ‘fringe’ deal in rebuff to Greens on climate Greens to seek moratorium on new fossil fuel projects in any post-election negotiations. Independent regional journalism, brought to you by fossil fuels.
Australian demand for solar goes through the roof, smashing records The revolution will be electrified – 7am podcast
Tasmania may get cold, but sunburn is still very much a threat .
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine Special – 11 February 22
Conflict resolution – the positive way out of the Ukraine crisis. USA does not have to march into war with Russia over Ukraine. It can choose to keep to the Minsk-Normandy process. Amid Ukraine Tension, US Deploys Nuclear-Ready B-52 Bombers to UK.
Comfortably numb . CounterVortex Episode 110: Nuclear power? No thanks! .
JAPAN. Kenichi Hasegawa, former dairy farmer who continued to tell the truth about the nuclear accident in Fukushima, passes away. PCB waste treatment plan in Fukushima: “Insufficient explanation” and opposition from many people. Robot photos appear to show melted fuel at Fukushima reactor. Zero Contaminated Water” and “Dismantling of Reactor Buildings” Missing from the Plan: The Final Form of Decommissioning the TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
RUSSIA. The goal of Russia is to destroy NATO by exposing its impotence. Russian Congress of Intellectuals: An Open Letter to the Russian Leadership.
UKRAINE. In Ukraine, USA to finance American companies to sell nuclear technology there, and to other States. USA’s plan – far right Ukrainian militia to attack Russia-speaking Donbass Region – drawing Russian support – USA then to claim Russia aggression.
1 This month.
20 September –National Day of Action in Melbourne on the International Day of Peace
Help Aunty Sue Protect Her Land and Sacred Sites From Destructive Rocket Testing.
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Australians deserve the truth
about
AUKUS – https://aukuspublicinquiry.com/
PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
Antinuclear 