Three senior figures to be fired as country still struggles to cope with aftermath of earthquake and disaster at nuclear plant Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s administration has announced it is to sack three senior nuclear policy officials amid scandals suggesting Japan’s government had grown too cosy with the nuclear power industry. The move is the latest attempt by Kan and his cabinet to shake off criticism they have not dealt sternly enough with nuclear power operators and to show they can push reforms deemed necessary after Japan’s 11 March earthquake and tsunami touched off the world’s worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl at the Fukushima plant. The trade and industry minister, Banri Kaieda, said the shakeup will involve three senior officials: the head of the Energy Agency, the head of the Nuclear Industrial Safety Agency and a vice-minister at the trade and industry ministry. “We want to refresh and revitalise the ministry,” Kaieda said. The three posts are under his supervision. Japan’s post-tsunami handling of the nuclear crisis has been hit recently by scandals over allegations that the government was too friendly with the nuclear industry and tried to secretly manipulate public discussions in favour of nuclear power at a number of seminars held before the current crisis began. The shakeup was seen as an attempt to calm that uproar. But Kan’s government continues to face a questions about its response to the crisis and even about how long Kan will be able to remain in office. The growing disarray in Kan’s administration was emphasised recently when his cabinet was unwilling to unify itself behind the PM’s call for Japan to completely wean itself off nuclear power. Kan had to later step back and explain the comment was a “personal” opinion. Kan, who faces a strong challenge from party rivals who want him to quit immediately, has said he will step down as soon as the country is on the recovery track. His top lieutenants have suggested that could be soon, but have refrained from setting a date. Kaieda, one of the most prominent faces in Kan’s Cabinet, is also expected to announce his resignation, but, again, has refused to say when. He recently broke down in tears under intense questioning in parliament and said he was willing to quit as soon as the proper time came. Japan disaster Japan Nuclear power Energy guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Head of security service in northern Kunduz province assassinated, say police A car bomb has killed the head of Afghanistan’s intelligence service in the northern Kunduz province, say police. The blast on Thursday morning is the latest in a string of high profile assassinations, a spokesman for the Kunduz police chief said. Three civilians were also wounded by the blast from the bomb planted in the car of Payenda Khan, head of the National Directorate of Security in Kunduz, police spokesman Sayed Sarwar Husaini said. More details soon … Afghanistan guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Head of security service in northern Kunduz province assassinated, say police A car bomb has killed the head of Afghanistan’s intelligence service in the northern Kunduz province, say police. The blast on Thursday morning is the latest in a string of high profile assassinations, a spokesman for the Kunduz police chief said. Three civilians were also wounded by the blast from the bomb planted in the car of Payenda Khan, head of the National Directorate of Security in Kunduz, police spokesman Sayed Sarwar Husaini said. More details soon … Afghanistan guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Head of security service in northern Kunduz province assassinated, say police A car bomb has killed the head of Afghanistan’s intelligence service in the northern Kunduz province, say police. The blast on Thursday morning is the latest in a string of high profile assassinations, a spokesman for the Kunduz police chief said. Three civilians were also wounded by the blast from the bomb planted in the car of Payenda Khan, head of the National Directorate of Security in Kunduz, police spokesman Sayed Sarwar Husaini said. More details soon … Afghanistan guardian.co.uk
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Chartered flight by mining crew hits mountain after leaving Manado, leaving all passengers and crew dead A helicopter chartered by an Australian mining company slammed into a mountain in eastern Indonesia, killing all 10 passengers and crew, the head of the search and rescue team has said. The Bell 412, carrying two Australians, two South Africans and six Indonesians, lost contact with authorities Wednesday afternoon minutes after takeoff from the city of Manado on Sulawesi island, said Lucky Pondaag, an airport spokesman. It was heading to Newcrest’s Gosowong Mine on the island of Halmahera. A search-and-rescue team discovered the wreckage in the early hours of Thursday, said Ludianto, head of the operations, who goes by only one name. There was only one survivor at the scene, he said, an Indonesian who later died of his injuries at the hospital. The bodies of the nine others have been transported to Manado. The helicopter was chartered by PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals, a joint venture between Newcrest Mining Ltd and PT Aneka Tambang, the Australian company said in a statement. It was not clear what caused the crash. Indonesia guardian.co.uk
