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Global News Headlines - May 24



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NEWSLINK: Environmental News Headlines
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Thursday, May 24, 2001
Greenbase Unit
Greenpeace International
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An overview of the environmental news of the day

ATMOSPHERE

1) Deutsche Presse-Agentur May 23, 2001, 518 words; Australia 
unmoved by greenhouse vandal tag BODY: The Americans are 
not alone in refusing to make sacrifices to slow the rate 
of global warming. Australians are also unwilling to give 
up cheap petrol, big cars, wood stoves and hot tubs. They 
pump out more of the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse 

2) BBC Online 24 May, 2001 
[http://newssearch.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/news-
sid_1348000/1348348.stm] Mexico puts own energy needs first 
Mexican Energy Minister Ernesto Martens Rebolledo has said 
Mexico will look after its own energy needs before helping 
the United States to resolve its power crisi He said his 

3) Africa Most Threatened By Global Warming Durban, South 
Africa, May 23, 2001 (CGIAR/All Africa Global Media via 
COMTEX)-- Climate Change Poses Special Problems for 
Agriculture - Scientists estimate overall decrease in 
agricultural productivity; Sub-Saharan Africa most 
vulnerable The steady warming of the earth's surface 

(Greenpeace)
4) Environmental groups, unions call for US coal boycott after 
Kyoto pullout MADRID, May 24 (AFP) - Environmental groups 
joined forces with Spanish unions Thursday calling on the 
Spanish government to limit coal imports from the United 
States in protest at its withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol.
Groups Ecologistas en Accion, Greenpeace and WWF/Adena, 

5) 05/23 U.S. groups say Calif. power bill would dirty air 
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Republican-backed bill that aims 
to give California relief from electricity shortages by 
allowing utilities to temporarily spew more nitrogen oxide 
emissions into the air is a threat to public health, a 
coalition of 24 health and green groups said on Wednesday. 

6) Air pollution may cause infant deaths SAN FRANCISCO, May 
23, 2001 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- 
Elevated air pollution may be the killer behind 9 percent 
of infant deaths in the United States, concludes a study by 
an international team of researchers. Investigators 
evaluated air-quality data for eight U.S. cities from 1995 

7) The New York Times; May 24, 2001, Page 17; 542 words; Role 
of Trees in Curbing Greenhouse Gases Is Challenged; BY: 
ANDREW C. REVKIN BODY: Two new studies are challenging the 
idea that planting forests could be a cheap way to absorb 
emissions of carbon dioxide, the main heat-trapping gas 
released by human activities. In one, tracts of pine trees 

ENERGY

8) XINHUA; May 23, 2001, 343 words; Tibet to Exploit Hydro, 
Solar Energy BODY: Tibet is expected to be buoyed by the 
regions endeavors to tap its rich hydropower and solar 
power resources, according to local officials. The region, 
short of coal and oil resources, is to build two backbone 
hydropower plants, with a combined installed capacity of 

9) THE KOREA HERALD; May 24, 2001, 242 words; Ministry to 
subsidize solar power generators BODY: To promote the use 
of alternative energy, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry 
and Energy will invest 735 million won in the project of 
installing solar power generators and water heating systems 
using solar energy in households and welfare centers, the 

10) The Scotsman; May 24, 2001, Pg. 4; 1231 words; WINDS OF 
CHANGE ARE GATHERING OUT AT SEA; BY: Jim Dow BODY: IF LESS 
than 0.1 per cent of the renewable energy within the oceans 
of the world could be converted into electricity, it would 
satisfy the present world demand for energy more than five 
times over. And in the UK alone it has been estimated that 

(Greenpeace)
11) The Express; May 24, 2001; COLUMNS; Pg. 14; 141 words; THIS 
IS AMERICA; LEADERS ADD FUEL TO GREENS' IRE; BY: Toby Moore 
BODY: PRESIDENT George W Bush held a Washington dinner on 
Tuesday night for 2,000 ofhis closest friends. It raised 
GBP 14 million for Republican Party funds and was sponsored 
by the tobacco and oil industries. But the big bash was the 

12) THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC; May 23, 2001 Pg. 4; 658 words; JUST 
LOOK IN YOUR GARAGE TO FIX BLAME FOR GAS PRICES; BY: David 
Wells BODY: As gas prices rise faster than the thermometer, 
Arizonans are losing their cool. Before the summer is out, 
we may be paying $2 a gallon, double the price of six years 
ago. Seeking a villain in the market, Netscape's home page 

FORESTS

13) Information Bank Abstracts WALL STREET JOURNAL; May 23, 
2001, Section B; Page 1, 176 words; BATTLE BREAKS OUT OVER 
RIVAL SEALS FOR 'GREEN' WOOD BY: QUEENA SOOK KIM and JIM 
CARLTON ABSTRACT: Environmentalists trying to save 
endangered forests are battling the timber industry over 
competing seals of approval for 'green' lumber; over the 

