UK Newswire Archive
Palestine Today 08 11 2010
11-08-2010 15:35
Community walk brings Shell drilling work to a standstill in Sruwaddacon Estuary
11-08-2010 15:19
squats in gore road are getting evicted
11-08-2010 12:22
Wednesday 11am : The squatted houses in Gore Road (Victoria Park) are getting evicted!
Massive police presence. (witnesses saw one person getting arrested). One house is still occupied, police is gathering reenforcement.
SW BNP organisers in Nazi Civil War
11-08-2010 12:22
Since their melt-down in the recent elections, the BNP have turned on one another and started a huge civil war amoungst the far right as pro-Nick Griffin and anti-Griffin factions vie for control of the party. It's great fun to watch. A slew of South West BNP organisers have been suspended from the party for supporting people looking to oust the failing fuhrer Griffin ...Here is more...
The last three months since the General Election have been a fascinating insight into how the BNP functions and it seems like each day since then there has been a major cock up, calamity or act committed under the BNPs and Griffins "interesting" idea of internal democracy.
Todays latest news is that Julian Leppert (former councillor), John Savage (S.W. Fundholder) and Chris Roberts (London Organiser) are amongst about 20 BNP activists at the latest count suspended today. They are being investigated for "serious breaches of the BNP code of conduct" after supporting Eddy Butlers leadership nomination.
With the nominations for leadership closing tomorrow one has to ask if Griffin is so worried about Butler getting close to the amount that he needs, is he purging the people who are Butlers most vocal supporters that can be identified from the various websites and fora?
The timing of the letters is a bit of a surprise with it being the day before the nominations close unless of course this is a total cock up by Griffin & Dowson enterprises and they should have arrived tomorrow.
Edit
This is the full list of the various suspensions including the members suspended over the last few weeks:-
Bob Gertner (London)
Charlotte Lewis (London)
Rowena Savage (London)
John Savage (South West)
Charlie Baillie (Scotland)
Simon Bennett (South West)
Mark Collett - expelled (Yorkshire)
Max Dunbar – resigned (Scotland)
Andrew Emerson (South East)
James Fitton (South West)
Robert Lassen – expelled (West Midlands))
Peter Lucas (South West)
Peter Mullins (South West)
Frank O’Brian - expelled (West Midlands)
Peter Phillips (South East)
Peter Squire (North West)
Peter Stafford (North West)
Richard Trower (South East)
Anthony Ward (North West)
Jeffrey Marshall (London)
Christine Mitchell (Eastern)
Simon Deacon – resigned (Eastern)
Chris Roberts (London)
Bob Gertner (London)
John Savage (South West)
Carl Whelpdale (North East)
Roy Jones (Scotland)
Shelley Rose (Eastern)
Julian Leppert (Eastern)
Lawrence Rustem (London)
Tony Avery (London)
Dennis Boater
Ann Widdecombe is a fan of Noah's Ark Zoo
11-08-2010 11:22
In her Daily Express column (look, it's a quality paper, okay...), Ann Widdecombe lambasts the BHA for speaking out against the awarding of a "Learning Outside the Classroom quality badge" to the creationist Noah's Ark Zoo Farm, near Bristol:Here is what she wrote...
"The zoo has put on such an imaginative and educational display that the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom has issued it with a mark of recognition. Those who run the zoo have established workshops which cover the national science curriculum but do not include discussion of religion and do not promote the extreme creationist view that the world was created 6,000 years ago. In other words it is a moderate, education-focused organisation that challenges children’s minds and produces evidence from fossils.
The British Humanist association says the award is inappropriate merely because the zoo concentrates on creation. In short the British Humanist association does not believe that children should be allowed even to discuss creation or to be exposed to any evidence that might support it."
Now, I'm not sure this would make any difference to Ann's argument, but I have a sneaky suspicion she hasn't actually been to Noah's Ark Zoo Farm. I have, and I've had a good look at what the former government minister describes as "an imaginative and educational display"....see here http://newhumanist.org.uk/2125/bless-this-tiger-paul-si...usive.
Also, Ann says the zoo does "not promote the extreme creationist view that the world was created 6,000 years ago". She isn't wrong - nowhere in the zoo does it say the Earth is 6,000 years old. But it does say it's only 100,000 years old. I suppose that is a bit less extreme, being 94,000 years closer to the generally accepted figure of 4.6 billion years.
Also see: http://bristol.indymedia.org/article/692779
The Jordan Valley meeting point: The JNF's racist alternative reality
11-08-2010 09:08
If you are a follower of the Corporate Occupation blog you will have read a lot about the Jordan Valley -an area that comprises almost 30% of the West Bank. Because of its fertile land and border with Jordan, it is under urgent threat of annexation by Israel, who are issuing statements about their claim to the land with alarming frequency. In March this year Benjamin Netanyahu officially announced that “Israel will never cede the Jordan Valley” and since then the Palestinians there have been met with increasing repression. Only during the last few weeks, the IsraeliOccupation Forces entered the Palestinian village of Al Farisiya and demolished 23 houses, leaving over 100 people homeless. When the villagers rebuild some of the destroyed structures the army returned to the area and yet again razed it to the ground
Remember Rwanda when you "Protest the Pope"
10-08-2010 23:06
The Catholic Church instigated the genocide of 800,000 people in Rwanda and despite the International Court convictions of Priest and Nuns it went almost unnoticed. Draw attention to this crime when you join the "protest the Pope" demonstration in London.CHICK COREA - call from the Gaza ghetto !
