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Human Rights

17-07-2010 08:41

The author with the Covaciu's Roma Family
The author will read “Human Rights” and other poems, accompanied by gypsy guitar, during the 2010 Rototom Sunsplash festival (  http://www.rototomsunsplash.com/ ), an evening dedicated to the antiracist event “Vivere nella diversità” (Living Diversity).

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World outrage as Turkey and Syrians massacre Kurds

17-07-2010 07:55

Syrian troops and Kurdish tribesman are locked in fierce battle since the Syrian army blasted four northeastern Kurdish towns and neighborhoods at the end of June. Hundreds of Kurds are reported dead.

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No Help from Washington

17-07-2010 06:53

By Nicola Nasser*

Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) officials in the government of Mohamed Abbas often complain they spend more time negotiating with American rather than Israeli governments. This has been particularly true of late. Since Israel's all-out assault on Gaza nearly a year and half ago, Palestinian officials have discontinued all direct talks with the Israelis and have been talking to the Americans. US presidential envoy George Mitchell has been closely engaged in the region since May 2010, but his efforts have not proved fruitful.

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How Ready For Revolution Are You? Take This Test...

17-07-2010 00:31

What with all the hype in the news about movements to change this and movements to change that, global activisits this and global activists that, negative press here and in fighting there, I thought I'd knock up this questionnairre type thing, so we can figure out just what the fuck we're doing in this movement (the alternative globalisation movement, i mean...)

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Bid to reopen Coventry dog track fails

16-07-2010 22:02

Demonstrations and leafletting outside Coventry Stadium....
Greyhound protection campaigners "delighted" at news

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Help Launch More Boats to Gaza!

16-07-2010 20:17

GAZA FREEDOM MARCH!
GFM is helping to launch new efforts to send boats to Gaza for Fall 2010. We will be posting details here as they emerge. We will continue to support viable efforts to sail more boats to Gaza, now and in the future, as long as this strategy serves to pressure Israel and the complicit governments to lift the blockade! ... Israel's deadly actions against the humanitarian Freedom Flotilla will not go unanswered! Visit the Flotilla page for steps you can take NOW and to check latest news, report backs, and events!

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Wildlife Nuked?- No Thanks!

16-07-2010 19:47

What time is it Mr Wolf? Time to stop uranium mining!
Uranium mining is the beginning of the nuclear fool cycle.
Cumbrians have been invited to make charcoal drawings of the threatened wildlife and habitats in Finnish Lapland.
"What time is it Mr Wolf? Time to stop uranium mining!

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Songs about nuclear annihilation from the 40's to the 80's

16-07-2010 18:51

I made this mix with songs about nuclear weapons from the 40's through the 80's. Please download, listen, and pass the word.

 http://keeplaughinghahahaha.blogspot.com/2010/05/songs-about-nuclear-annihilation-from.html

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Before removal of Internation Brigades' Memorial

16-07-2010 18:25

On Saturday 17 July 2010 @ 10:30 there will be a ceremony, Rededicating the anti-fascist memorial.

I took these photos in June 2008

 

On Saturday 17 July 2010 @ 10:30 there will be a ceremony, Rededicating the anti-fascist memorial.

I took these photos in June 2008

Re-dedication of the International Brigades' anti-fascist memorial to the 26 Nottinghamshire people who fought in defence of the Spanish Republic against Franco and against fascism. It takes place at County Hall, Trent Bridge, West Bridgford, 10.30am to 12.00pm. This event is being put on by the Nottingham Trades Council. They invite you to attend and bring your banners!

Events listing at:
http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/events/105

A four page flyer to accompany the event 'Civil War and Revolution: Anarchism in Spain' taking place at The Sparrows' Nest on Sunday 18th July 2010, 1pm-6pm.

http://notts.indymedia.org.uk/system/zine/2010/07/14/176/spainflyer_final.pdf


Since the tory's appear to find these matters distastful .... I wondered how long before a coucillor might take a hammer and chisel to the statues there, because they big up the workers?

