UK Indymedia - Sheffield Newswire Archive

Day 8 – Leader of the UK Green Party

info@ratcliffeontrial.org (Ratcliffe on Trial) | 03-12-2010 11:23 | Sheffield

Taken from http://ratcliffeontrial.org/2010/12/day-8-leader-of-the-uk-green-party-explains-the-eu-democratic-deficit/

This afternoon the much anticipated video-link with Caroline Lucas commenced. Former Green MEP from 1999 - 2010, and current MP for Brighton Pavilion, Lucas had a wealth of experience with the reality of the ‘democratic deficit'. The leader of the UK Green Party began her testimony by addressing the issue of targets and how the current targets set do not match up to the scale of the crisis we are facing. She stated a 90% reduction of emissions would be necessary to have any hope of stopping the global temperature rise at 2 degrees, with the current targets only as high as 80%.

In terms of her EU experience, Lucas aired her frustrations at the large amount of unelected power - both from the Commission, which has the power of initiation despite being unelected, and the equally undemocratic power given to corporate lobbyists, whom she claimed had better access to those in power than the elected officials themselves. This included, for examples, energy companies who lobbied against measures to reduce emissions, thwarting any attempts to improve the situation.

She also discussed the failure of the EU to prioritise realistic ways to reduce emissions, instead primarily focussing on flawed schemes such as carbon trading, which she stated was open to large amounts of abuse.

In regard to the British Parliament, the complete lack of interest in the climate was clear when Lucas stated that a recent debate on the Cancun Climate Summit had only been attended by 12 MPs, with the Prime Minister failing to attend the summit in favour of the World Cup bid. It was evident from Lucas's testimony that at both a national and supranational level, politicians were failing in their duty to protect the public from the effects of climate change.

The trial will continue from Monday, with more experts and defendants giving evidence.

National Day of Protest Against Welfare & Housing Benefit Cuts

Take action now to defend the Welfare State on the 15th of December 2010. We will not pay for their crisis.

The National Day of Protest Against Welfare & Housing Benefit Cuts aims to begin by focusing on the Housing Benefit cuts so why not organise a sit in, protest or demonstration in your local Civic Centre or Town Hall.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=181074851903167&

Antifascist Films this Saturday at Bradford 1 in 12 Club

Antifascist Solidarity | 02-12-2010 10:17 | Anti-racism | Sheffield

This Saturday 4th December, 12 Noon - 10.00pm

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Obama administration seeks to criminalize WikiLeaks

Top officials of the Obama administration have threatened criminal prosecution of WikiLeaks for its latest release of secret US diplomatic documents. Attorney General Eric Holder, at a press conference Monday, declared, “There’s a predicate for us to believe that crimes have been committed here and we are in the process of investigating those crimes.”

Sheffield University: Occupation Demands

Sheffield Occupation | 01-12-2010 21:43 | Education | Public sector cuts | Sheffield

We are a peaceful and non-violent occupation. We see ourselves as part of a broad and united movement that has sucessfully mobilised against the ConDem attack on education and the rest of the public sector.

UG#526 - Understanding Economic 'Development' (Black Power & Economic Hitmen)

This week we hear three complementary views on the topic of 'economic development'. First, a short article by Helena Norberg-Hodge on the global culture of consumerism. Next, a radio adaptation of the Adam Curtis' 1992 documentary, Black Power. Focusing on Kwame Nkrumah's Volta Dam Project, this tells how the rich West African colony of the Gold Coast because the highly indebted country of Ghana. Finally, former 'economic hit man', John Perkins, tells how he helped corrupt foreign elites to ensnare their countries in debt.

Sheffield students protest against tuition fee rises - Photos

Sheffield students march to Nick Clegg's office to protest against the rise in tuition fees. After marching back to the university they set up occupation in the Richard Roberts building.

http://sheffieldoccupation.tumblr.com/

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Craig Murray: Still Blacklisted for Broadcast?