10-08-2010 21:29
Fundraiser for new south London newspaper, 18/08/10
10-08-2010 20:43
Folk gig at the Windmill in Brixton raising money for the "Beautiful South". a new free-of-charge anti-authoritarian newspaper which will hit the streets in August!Fluoridation for the East Midlands?
10-08-2010 20:24
NHS Nottingham City has been coordinating a feasibility study over the past few months on behalf of the 9 PCTs in the area in order to determine whether or not it's financially viable and operationally feasible to introduce fluoridation throughout the East Midlands.
On 10th August 2010, East Midlands Against Fluoridation learned that the feasibility study is nearing completion and publication.
NHS Nottingham City has been coordinating the feasibility study, no doubt encouraged by the Dental Division at the Department of Health, the British Dental Association, the British Fluoridation Society, the National Fluoride Information Centre, East Midlands Strategic Health Authority and the PCTs in the East Midlands area,
Here is the source of this information:
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Study-nears-completion-fluoridation-water-supply/article-2503146-detail/article.html
The following is taken from the leaflet that can be seen in full at http://wmaf.org.uk/userfiles/EMAF%20CAMPAIGN%20LEAFLET%20v8.pdf
East Midlands Against Fluoridation
Fluoride is added to our drinking water because the Department of Health believes that it prevents tooth decay. However, the opposite viewpoint, which is promoted in this leaflet, is that it causes damage to teeth and to health.
We have the Medicines Directive 2004 and a supporting European Court of Justice 2005 ruling.*
All we need now is determination to get this illegal medicine out of our drinking water.
Please visit our sister-organisation's website for much more information, for links to International and UK websites, fact-sheets, other references substantiating the facts in this leaflet, links to anti-fluoridation groups and discussions on associated topics. If preferred, fact sheets can be posted to you (Tel. 01246 473902).
What you can do
* Get informed. For references, see the West Midlands Against Fluoridation website, http://wmaf.org.uk/
• Help form a local anti-fluoridation group.
• Record local newspaper items and bookmark sites which display the minutes of PCT and SHA meetings and notify EMAF or WMAF (wmaf@live.co.uk) if there is any mention of water fluoridation, salt fluoridation or milk fluoridation;
* Print and distribute the flier from http://wmaf.org.uk/system_locate.php?content=content&read=46&parent=46
(article written by Pat on behalf of EMAF, following request for support received at the Sumac Centre)
Felipe Calderón's war on drugs in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico (by Latuff)
10-08-2010 20:05
English Defence League plans against Camberly Mosque in Surrey.
10-08-2010 20:01
“Ahava Four” found not guilty of aggravated trespass
10-08-2010 18:13
UK Coal's Financial Problems and the Minorca Appli
10-08-2010 17:24
MOPG's 70th Press Release describes the contents of our Briefing Note "UK Coal plc and the Financial Risks Associated with the Minorca Application". This Note discuss the likely hood of financial risks arising from UK Coal gaining planning permission. The report argues that these risks arise as a consequence of the present financial circumstances UK Coal plc finds itself in, plus the possible consequences arising from the restructuring now underway at UK Coal plc for working the Minorca Opencast site
MOPG PR 70 10/8/10
Are there fatal financial flaws in UK Coal’s Minorca Application?
When such a prestigious body as The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) expresses major concerns about the financial health of a company, then all parties that have dealings with the said company should take note. The purpose of our latest Briefing Note “UK Coal plc and the Financial Risks Associated with the Minorca Application” is to alert all parties considering UK Coal’s Minorca Surface Mine Application that concerns over UK Coal plc‘s financial health were expressed by the EIU in its Industry Briefing Report “UK coal: the Pits” issued on May 11th 2010. This report indicated the then dire financial circumstances surrounding UK Coal. These summaries just give a flavour of what is quoted in MOPG’s Briefing Note:
- · In 2009 pre tax losses of £129m exceed the predicted losses of £115m.
- · In 2009 UK Coal’s debts grew to £182m, pushing its debt-to–equity ratio above 100%.
- · Between January and March 2010 the Company continued to haemorrhage cash, losing around £17m a month according to estimates from bank analysists
- · One conclusion was that cut throat price competition amongst coal suppliers left UK Coal plc at a fatal commercial disadvantage
- · The other was that UK Coal’s property portfolio should buy it some breathing space, but its longer-term future, like the UK coal industry’s looks far less certain.
UK Coal has since published preliminary figures for the first six months of this year and these are included in the Briefing Note. This indicates that in addition to its bank borrowings UK Coal plc has had to borrow an additional £77m, £67m from generating companies and £10m from its major shareholder Peel Holdings. As a consequence the Company’s net debt had risen from the £181m reported for December 2009 to £255m by the end of June 2010. To play down its levels of debt it planned to sell a third of its land bank.