The entrance to the Hall is flanked by statues of miners and workers; they're the work of Nottingham artist Robert Kiddey (1900-84).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2009/09/11/trent_council_buildings_feature.shtml


Photos of the changes to monument at County Hall
Notts County Council rewriting history?
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2009/11/441571.html

____________________________________________
ALAN LODGE
Photographer - Media: One Eye on the Road. Nottingham. UK
Email: tash@indymedia.org
Web: http://digitaljournalist.eu
Member of the National Union of Journalists [NUJ]
____________________________________________
"It is not enough to curse the darkness.
It is also necessary to light a lamp!!"
___________________________________________
<ends>

 

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This Week in Palestine – Week 28 2010

16-07-2010 18:20

Audio
Welcome to this Week in Palestine, a service of the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org, for July 10th, through July 16th , 2010.

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Cameron curtails Pope protest petition

16-07-2010 18:16

Petition closed three months early, Government reply ignores petition concerns

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July 4th 2010 at Menwith Hill

16-07-2010 15:38

An account of the Independence FROM Amercia demonstration

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Fidel Castro: An incident could set in motion an all out nuclear war

16-07-2010 15:12

Fidel Castro Ruz
Obama intends to mislead the world talking about a world free of nuclear weapons that would be replaced with other extremely destructive weapons designed to terrorize the leaders of other States and to accomplish the new strategy of complete impunity. The Yankees believe that Iran will soon surrender.

From my viewpoint, the United States and its NATO allies have said their last word. Two powerful states with authority and prestige failed to exercise their right of vetoing the perfidious UN Resolution. It was the only possibility to gain time in order to find a formula to save peace, an objective that would have given them more authority to continue struggling for it. Today, everything hangs by a thread.

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UK Sought Rendition of British Nationals to Guantánamo; Tony Blair Directly Involved

16-07-2010 14:17

With what the Guardian described yesterday as the "almost unprecedented" release of "security service reports of interviews with detainees in Guantánamo Bay and other overseas detention centres," the coalition government failed in its attempt to persuade the High Court to bring a temporary halt to a civil claim for damages filed by six former Guantánamo prisoners, unleashing, instead, a torrent of previously classified and deeply disturbing documents.

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British Betrayal

16-07-2010 14:11

One of the hallmarks of the Labour government’s counter-terrorism policies in the last decade was the promotion of the concept of Britishness and British values. For almost ten years, the British public was subjected to endless speeches and lectures by government ministers propagating the importance of British values, responsible citizenship and the pressing need for integration. The target audience was of course, the Muslim community, whose loyalties to the UK were perceived as being susceptible to manipulation at best, and completely absent, at worst. Muslim community leaders were influenced with generous amounts of funding to promote the ideology of supporting and celebrating “our boys” fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Muslim youth were tarnished with the discussion-stifling label of “extremism” if they dared to believe in the supremacy of Shariah law over British law. No stone was left unturned in the Labour government’s efforts to consummate this forced marriage of Britain’s Muslims with the concept of Britishness. The message was clear: You were British first; your Muslim identity had to be suppressed.

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Hundreds of school rebuilds scrapped by British government

16-07-2010 14:05

On July 5, Conservative Party Education Secretary Michael Gove announced the cancellation of the previous Labour government’s £55 billion school building programme. Hundreds of secondary and primary schools promised new buildings and refurbishments have seen their hopes dashed.

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democracy village loses appeal: press release

16-07-2010 12:22

the high court rejected the democracy village appeal this morning. the way is open for bailiffs and police to attempt an eviction. the village has called a people's assembly/peace rally for tomorrow afternoon (saturday)

below is their press release / call-out

The Democracy Villagers   Peace Rally/People's Assembly Parliament Square Saturday 17th July 2010
 
12PM - 6PM 
 
Hosted by Democracy Village
 
We invite you to join us this Saturday as we call for peace and an end to the occupation of Afghanistan. 
The British government continues to actively engage in corrupt and immoral activities which are leading to the deaths
of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians worldwide and as citizens, we feel a moral duty to speak out
against this behaviour, demand a better government which behaves in a just and peaceful way and take action  to ensure our wish is granted.   
 
There are a number of people already lined up to speak at this event. If you would like to come and speak publicly about
how you feel and also propose any solutions you may have, there will be oppurtunities to do so on an open mic. 
Or you may have a poem, song or other art form which best expresses your thoughts on the current situation?  Come and perform!   
 
