AUSTRALIA
Climate change. It is a worry that Australia’ s scientifically illiterate Prime Minister Tony Abbott has, for his chief business adviser, one of the country’s leading climate change denialists. Maurice Newman makes even Tony look well-informed. Sadly, Tony has surrounded himself with yes-men. Notably, Greg Hunt , Minister Against the Environment has really sold out. Hunt did his PhD on climate change, but is now the strongest advocate for coal mining.
Maverick politician Clive Palmer calls Tony Abbott’s Direct Action policy – a “token gesture” and a waste of money, and he won’t vote for it.
Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) Just as Westinghouse, Babcock & Wilcox, and top investor Warren Buffett pull the plug on this uneconomic project, nuclear lobbyists seem to be succeeding in getting the Australian government to move in this direction. The government would need to overturn existing law against nuclear power, and make a massive order for a heap of these little gimmicks, that nobody else will buy.
Uranium mining. Now here is an Australian mystery. Uranium prices continually topple yet all the business pages tout up what a good investment is uranium. It really does look more like some kind of religious faith, rather than any sound economic analysis.
Four Mile uranium mine The Australian pronounces The Sun Will Rise On Uranium, but then proceeds to describe all the problems facing South Australia’s Four Mile uranium project – warning that this new mine will be “no earnings bonanza”. Four Mile uranium mine is supposed to start production soon, despite a coming court case. It is largely owned by USA’s General Atomics, nuclear weapons maker, and big lobbyist of Australian State and Federal politicians.
Ranger mine. No resolution about who will pay to rehabilitate the radioactive mess created in Kakadu National Park.ERA desperately trying to restore investor confidence in Ranger.
Paladin uranium company continues in its downward spiral, with declining production and falling revenue
Finally, despite all the glowing predictions for uranium investment, the energy analysts do tell it as it really is. Greg Peel of FN Arena is ” becoming increasingly bearish on the outlook for uranium prices, and just to add to global oversupply. Australia’s Four Mile mine in South Australia… is expected to commence production”
Joint Strike Fighter jets $12 billion purchase. Not only the Greens, but even a Liberal MP is against this.
INTERNATIONAL
Ukraine crisis is highlighting the fact that nuclear reactors are a military TARGET
Japan. Health officials censored on the health problems and deaths due to Fukushima radiation.
Continued campaign of hate against anti nuclear activist Mari Takenouchi
USA.. Rare birth defects occurring at an unusually high rate in the region of Hanford nuclear facility, one of the most radioactively polluted places on the planet
Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) Warren Buffett joins the flight of investors away from these new toys, and goes for investment in solar energy. But now there are yet more new nuclear toys – Small Nuclear Reactors floating on the ocean
US government band Navy back the nuclear industry, and not the 79 sailors sick from Fukushima radiation. Suing TEPCO is their only chance.
NASA considers weakening radiation allowance standards for astronauts travelling to Mars, seeing that space rdaiation is such a health obstacle to tthis project
Taiwan: opposition to nuclear power, and prominent former opposition leader Lin Yi-hsiung begins hunger strikeon this issue
UK. Government agency warns that a nuclear waste dump will be washed away by rising sea levels due to climate change.
Rio Tinto’s Annual General Meeting confronted with the facts on the scandalous health and environmental impacts of their Rossing uranium mine in Namibia
