By Christina Macpherson. Notes and links for these news items are at www.antinuclear.net and at www.nuclear-news.net
AUSTRALIA
Western Australia. Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke, has given approval to Toro Energy to open WA’s first uranium mine, at Wiluna. An inexplicable decision, uranium mining on a flood-prone lake bed, home to a number of unique and endemic groundwater dependent plants and animals. Still – there’s many a slip .. Toro, a small company, inexperienced, under financial constraints, and casting around for investors. And, let’s not forget, the uranium price remains in continued slump. How does Toro solve these problems? Well, first step, put a woman, better, two women in charge. If Wiluna uranium mine does go belly up, which is on the cards – well it’ll be their fault, CEO Vanessa Guthrie and chair, Erica Smyth.
South Australia. The uranium State’s media suffered a lapse, when even the Roxby Downs Sun posted an anti uranium call from a visiting Indian, and Adelaide radio aired a compregensive criticism of nuclear power, by Dr David Palmer.
Australian uranium miner Paladin Energy in the news again, as they try to pacify the Malawians with a new, and complex bond. Among other things this deal obliges the company to sensitize people on the potential dangers associated with radioactive substances and prevention procedures. Many Malawians still unhappy with a general feeling that Africans are being ripped off by Western uranium mining companies. Shock horror, how could they think that!
Climate Change. Scientific evidence that Australia is already in the grip of climate change. But that hasn’t deterred Tony Abbott from promising to abolish the Climate Commission, and sack Prof Tim Flannery. He also says he’ll scrap the carbon tax, but this is pretty well impossible – would bring down a cloud of legal actions.
Meanwhile new information builds on the ever cheaper renewable energy, and developments in energy storage.
INTERNATIONAL
North Korea dominates the news today, as it pronounces a state of war with South Korea, and its readiness to strike USA with nuclear weapons. Most expert observers believe that North Korea is in no position to carry out these threats. United States has moved anti-missile system to Guam and has moved Two advanced missile destroyers closer to North Korea. Tensions have risen in South Korea, and it’s an atmosphere of brinkmanship that could result in military action.
USA. Continued warnings about the dangerous state of Hanford nuclear waste tanks – explosion is areal possibility. Gallup poll shows that Americans prefer wind and solar power.
UK. Scotland ambivalent at being selected as base for dismantling nuclear submarines.
Japan. More and more information leaking out about Fukushima and its radioactive water problem – still leaking into the Pacific. New concerns about ocean life affected by this radiation – from shellfish to sea lions.
VIDEOS - New York Symposium on Fujushima’s health and environmental effects. – well worth watching these 20 speakers, and the documents at http://www.totalwebcasting.com/view/?id=hcf#