All ages are welcome. We ask that you refrain from bringing alcohol or intoxicants to this event. 
 
The people have the power.
 
Peace, love and blessings to you.

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Not only Tesco... corporate take over imminent!

16-07-2010 12:22

Central Bristol, with its thriving street communities and local businesses, is now poised for a massive take over bid by corporate retail. On Gloucester Road, we are to have a Sainsbury liquor store. Tesco, ahead of the pack, has 17 stores in Bristol already, with Cheltenham Road poised to be the 18th. These corporations, plus others of their ilk, have bought up many unused retail properties across the city which are currently lying dormant until they choose to activate them. Tesco in Cheltenham Road is therefore only the tip of an iceberg.
Let's not beat about the bush: supermarkets and corporate retailers operate as colonial occupiers. The ghastly Aztec West in Parkway is like US base 'Camp Enduring Freedom' in Iraq. Not content with an already huge bridgehead/base for corporate capital in the West of England, these stores now charge into the centre of Bristol to search and destroy all local business and community life - and they have been given the legal green light by their puppet collaborators in a (take your pick) LabourorTory government.

Exactly as if they were religious settlers in Palestine's West Bank, the settler stores of Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda et al are busy putting 'facts on the ground' at a phenomenal rate of knots in order to deliberately preempt reactive protest and resistance or any half hearted legal/parliamentary restraints that may come after it's too late.

We face a world on the brink of extinction. Another 5 years of global hijacking by self-seeking banks, world resource robbers and monopoly corporations with their PR 'business partners' in corrupt governments and we are all dead. These are extraordinary times, and as such they call for extraordinary action by ordinary people.

'They made a desert, and they called it a competitive marketplace' para. Tacitus.

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Re-run Of Government Consultation Causes Delay To Nuclear Policy

16-07-2010 10:22

Energy Minister Charles Hendry today announced there will be a re-consultation of the widely criticised Energy National Policy Statements (NPS). Originally expected to be ready by the end of July, Hendry has said it will not be ready until Spring next year when Parliament can debate it.
Jim Duffy writes: Energy Minister Charles Hendry today announced there will be a re-consultation of the widely criticised Energy National Policy Statements (NPS). Originally expected to be ready by the end of July, Hendry has said it will not be ready until Spring next year when Parliament can debate it.

The announcement throws the planning process into some confusion as there will be no list of nuclear sites with which developers such as EdF can line up their planning applications.

The text of the announcement suggests that the Government fears being challenged over aspects of the Policy Statements which may not be legally watertight. The suggestion is that the re-consultation and consequent delay will benefit the developers in terms of certainty but oddly states that a nuclear power station is still possible by 2018.

Friends of the Earth earlier this year promised to mount a legal challenge over the first NPS consultation framework. RSPB, World Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace all hinted strongly that aspects of the NPS were open to challenge.

The specific parts of the Policy Statements highlighted by the announcement are called Appraisals of Sustainability. The AoS must for example include 'comparison with reasonable alternatives to the preferred policy'. In other words renewable energy should be thoroughly investigated as an alternative to the policy of introducing new nuclear power at any specific site.

Full Article | Hinkley Site to be Razed Prematurely | Council stands up to Hinkley over earthworks application | Hinkley C application slips amidst uncertainty |

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Other planning anomalies have been raised by campaigners such as the fact that no new reactor designs will have been licensed by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) while being assessed by the IPC (or its successor). The Generic Design Assessment (GDA) process, whose current reactor design assessment is expected to be finished in June next year, is not legally binding and separate from the NII licensing process. Objections have also been raised over the transparency of the GDA process.

The planning and licensing process seems to have lots of 'carts before horses'.

Hinkley Point was the subject of a planning application in 2006 for a twelve turbine wind-farm, later rejected by local planners, despite over 4,000 signatures in its support, following objections on safety grounds by British Energy, now owned by EdF. British Energy also objected on the grounds that developers may want to build a nuclear power station on the same site in the future.

The National Policy Statements are blueprints by which the newly created Infrastructure Planning Commission can judge applications. Without the Policy Statements, duly designated and signed-off by the Secretary of State, it is difficult to see how the applications for nuclear power stations such as Hinkley C can be scrutinised.

