Uranium mine plans in India blocked to protect rare wildlife

A plan to begin uranium mining in Meghalaya, India, a move strongly opposed by residents, has been halted by a national panel of wildlife experts. Prospecting in the area some years ago had already caused serious health impacts to villagers. But it was the threat to rare forms of wildlife that ultimately stopped the plan. The National Board of Wildlife rejected the exploratory drilling proposal because of strong local opposition and also because the area is home to elephants, black bear, leopards, deer and the red panda, one of the world's rarest animals.

Just what India needs - more weapons and reactors

U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, during a visit this week to India, has agreed on a deal that will allow the U.S. to market "sophisticated weaponry" to that country. Building on the deal made under the former Bush administration, Clinton further discussed arrangements for U.S. companies to build nuclear power plants in India. What does a country of 1.2 billion people need with sophisticated weaponry, a space program and cancer-causing nuclear reactors when it is struggling to feed its people and provide clean, safe drinking water? It was bad enough that the Bush administration basically forgave India its nuclear weapons program and avoidance of membership of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Now the Obama administration will aid and abet the further proliferation of nuclear materials and technology in one of the most volatile and dangerous regions of the world, plus sell arms to a country whose resources need to be spent on meeting fundamental human needs.

What's really behind Clinton's India deal?

Big profits for nuclear coroporations suggests a writer in India's Frontline magazine.