The battle for the planet鈥檚 dwindling resources has taken a further trade war twist with China鈥檚 recent decision to place limits on the export of the 17 chemical elements collectively known as 鈥渞are earths鈥.
These elements, found near the bottom of the periodic table, are crucial for manufacture of a wide range of modern technology products.
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On November 3, 2010 construction workers marched through Sydney CBD for a decent site allowance and conditions in the $6 billion-dollar Barangaroo development on Sydney's former wharves (the legendary "Hungry Mile").
Climate change is the biggest threat to our future, and coal is the biggest cause of climate change, yet right now there are plans for 12 new coal or gas-fired power stations around Australia.
In this context, the Camp for Climate Action is taking place over December 1-5 at Liddell recreation area in the Hunter Valley, a little over an hour inland from Newcastle.
The camp will take place near Liddell and Bayswater coal-fired power stations and in the sprawling moonscape of massive coalmines in the area.
The Irish Republic鈥檚 government said on November 4 that it wants to slash 6 billion euros from its 2011 deficit, MorningStarOnline.co.uk said the following day. The cuts were announced despite the government admitting it would lead to lower economic growth.
Ireland鈥檚 deficit is set to reach an astronomical 32%, MorningStarOnline.co.uk said, mainly because the government鈥檚 bailout of the banks with public funds cost 31 billion euros.
The country has already endured two years of recession driven by the bail-out costs and a doubling of unemployment to 13.6%.
鈥淭he coal seam gas industry is facing a rural revolt with farmers yesterday threatening to risk arrest and lock their gates to drilling companies鈥, the November 2 Brisbane Courier Mail said.
鈥淎 massive expansion of the industry was ignited on the weekend when BG Group-owned Queensland Gas gave the go-ahead for a $15 billion liquefied natural gas plant at Gladstone that will be fuelled by coal seam gas from the Surat Basin. Santos, Origin and Shell are all trying to firm up their own massive LNG projects.鈥
How to Cool the Planet: Geo-engineering & the Audacious Quest to Fix Earth's Climate
By Jeff Goodell
Scribe, 2010
262 pages, $35 (pb)
Grandiose schemes to launch sulphate particles into the stratosphere, to dump iron into the oceans and to brighten clouds in order to moderate global warming are, says Jeff Goodell in How to Cool the Planet, maturing from the dodgy geo-engineering dreams of mad scientists to mainstream policy options.
Construction workers marched through the Sydney CBD on November 3 to call on the state government to protect pay entitlements and safety standards on the $6 billion Barangaroo development on Sydney鈥檚 former wharves.
About 25,000 students took to the streets of Dublin on November 3 in protest at plans to increase college registration fees, MorningStarOnline.co.uk said. Many protesters wore T-shirts calling for 鈥淓ducation, not emigration鈥, referring to a recent surge of young people leaving Ireland with its double-digit unemployment for opportunities abroad, from Canada to Australia.
Sixty people gathered at City Farm, East Perth, for an update on the opening up of WA to uranium mining and the growing campaign to stop it.
The night was hosted by the newly-formed WA Nuclear Free Alliance (WANFA), which groups together about 60 Aboriginal people from communities around the state.
Phil Golby was the president of the Port Curtis and Hinterland branch of the ALP until October 20. Then, along with five leading members, he publicly resigned to protest against the Queensland Labor government鈥檚 proposal to sell off public assets despite mass opposition from rank-and-file ALP members.
Murray Darling Basin Authority chief executive Rob Freeman recently proposed extending the consultation process on the draft Murray Darling Basin plan until 2012. This follows mobilisations by both farmers and environmentalists pushing competing claims.
Renowned anthropologist Diane Bell, chair of the River, Lakes and Coorong Action Group, spoke to 91自拍论坛 Weekly鈥檚 Gemma Weedall about the Murray Darling debate.
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Melbourne Catholic Archbishop Denis Hart is at it again. In 2004, he told a woman who had been sexually abused by a priest to 鈥済o to hell, bitch鈥. In 2009, he unsuccessfully attempted to pressure Father Bob Maguire, a progressive Melbourne icon, to retire from his local parish.
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