GENETIC ENGINEERING

14) Globe and Mail Internet Edition [www.globeandmail.com] May 
24, 2001 Farmer to pay $19,000 to Monsanto Canadian Press 
Saskatoon - Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser will have 
to pay more than $19,000 in damages to agricultural giant 
Monsanto for knowingly using the firm's genetically 
modified canola and not paying for it. The payout was 

15) Globe and Mail 23/05/2001, Canada [www.globeandmail.com] 
Against the grain Wednesday, May 23, 2001 Across Western 
Canada this spring, scientists will plant genetically 
modified wheat at 59 research sites, pressing forward in 
their efforts to develop a commercial seed to sell to 
farmers. Those silent, sunny Prairie fields may appear 

16) Norwegian boost for UN biosafety protocol ENDS Daily - 
23/05/01 Norway has become the third country in the world 
to ratify the UN Cartagena protocol on biosafety, the 
country's environment ministry said yesterday. Finalised 
last year (ENDS Daily 25 May 2000), the instrument aims to 
develop detailed rules to govern international movements of 

17) SLanka's Environment Group Tells US Not to Dump ...
 COLOMBO, May 24, 2001 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Sri Lanka's 
Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL) told the United 
States not to dump untested genetically modified food in 
the country in a strongly worded letter to U.S. President 
George W. Bush on Wednesday, The Island newspaper reported 

18) The Washington Post; May 24, 2001, Final Edition; Pg. A17; 
820 words; FBI Probes Oregon, University Lab Arsons; Blazes 
Targeted Tree Genetics Experiments; Environmental Terrorism 
Suspected BY: Marc Kaufman, BODY: The FBI is investigating 
as possible acts of domestic terrorism the burning this 
week of a University of Washington research laboratory in 

MILITARY

19) The Toronto Sun; May 24, 2001 Final Edition; Pg. 56; 653 
words; SPYING IN SPACE; ALLIANCE MP SAYS WE'VE GOT OUR OWN 
DEFENCE VERSION OF STAR WARS BYLINE: GREG WESTON BODY: Some 
disturbing government documents suggest the department of 
national defence has been secretly running a Canadian 
version of the dubious American "Star Wars" program to 

NUCLEAR POWER

20) ABIX: Australasian Business Intelligence; May 24, 2001 Pg. 
 7; 112 words; Nuclear reactor "not needed"; SOURCE: The 
Daily Telegraph ABSTRACT: An Australian Senate committee 
report was found on 23 May 2001, which denies the need for 
a new nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights. The report was 
lodged a week after the application for a licence was made. 

21) FINLAND 1ST IN EUROPE TO OK PERMANENT NUCLEAR WASTE 
DISPOSAL STUDY HELSINKI, Finland, May 23, 2001 (ENS) - 
Finland took an important step toward securing long term, 
underground storage of high level nuclear waste on Friday, 
when the Finnish Parliament approved a plan to build a test 
facility in Olkiluoto, Eurajoki on the country's west 

22) AP Worldstream May 24, 2001; 245 words; Thieves dismantle 
nuclear-powered lighthouse in Arctic Russia BODY: Four 
unemployed men in search of scrap metal dismantled 
generators at a nuclear-powered lighthouse in Russia's Far 
North, exposing themselves to dangerous doses of radiation, 
an official said Thursday. Viktor Kozlov, an adviser on 

(Greenpeace)
23) The San Francisco Chronicle; MAY 24, 2001, FINAL EDITION, 
Pg. A3; 1156 words; New nuclear power push arouses old 
fears; Three Mile Island accident, Nevada waste site 
opposition BY: Keay Davidson BODY: An entire generation of 
Americans has gone from birth to college graduation since 
the last time nuclear power's future looked bright. Now, 22 

24) AP Worldstream May 24, 2001; 266 words; NRC says criminal 
charges possible in case of missing nuclear fuel rods 
DATELINE: WATERFORD, Connecticut BODY: The Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission has launched an investigation into the
disappearance of two fuel rods from a nuclear power plant 
that's been out of operation since 1995. In documents filed 

OCEANS

25) Australian Broadcasting Corporation This Bulletin: Thu, May 
24 2001 11:19 PM AEST 
[http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/nature/2001/05/item2001-
10524192625_1.htm] SCI TECH : Natu Senate imposes tough 
environmental laws for harm to Barrier Reef Tough new laws 
have been passed in the Senate increasing penalties for 

26) Canadian Press Newswire; May 24, 2001; Northern Nfld. cod 
might not recover for decades, federal panel says By 
Michael MacDonald ST. JOHN'S, Nfld. (CP) - Newfoundland's 
once-mighty northern cod fishery has shown no signs of 
recovery since commercial operations were shut down almost 
10 years ago, a federal panel reported Thursday. As a 

