In this issue:

ICAN ACT
Support Palm Sunday THIS weekend
Order ICAN merchandise

ICAN NEWS
NEW Brochure Please order and distribute

Another DVD! - Australia's Central Role in Nuclear Weapons Abolition

NUKES NEWS

ICAN ACT - things to do this month

PALM SUNDAY: Events THIS WEEKEND. Palm Sunday is a key date for calling for nuclear disarmament. This year it coincides with the anniversary of the war on Iraq - the rationale for which was nuclear weapons! So please get involved in your local events - and say you want a nuclear weapons free world

Adelaide Brisbane Gold Coast Hobart Kempsey Melbourne Parramatta Perth Sydney Wollongong

BUY ICAN merchandise! We have just launched our on-line shop! You can now buy ICAN T-shirts, fridge magnets, coffee mugs - and even aprons and baby t's and bags! www.cafepress.com/icanw

We also have just got in some fair trade T-shirts and badges. They'll be at Palm Sunday in Melbourne, or order them through Jessica@icanw.org

US Leadership for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World: SIGN THE PETITION If you didn't sign on last month, make sure you now join the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, actor Jeff Bridges, singer Jackson Browne, and thousands of others to call on the next US president to focus on nuclear weapons. www.wagingpeace.org/appeal

Join the Peace Walk, London to Geneva via France, April 26-July 16. More information see: footprints for peace.

SIGN ON to support ICAN

Facebook: sign up to the ICAN Cause, or join the Group.

Myspace: become an ICAN friend.

BOOK an ICAN speaker for your next event. E-mail jessica@icanw.org

Sign up celebrities to ICAN: Add faces to the growing personal endorsements of ICAN - statespeople, politicians, musicians and others. If you know any 'famous' people who may want to endorse ICAN - we can provide information to approach them with.

Join your organisation with ICAN. ICAN partners commit to building the campaign. Could your union, church, professional group, social group or other become an ICAN partner?

ICAN NEWS

New Brochures! Thousands of copies of our snappy new fold-out brochure arrived last week. Please order copies to distribute to your group, local library, or birthday cards! Thanks to Tim Wright for all his voluntary time putting this together. Click here for a preview of the fold out (pdf).

Another DVD! This week our new DVD featuring Carmen Lawrence, Hans Blix and Gareth Evans will be sent to every Federal Labor politician. The DVD shows why the new Australian Government is central to the future of nuclear weapons abolition. Order a copy from Jessica@icanw.org

Government. ICAN has been pleased to employ Professor John Langmore to assist in our relationships with the Government. We have met with a significant number of Government representatives, as well as members of other parties and Departmental officials. We have been pleased to learn the Government is planning to follow through on its commitment to re-open the Canberra Commission. We are also encouraging them to stick to their promise of leading a Nuclear Weapons Convention.

Community. ICAN has been excited to meet with many representatives of the union movement in the last two months, many of whom identify with the importance of nuclear abolition from earlier times. We are looking forward to many of them joining as partners.

ICAN IN THE NEWS!

Pulling back from the nuclear precipice by John Langmore 

February 18, 2008; Eureka Street, Vol 18, No 4.

http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=5168

BOOMsday! A threat looming larger than global warming 

by Tilman Ruff, Tim Wright

14 February 2008 Geelong Advertiser

www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2008/02/14/11325_opinion.html  

US Missile Defence. Jessica Morrison appeared on radio 3CR's breakfast program to talk about recent announcements that Australia may support the US Missile Defence program.

Getting nuclear-bomb fuel out of radiopharmaceuticals
Bill Williams, Tilman A Ruff
The Lancet - Vol. 371, Issue 9615, 8 March 2008, Pages 795-797.

E-mail Jessica@icanw.org for a copy.

NUKES NEWS

Good news...

India aspires for atomic weapons-free world says the Indian Vice-President in opening the 18^th World Congress of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. Read Story.

High Representative for Disarmament Affairs of the United Nations speaks in support of a Nuclear Weapons Convention at a major conference in Oslo. The conference organised by the Norwegian Government was Achieving the Vision of a World Free of Nuclear Weapons Read Full Speech (pdf).

India nuclear deal not confirmed. The US: Nuclear deal has still yet to receive approval from either the Nuclear Suppliers Group or the IAEA. Read More. Previous Former deputy director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) labelled the deal as a catastrophe. Read Story. The Australian Government remains strong on their decision not to sell uranium to India, despite pressure to change their position. Read Story.

Nuclear Test Veterans launched compensation claims against the UK Ministry of Defence. Read Story.

French Government will expand medical check ups to 35,000 veterans from Algeria and French Polynesia. Read Story.

Bad news...

ALP considering policy change to support US Missile Defence. Read Story

Urgent action needed to stop nuclear smugglers reports the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, who say decreased expertise and resources are increasing risks. Read Story

While the US Department of Energy falls behind in their clean up of nuclear weapons sites. Read Story.

China declares sharp rise in military expenditure. Read Story

News on Iran...

Third set of Sanctions imposed on Iran. After much debate, the Security Council last week agreed to impose further sanctions on Iran for refusing to halt their nuclear program. Some countries express reservations about the move given Iran's apparent compliance with the IAEA. Read Story Iran has replied by stating it will only negotiate once threats of further actions stop. Read Story. The Australian Government released a statement supporting the sanctions. Read Minister's press release.

Jessica Morrison

Australian Director

International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

G03 60 Leicester Street, Carlton VIC 3053

Phone: + 61 3 9347 4795        

Mob:     0431 519 577

Fax: + 61 39347 4995

______________________________

www.icanw.org 

-- 

Jessica Morrison

Australian Director

International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

G03 60 Leicester Street, Carlton VIC 3053

Phone: + 61 3 9347 4795        

Mob:     0431 519 577

Fax: + 61 39347 4995

______________________________

www.icanw.org 

By far the greatest single danger facing humankind - in fact, all living beings on our planet - is the threat of nuclear destruction. - His Holiness, the 14th Dali Lama