North America

Abolition 2000 message on the nuclear crisis in Japan and around the world. “In solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of victims and survivors of the nuclear energy and weapons industries we call for an end to nuclear energy and weapons – the human and environmental impact of both being uncontrollable in time and space.”

During this week the United Nations General Assembly discussed international standards that grant nature equal rights to humans. Similar protocols have been adopted by over a dozen U.S. municipalities, as well as Bolivia and Ecuador. Renowned environmentalists Maude Barlow and Vandana Shiva join us for this interview.

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster – and 6 weeks after the devastating disaster in Japan – 9 Nobel Peace Laureates call upon world leaders to invest in safer forms of renewable energy by sending an open letter to 31 heads of state whose countries are currently heavily invested in nuclear power production, or are considering investing in nuclear power.

A report authored by the prestigious Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) reveals that in year 2010 nuclear plants in the United States experienced at least 14 “near misses”, serious failures in which safety was jeopardized, at least in part, due to lapses in oversight and enforcement by U.S. nuclear safety regulators.

By J Chandler

As many as 10,000 people gathered in New York City’s Union Square on April 9 to make the connection between militarism abroad and austerity at home–and renew the antiwar movement’s demand to bring U.S. troops home now. Across the country, some 1,500 people rallied the next day in San Francisco in a sister demonstration.

On April 9th in NYC and 10th in San Francisco, human rights, civil rights, and workers rights leaders and advocates – religious and secular – Jewish, Muslim, Christian, humanist – are linking arms in solidarity and common commitment with antiwar activists to take to the streets in the face of what Dr. King once called an “unfolding conundrum”.

With its US affiliate, Physicians for Global Survival called for a moratorium on new nuclear reactors in Canada and a suspension of operations at the nuclear reactors on fault lines. PGS cited the medical risks associated with radiation exposure and stressed that radioactive emissions from nuclear power plants expose entire populations and are the “gifts that keep on giving”.

UN Secretary General leads a host of world and civic leaders supporting Earth Hour 2011 as a powerful symbol of a shared wish for a sustainable and secure future.
“All over the world individuals, communities, businesses and governments are creating new examples for our common future – new visions for sustainable living and new technologies to realize it,” Ban Ki-moon said.

New York City: At the New School’s Eugene Lang College on Wednesday, March 23, the NY Coalition to Expand Voting Rights held a free public forum on non-citizen voting rights and a discussion about Intro. 410, legislation recently introduced in the City Council that would restore municipal voting rights for legally residing non-citizens in New York City.

It’s amazing, just amazing, this international system! It presumably has a world Parliament made of delegates from all countries on Earth and called the General Assembly of the United Nations. Such a Parliament is led by a mini executive body of only five countries, called the Security and Peace Council.
By Baher Kamal*.