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AUSTRALIA
North Korea continues to be a source of anxiety for Australia, though we are not seen as a target at present, and perhaps they don’t have a nuclear missile anyway? Intrepid Dr Helen Caldicott takes off for nuclear lectures in South Korea.
USA militarism in the Pacific is now seen even by the right wing Australian Strategic Policy Institute as increasingly risky. The concept of the “Air Sea Battle” is likely to draw Australia into any war in the Asia Pacific, potentially a nuclear war.
Nuclear lobbying revs up, as Tony Shepherd (Transfield Services, -construction, resources, energy) of Business Council of Australia calls for nuclear power to be “on the table”. Barry Brook, the nuke lobby’s favourite spruiker, spruiks again. And the political party ”Australian Voters Party” calls for a string of nuclear power plants in regional Australia.
Commonwealth Bank, in a magnificent piece of jargon,covers up beautifully on the question of funding nuclear weapons manufacture. http://www.abc.net.au/tv/thecheckout/futube/default.htm?WwEQu-_c3Bw The question was asked by the Medical Association for the Prevention of War, (who have now changed their bank).
Paladin Energy, Australian uranium company forced to renegotiate a deal with Malawi, which will include removing the confidentiality clause, and getting a better financial deal for Malawi.
Solar Power: 1,000,643 small solar power systems were installed in Australia as at April 5; with a collective total capacity of 2,461,696 kW. Based on an average 25c/kWh retail electricity cost (day rates); these home solar power systems could generate as much as $913,086,737 worth of electricity over the next 12 months.
Greenhouse gas emissions: National Greenhouse Accounts released on Monday show Australia’s carbon pollution from electricity generation fell by 14 million tonnes during 2012.Around the nuclear/uranium traps
Victoria‘s Premier Denis Napthine gets this week’s Hypocrisy award. He enthused over the opening of Macarthur wind farm (largest in Southern Hemisphere – ““I think they are majestic, and I actually love them.” but then Napthine stated that he will not be changing Victoria’s anti wind farm laws.
Queensland ALP reaffirms their policy against uranium mining.
INTERNATIONAL
North Korea. What a week – of bellicose threats against USA, South Korea and Japan, claims of intercontinental ballistic missiles. closing down of joint “two Koreas’ ‘” Gaeseong industrial complex, and all sorts of dire warnings! Even North Korea’s pal China got angry with them, as did Russia. However, President Obama states that N. Korea does not have a nuclear missile. USA had ramped up stealth jet flights over North Korea, and military drills in South Korea. North Korea now wanting talks, demanding end of sanctions and an end to South Korea-US joint military drills.
USA. Obama approves drastically more lax rules on what is “permissable” radiation in food and water. New peer-reviewed research published in the Open Journal of Pediatrics indicates that babies on West coast are developing hypothyroidism as a result of Fukushima radiation. Govt to dump over 400 containers of nuclear waste in Nevada. Legal action in Colorado to force uranium companies to clean up their radioactive messes.
UK. New nuclear build in doubt, as French company EDF not sure about going on with it, due to financial uncertainties. 47 people arrested at protest in Scotland against Trident nuclear weapons project
Fukushima nuclear reactors releasing 400 tons of radioactive water every day. Tepco may now empty this into the Pacific Ocean. Concerns in Japan over radioactive boars. Much debate over radiaoactive emissions. Nuclear lobby working hard to downplay any health risks.
Renewable Energy. Germany launches project to speed up storage of wind and solar energy. Saudi Arabia commits to spending $109 billion on renewable energy.