27) Deutsche Presse-Agentur; May 24, 2001, 321 words; Seventy 
70 per cent of Indonesia's coral reefs have been degraded 
BODY: Global warming and harmful fishing methods have 
already degraded 70 per cent of Indonesia's coral reefs, 
with blast fishing causing about 500,000 dollars in damages 
per day to the country's natural resources, a Worldwatch 

(Greenpeace)
28) The Japan Times: May 25, 2001 
[http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20010-
0525b7.ht Jusco's whale meat sales targeted by green groups 
WASHINGTON (Kyodo) Three U.S. environmentalist groups on 
Wednesday launched a campaign against Japan's Jusco Co., 
alleging the supermarket chain assists Japan's hunting of 

29) The Province; May 24, 2001; EDITION Final; PAGE A23; Rat 
poison threat to whales, dolphins: Truck falls into sea 
near New Zealand's South Island reserve WELLINGTON --There 
were fears for the safety of thousands of whales, dolphins 
and seals off New Zealand yesterday after a truck plunged 
over a cliff and spilled 16 tonnes of rat poison and paint 

(Greenpeace)
30) Financial Times (London); May 24, 2001, Pg. 7; 546 words; : 
Islands wooed in battle for whale sanctuary BY: CANUTE 
JAMES; DATELINE: KINGSTON BODY: Selmon Walters is 
unapologetic about his country's position on a particularly 
contentious issue: whaling. "We cannot allow the 
anti-whaling lobby to hinder our people from gainful 

31) ENDANGERED SEA TURTLES BUTCHERED ON THE BEACHES OF TOBAGO 
BLACK ROCK, Tobago, May 22, 2001 (ENS) - Conflicting laws 
governing the protection of critically endangered sea 
turtles in Trinidad and Tobago have created a loophole that 
allows poachers to slaughter the giant turtles for their 
meat when they come up on island beaches to lay their eggs. 

(Greenpeace)
32) AMERISCAN: TALBOTS CLOTHING STORES LINKED TO JAPANESE 
WHALING BOSTON, Massachusetts, May 23, 2001 (ENS) - 
Environmental and animal rights groups have launched a 
campaign targeting the popular women's clothing retailer 
Talbots over its links to the slaughter of whales and 
dolphins. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), The 

TOXICS

33) South China Morning Post; May 24, 2001; Pg. 8; 512 words; 
Officials quiet on dangers of toxic spill; BY: Matthew 
Miller in Shanghai BODY: More than a month after a ship 
collision near Shanghai resulted in China's worst ocean 
toxic spill, city officials are maintaining a guarded 
silence about the potential harm to public health caused by 

(Greenpeace)
34) Pravo; May 22, 2001; Pg. 4; 101 words; ACTIVISTS OBSTRUCT 
TECHNOPLAST (ZABLOKOVALI TECHNOPLAST) BODY: Greenpeace 
activists from the Czech Republic and Slovakia on Monday 
obstructed the entry into the Czech plastic producing 
company Technoplast of Chropyne. Greenpeace wants to call 
attention to the fact that the company's incineration plant 

(Greenpeace)
35) Daily Star 24/05/2001, Lebanon 
[http://208.2.80.22/24_05_01/art19.htm] Lebanese news 
Greenpeace-led petition demanding the closure of the 
Hotel-Dieu hospital incinerator in Achrafieh Joelle Sawaya 
signs a Greenpeace-led petition Wednesday demanding the 
closure of the Hotel-Dieu hospital incinerator in 

(Greenpeace)
36) BusinessWorld; May 24, 2001, Pg. 23; 687 words; Greenpeace 
activists detained in Bangkok BODY: Greenpeace activists 
who unfurled a 10 x 10 meter banner on the facade of the 
JBIC building in Bangkok last Monday were arrested and 
later released. The banner read, "JAPAN: Dioxin Pusher, 
Stop incineration." The activists, three of them Filipino, 

37) Agence France Presse; May 24, 2001, 170 words; US promises 
swift action on pollutants convention; BODY: The 
administration of President George W. Bush promised 
Wednesday to "swiftly" submit a UN treaty outlawing or 
restricting a chemical pollutants to the US Senate for 
ratification. The Stockholm Convention on Persistent 

X-OTHER-X

38) The San Francisco Chronicle; MAY 24, 2001, FINAL EDITION; 
Pg. A1; 1927 words; Senate's new look; Vermont lawmaker to 
quit GOP, putting Democrats in charge BY: Carolyn Lochhead 
BODY: Vermont Sen. James Jeffords said yesterday that he 
will defect from the Republican Party, throwing control of 
the Senate to Democrats and delivering a staggering blow to 

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