Craig Murray | 30-11-2010 22:22 | Repression | Terror War | Sheffield

What on earth are they so afraid I am going to say?

Sheffield Marches on Clegg and Sheffield University Occupied Again!

Report from Day X2 events in Sheffield.

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Bringing it all Back Home (Sheffield Student Demo)

http://underclassrising.net | 30-11-2010 17:40 | Sheffield

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Prince Andrew: UK "In the thick of playing the Great Game"

¶9. (C) Addressing the Ambassador directly, Prince Andrew then turned to regional politics. He stated baldly that “the United Kingdom, Western Europe (and by extension you Americans too”) were now back in the thick of playing the Great Game. More animated than ever, he stated cockily: “And this time we aim to win!” Without contradicting him, the Ambassador gently reminded him that the United States does not see its presence in the region as a continuation of the Great Game. We support Kyrgyzstan’s independence and sovereignty but also welcome good relations between it and all of its neighbors, including Russia.

Screening of Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo in Sheffield

Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo

Is new documentary telling the story of Guantánamo: torture, extraordinary rendition and secret prisons. Examining how the Bush administration turned its back on domestic and international law, rounding up prisoners in Afghanistan and Pakistan without adequate screening and often for large bounty payments. Focusing on the stories of three prisoners, Shaker Aamer, Binyam Mohamed and Omar Deghayes, 'Outside the Law: Stories from Guantánamo' is powerful rebuke to the myth that Guantánamo holds “the worst of the worst”.

(Spectacle Productions, 2009; 75 mins., directed by Polly Nash and Andy Worthington)

Omar Deghayes (Guantanamo 'Detainee') and Poly Nash (Director) will be present to introduce the film.

Yorkshire Solidarity with Jock Palfreeman

Free Jock! | 29-11-2010 22:32 | Anti-racism | Liverpool | Sheffield

This Saturday -December 4th.

Ratcliffe Trial: James Hansen says governments are lying on climate change

This long awaited afternoon in Nottingham Crown Court saw NASA scientist James Hansen give evidence as an expert witness.

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Raise A Glass to Wikileaks

The Guardian CIF has radically shortened and buried in a panel a piece I wrote for them - at their request - on Wikileaks.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/nov/29/us-embassy-cables-middle-east

Following is the original...

One hundred arts organisations face destruction from UK budget cuts

Jackie Warren | 29-11-2010 13:57 | Culture | Public sector cuts | Sheffield

The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government in the UK proposes slashing 29.9 percent from arts funding over the next four years. As a result, 100 arts organisations are threatened with losing their entire funding.

Sheffield Marches on Clegg 30th Nov

underclassrising.net | 29-11-2010 05:12 | Sheffield

After an incredibly successful protest of over 3000 people in Sheffield on the 24th, as well as the 24 hour occupation at Sheffield University (

http://sheffieldoccupation.tumblr.com/)

Antifascist Films at Bradford 1 in 12 Club

Antifascist Solidarity | 28-11-2010 23:59 | Anti-racism | Sheffield

Saturday 4th December, 12 Noon - 10.00pm

Wikileaks under mass distributed Denial of Service Attack

Wikileaks announced today at 17.00 that the Wikileaks website is under a sustained and distributed Denial of Service Attack.

UG#525 - Cannabis (Medical Marijuana, Forgetting and the Botany of Desire)

Last week's episode looked at how man made toxic chemicals have proved more destructive for humans than initially anticipated. This week, by contrast, we look at the effects of chemicals that occur naturally in plants, and may be more therapeutic than generally recognised. In our first hour, Claudia Little, a medical marijuana activist looks at some of the innumerable therapeutic uses of this plant, with a history of medical use going back several thousands of years. Our second hour features Michael Pollan speaking on the contents of his book Cannabis, Forgetting, and the Botany of Desire, which widens our focus to look at how plants have co-evolved to fulfil useful functions to other life forms.

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