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AUSTRALIA
South Australia. Police including anti terror unit now blocking off roads, despite agreeing to rights for huge protest rally at Olympic Dam uranium mine. People travelling from far and wide. Renowned film-maker David Bradbury will document events. Dr Helen Caldicott to give public speech at Roxby Downs
Govt approved The 315 megawatt Hornsdale wind farm, to be built 15km from Jamestown – largest wind farm in the State. Dr Helen Caldicott back in Australia, to speak in Adelaide on current world nuclear situation. Meanwhile financial analysts warn of poor market prospects for new open cut Olympic Damn mine – raising doubts that it will go ahead. (Will BHP blame this financial flop on the anti nuclear protestors?)
National . Resistance to planned Northern Territory nuclear waste dump, in reaction to Tony Abbott’s enthusiastic promotion of the dump. Nuclear power firmly rejected by Prime Minister Gillard. Carbon tax revealed to have far less impact on Australia, compared to the USA’s Clean Air Act. That legislation,now upheld by the USA Court of Appeals effectively stops any new coal-fired plants. http://www.independentaustralia.net/2012/politics/epa-clean-air-to-end-c... Australia’s solar PV threatening the profits of energy companies. Tony Abbott continues campaigning against carbon tax, despite business support for carbon trading.
Northern Territory . Darwin human rights march in NAIDOC week (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee). Maritime Union of Australia joins rally against planned Muckaty nuclear waste dump. Aboriginal Traditional Owners from Muckaty at Darwin protest
New South Wales. Community Renewable Energy plan for Newcastle region. Big solar panel company opening in Sydney. Sydney hospitals found to be irresponsibly dumping radioactive medical wastes.
Western Australia. Perth’s zoo unveiled its dual-function “solar pergola” with the installation of 303 solar panels on eight zoo structures. Verve is to build Warradarge wind farm, about 270km north of Perth, could produce enough electricity to power 140,000 homes.
Queensland. In spite of its renewable energy wrecking Premier Newman. Queensland’s Solar Flagships Program-winning project by consortium Solar Dawn is likely still to go ahead.
Tasmania. Federal Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin booed and heckled due to her support for Norther Territory Intervention
INTERNATIONAL
Global nuclear industry facing gloomy future. Recycling of minerals, including rare earths , growing in importance.
Japan. In this earthquake prone country, a nuclear power future more in doubt than ever. Earthquake, not tsunami set off the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe, reports the Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission. Researchers tracking patients’ history of medical radiation exposure.
USA. Licensing and relicensing of nuclear power plants now at a standstill. Gregory Jaczko, retiring Chairman on Nuclear Regulatory Commission warns against putting costs as more important than safety. Climate Change: USA experiencing unprecedented heat wave. U.S. Court rules in favour of Clean Air Act, effectivelystopping new coal-fired power stations. Fight to permanently shut down San Onofre nuclear power plant now going mainstream, with ramifications for the entire nuclear industry.
Warning on laser enrichment technology – may lead to nuclear weapons proliferation, AREVA struggling to finance it, planning meetings held in secrecy.
UK. Revelations of 266 fires on nuclear submarines. Britain investigating untested new nuclear technology to deal with its massive pile of plutonium wastes. (Barry Brook and co. are pushing for that same nuclear technology for rural and regional Australia!)
France. AREVA nuclear company’s financial woes – trouble getting funding for its planned USA uranium enrichment plant. Trying to sell nuclear reactors to China, trying to sell nuclear reactors with China – to UK.
Middle East. Nuclear power dead in the water, following the uncertainties of the “Arab Spring”. Further investigation planned into possible polonium murder of Yassa Arafat
India. Deception as officials pretend that Koodankulam nuclear project carried out safety drills.
Tanzania” World Heritage Park now threatened by uranium mining.