However a spokesman for the Infrastructure planning Commission said to Stop Hinkley that a case could still be examined and a recommendation made 'under a hierarchy of policy'. When asked how the public or even the IPC commissioners could judge what questions to put in the planning process without a blueprint we were told they would come back to us after seeking advice.

The IPC's future was also touched on in today's announcement, as the Conservatives and Liberals had both promised changes to the planning quango. Another announcement will be made in the summer.

Jim Duffy, Stop Hinkley Coordinator said: "This was a surprise announcement which raises lots of questions: Will the alternatives to nuclear be thoroughly examined in the new consultation? Will the Hinkley C application be allowed to go ahead as planned in December? If so how will it be managed in the absence of a planning blueprint? And what status will the new reactor licensing team have, pending approval from the safety regulator, during the 'fast-track' planning process?"

"A nine month delay from the Government on top of EdF's six-month planning application (1) delay looks likely to affect their hopes for a 2018 opening of the two massive reactors at Hinkley C. DECC must have become twitchy at the prospect that the widely criticised Policy Statements pushed through by the Labour Party were not legally watertight. It may be that the Government has not sufficiently examined the prospects for renewable energy as a sustainable alternative to nuclear and the Liberal Democrats have pushed for a re-evaluation."

Jim Duffy

Stop Hinkley Coordinator

07798 666756

www.stophinkley.org

Notes:

(1) IPC projects, see page 2.

The first application was originally listed as 2nd August 2010, already put back from July as stated in EdF's newsletters. The IPC confirmed that the planning application dates are put forward by the 'applicants' and not changed by the IPC, contrary to EdF's statement on their delay:

http://infrastructure.independent.gov.uk/?page_id=202

The DECC re-consultation is separate from the EdF second stage consultation on proposals for Hinkley Point which opened on 9th July ending on 4th October.

Organisation: Department of Energy and Climate Change

WMS: Consultation for draft energy national policy statements
15.07.10

The WMS regarding the consultation for draft Energy National Policy Statements has now been published.
http://www.dodsmonitoring.com/downloads/WMS/WMS_2010/Ju...C.doc
Consultation for draft Energy National Policy Statements
Written statement by Charles Hendry MP, Minister of State for Energy
Today I am announcing that the Government will be launching a re-consultation in the autumn on the draft energy National Policy Statements following the consultation undertaken by the previous administration earlier this year, and in particular due to changes which have been made to the Appraisal of Sustainability for the Overarching Energy National Policy Statement.
The revised statements will give investors the certainty they need to bring forward proposals to maintain security of supply and ensure progress towards decarbonisation and plans for the first new nuclear power station to begin generating electricity by 2018 remain on course.
We intend to present the finalised statements to Parliament for ratification next Spring. A detailed implementation plan for planning reform on major infrastructure - including transitional arrangements and a revised timetable - will be published later in the summer.

Read on Dods Monitoring

Organisation: Department of Energy and Climate Change

Consultation on draft national policy statements for energy
15.07.10

The Government's draft National Policy Statements for energy infrastructure will be strengthened, it was announced today.
Charles Hendry, Minister of State for Energy said:
"For large energy projects we need to give industry maximum certainty, so that if sound proposals come forward, they will not fall victim to unnecessary hold-ups.
"We have decided to take a further look at the Appraisal of Sustainability of our draft Energy Policy Statements to make sure that they are fit for purpose. Taking this decision now is essential to safeguard our long-term goal of a sustainable and secure energy supply".
Plans for the first new nuclear power station to begin generating electricity by 2018 remain on course.
Notes:
DECC has already consulted on the Energy National Policy Statements. Having considered the responses to that consultation, we have decided to take a further look at the Appraisals of Sustainability (AoSs) of the NPSs. The reconsultation will provide a chance to look at the reworked AoS and the changes to the draft NPSs.
Under the Planning Act 2008[External link] an appraisal of sustainability (AoS) must be carried out on the policies set out in any NPS before it is designated. An AoS is an assessment of the environmental, social and economic impacts of implementing a policy, and includes comparison with reasonable alternatives to the preferred policy.
The Nuclear Development Forum, taking place today, brings together senior figures at CEO level from the nuclear industry, regulators, wider supply chain companies and skills bodies who are involved in making a new generation of nuclear power stations in the UK a reality.