It may be because of its very difficult financial circumstance that UK Coal plc announced its plans to restructure the business on July 26th 2010. MOPG argue, in the Briefing Note, why they believe that this restructuring exercise poses significant financial risks if the Minorca Surface Mine Application is approved, leading to an outcome which is
“ .......the very antithesis of the spirit of what planning law and mineral planning guidance policy seeks to prevent, such as planning blight, destruction of a landscape and non restoration of land may be caused if planning permission is granted.”
Further evidence that this is a possibility with this Company is provided in the Briefing Note
“The restructuring story is one that is already familiar to those who have followed the history of UK Coal plc since the inception of A F Budge Mining. This history reveals that in 1992, A F Budge Mining underwent a similar restructuring exercise which may just about to be repeated. This restructuring of A F Budge Mining had disastrous results for the residents of Sheffield
· In 1990 A F Budge Mining, as then contractor to the British Coal Corporation were given a £60m contract to extract 1.1m tonnes of opencast coal.
· As part of the conditions granted to work the site A F Budge agreed to build an Airport and this proved to be a very influential inducement that helped the British Coal Corporation gain planning permission.
· Restructuring of A F Budge occurred in 1992, once the opencasting had started. RJB Mining, the direct forerunner of UK Coal plc was created and the profitable opencast contract was transferred to this new company
· A F Budge, with many debts and few assets was left responsible for building the Airport. By the end of 1992 A F Budge went bankrupt.”
As this extract from the Briefing Note indicates, this “restructuring exercise” may put at risk what is being offered as part of the Minorca Surface Mine Application’s benefits for the restoration of The Ashby Canal.
In addition the Briefing Note identifies another three potential financial risks: lack of land restoration, no community fund and no possibility of correcting any damage done to The River Mease Special Area of Conservation. The issue of The River Mease SAC will be one of the issues discussed by John Craven in his “John Craven Investigates Opencast Mining “ part of the BBC 1 Counrtyfile Programme to be broadcast this Sunday. Because of these risks MOPG asks that this application should be rejected by all consultees.
However, if planning permission is granted, then MOPG proposes a set of conditions which seeks to safeguard not only the interests of local residents but also the interest of those seeking to restore the Ashby Canal. An additional recommendation has been made regarding The River Mease SAC. MOPG asks that all consultees also pass on these recommendations to Leicestershire County Council.
These arguments will be drawn to the attention of all consultees where ever possible, starting with Measham Parish Councillors who are due to discuss a new set of submission documents from UK Coal plc at their Measham Parish Council meeting this Thursday in St Lawrence’s Church Hall, High St. Measham starting at 7.00 pm.
The Briefing Note D2 Note “UK Coal plc and the Financial Risks Associated with the Minorca Application” can be downloaded from http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/measham/minorca-protest.html, look down the page and click on MOPG: Briefing Notes Series
Steve Leary for MOPG said
“Before people get over excited at what has been put on the table by UK Coal in support of their Application, people should wake up and smell the aroma peculating out of the coffee cup on the table. Given the financial state the Company is in plus the opportunity the restructuring exercise provides for the creation on the one hand of a viable company endowed with assets and on the other of a company loaded with debts, means that this coffee may smell either fresh or stale. Our problem is that, as yet, we do not know what the smell will be. All we know is that last time this Company restructured, it left a stale smell around Sheffield for a long time. That is why we consider there to be a fatal financial flaws in this Application. This time we are pre warned unlike the people in Sheffield. In our opinion the financial risks are too great and the Application should be rejected.”
END END END END END
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTACT:
STEVE LEARY, SPOKESPERSON, MOPG
email steve46leary@googlemail.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MOPG PLEASE GO TO:
Mass immigrants grave in greek borders at Evros
10-08-2010 16:56
It is believed that between 150 and 200 corpses have been buried in the mass grave.Brighton Hunt Sabs meeting tomorrow
10-08-2010 16:28
Brighton Hunt Sabs pre-season open meeting followed by screening of new anti hunt film: 'Minority Pastime'Tonino Libero! - you'll never walk alone.
10-08-2010 15:58
In Naples, Italy, the first of May the police allows a group of fascists to approach the yearly “labour day’s demonstration”. The fascists starts right away provoking and threatening.The comrades react and push them away. One fascist takes refuge in a shop, a fight bursts and he gets out of the shop bloody and wounded.
Palestine Today 08 10 2010
10-08-2010 15:04
"Blood Diamonds," Imperialist Domination and the International Courts at The Hag
10-08-2010 12:58
The control of the diamond industry in Liberia has never been under the control of its people. Of course this fact of history will not be brought into the current trial of Charles Taylor. Neither will the fact that the United States administration under George Bush played an instrumental role in overthrowing Taylor through the Guinea-based Liberians United for Reconciliation and Development (LURD) rebel group that received arms and training from Washington. One major criticism of the Taylor trial and other efforts to bring
Guantánamo Bay: Military Tribunal for Child Soldier Starts Today
10-08-2010 12:34