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Leader of Commons says ignoring topics raised by new scheme allowing submissions would be unfair to public MPs must not shy away from debating the restoration of capital punishment if a groundswell of voters backs a petition demanding it, the Commons leader has said. Sir George Young warned that it would damage democracy to ignore strong opinions among members of the public “or pretend that their views do not exist”. He spoke out ahead of the publication on Thursday of the first submissions to a new e-petitions scheme which could see the most popular appeals discussed in parliament. Among the most prominent is one calling for legislation allowing child killers and those who murder police officers to face execution. It has been presented by Paul Staines, who writes the libertarian Guido Fawkes blog, and has already been backed by several MPs. If it is signed by the required 100,000 supporters or more, then the cross-party backbench business committee will decide whether it will be debated. Young played down fears about airing the subject – which was effectively abolished as a sentence for murder in the UK in 1965. “The site has been widely welcomed as a realistic way to revitalise public engagement in parliament,” he wrote in the Daily Mail. “But there have been some who have been concerned by some of the subjects which could end up being debated – for example, the restoration of capital punishment. “The last time this was debated – during the passage of the Human Rights Act in 1998 – restoration was rejected by 158 votes. But if lots of people want parliament to do something which it rejects, then it is up to MPs to explain the reasons to their constituents. What else is parliament for? “People have strong opinions, and it does not serve democracy well if we ignore them or pretend that their views do not exist.” Tory MP Priti Patel said such a debate was long overdue and that she favoured restoring capital punishment “for the most serious and significant crimes” – a position echoed by party colleague Andrew Turner. Another Conservative, Philip Davies, told the newspaper he would like to see all murders punishable by death. Young said hundreds of petitions had been submitted on subjects “from setting up an English parliament to ensuring Formula One remains free to air”. Any petition deemed to be libellous, offensive, duplicates existing open petitions or is not related to government will be rejected. Moderators will also block any that concern honours and appointments. Capital punishment House of Commons George Young guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …The Debt Ceiling Debate As A Fairy Tale: Colbert Re-tells The Billy Goats Gruff
August 3, 2011 No CommentIt’s a couple of days old, but too good not to share. Stephen Colbert likens the debt ceiling debate and negotiations to a fairy tale, specifically The Billy Goats Gruff. It’s hard to argue that the Democratic goats in Washington appear to be completely unaware that they are not dealing with reasonable people who share the common goal of what’s best for the country. No, the Republican Party are nothing but trolls who view the welfare of the country as acceptable collateral damage in their pursuit of their agenda.
Continue reading …New Ad Campaign in WI Recall Targets Paul Ryan & Scott Walker’s Champion—Alberta Darling
August 3, 2011 No CommentWe’re making a lot of headway in Wisconsin and the recall campaign is moving along swiftly. Many of us have been engaged full on and now PFAW has moved in and really helped out the cause. Here’s what they’ve been doing: Our partner PFAW has been staging a multi-pronged campaign in the Wisconsin recall elections. It includes TV, direct mail, door-knocking and phone calls. Last week, they put up TV ads in three districts against Republicans Luther Olsen, Dan Kapanke and Randy Hopper. The response from their membership was great and they were able to expand those buys and also reach into Alberta Darling’s district. Check out this new ad that hits Darling. Darling’s important because: A) She is one of the leaders of the pack of Wisconsin R’s. B) Her race wasn’t supposed to be close, but now it’s a dead heat . The fact that her seat is even competitive shows how strong the progressive response to these elections has been. Darling was co-chair of the committee that wrote Wisconsin’s union-busting bill, and had a central role in shaping it. She is also an unapologetic shill for corporate interests: She called Paul Ryan (who’s fundraised for her) a “hero” and recently insisted that those making $250,000 a year “ aren’t wealthy people .” C) Darling has a whole lot more money in the bank than her opponent, Sandy Pasch, though with the momentum building up in the race Pasch out-fundraised her in July. If this race, which wasn’t supposed to be competitive, ends up flipping, it will be a small but important sign of voters beginning to reject Tea Party economics. The pressure is really getting to her now because in front of the Milwaukee press she tried to deny even knowing anything about Paul Ryan’s Medicare-killing budget, when before she hailed it as heroic. Here’s Howie’s latest tweet : Alberta Darling used to brag she loves Ryan’s plan to end Medicare. Now: “I don’t know the details” but supports Ryan’s “fiscal goals.” Sandy Pasch was endorsed by Blue America and is running against Darling in the recall election and we did a great live chat session with her in June along with another WI hero, Chris Larson. You’d have to be living under a rock not to know there’s a battle in Wisconsin that’s crucial for the whole progressive movement and for the future of our country. That’s why Blue America started a new Wisconsin Recall page and it’s why we’ve invited state Senator Chris Larson and state Senate candidate Sandy Pasch here for a Blue America live chat today (2pm, CT, noon, PT)… read on We’re hoping to send Scott Walker and the entire tea party a message, and getting rid of hacks like Darling – who care nothing for the working class in WI – would be an excellent start.
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Does everything Sarah Palin touch turn famous? It does if the cable network TLC has its way. The television station has announced a new two-part series about the Beehive salon as part of its new reality show “Big Hair Alaska.” Beehive owner Jessica Steele famously tallies Palin as a client. A TLC press release, not
Continue reading …Lawmakers, who have recessed until September, failed to reach an agreement that would reinstate the FAA and thousands of workers who have been furloughed since July 23 when the FAA’s operating authority expired. The government has already lost $200 million and could lose more than $1 billion without a resolution. Sure, members of Congress have
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