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French tax protests rumble on

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 30 November 2013 | 21.29

THOUSANDS of trucks blocked highways and roads across France in ongoing protests over an environmental tax that continue to smoulder, despite the government putting the levy on ice.

The Interior Ministry said around 2200 trucks were taking part in the protest over the proposed tax on trucks of over 3.5 tonnes - slightly more than the last protest by transporters two weeks ago. A transport union put the figure at 4500 trucks.

Tens of thousands of small business owners and workers have demonstrated over the tax in the past month, calling it the last straw after a string of punishing tax increases, particularly on business.

Further protests were planned later on Saturday in Brittany, where the revolt was started in October by a group of farmers and food producers known as the Bonnets Rouges (Red Caps).

To defuse tensions the government has suspended the implementation of the tax, which had been due to come into effect in 2014.

Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll said on Friday it would not take effect until at least 2015.

The OTRE transport union and Brittany's Bonnet Rouges are demanding that the tax be scrapped altogether.

The protests are seen as the expression of deep frustration with the Socialist government's economic policy.

Faced with a bloated budget deficit, the government's response has mainly been to raise taxes, avoiding the deep spending cuts seen elsewhere in Europe.


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Tibetan campaigner arrives in Dharmsala

A 42-YEAR-OLD Tibetan has arrived at the headquarters of the government-in-exile in India after cycling through Europe and Asia in a campaign protesting China's heavy-handed rule in the Himalayan region.

Scores of people lined the streets of northern Indian town of Dharmsala on Saturday waving Tibetan flags and ceremonial silk scarves as they greeted Rinpo Yak.

He reached India cycling through Nepal.

Beginning in March, he moved through 14 European countries before flying to Japan for the Asian leg. His journey has covered over 8000 kilometres.

He lives in the US and he has spread his message across 40 states since 2000.

He's due to meet Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama soon.


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Russia frees Aussie Greenpeace activist

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 29 November 2013 | 21.30

RUSSIA has freed Australian Colin Russell, who is the last of 30 people detained after a Greenpeace protest in Arctic waters.

Russell walked free from a St Petersburg jail on Friday, one day after being granted bail of two million rubles ($A67,600) in an appeal hearing.

The Australian radio operator was the first to be brought to court when bail hearings started last week, and was denied bail. All the others were released.

The 30 still face charges for hooliganism, which carries a sentence of up to seven years.

They were arrested following an attempt by some of the activists to scale an offshore drilling platform belonging to state-owned natural gas giant Gazprom.

It's unclear whether the foreigners in the group will be allowed to leave Russia before the start of the trial.


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Russian court releases Aussie activist

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 28 November 2013 | 21.29

Jailed Australian activist Colin Russell is set to appeal his detention in Russia on Friday. Source: AAP

GREENPEACE activist Colin Russell has been released on bail from a Russian jail.

The Australian was the last of the Arctic 30 being held in detention in St Petersburg, Russia, after his fellow activists were released in the past week.

A Russian court on Thursday released Mr Russell, with Greenpeace tweeting: "Excellent news! Colin Russell from Australia is granted bail."

Mr Russell's wife Christine, who departed Australia for Russia this week, said this was wonderful news.

"My daughter and I are one step closer to being in the arms of my darling Col. I am so relieved that my beautiful, peaceful man will soon be out of detention," she said in a statement released by Greenpeace.

Mr Russell, from Tasmania, was the radio operator aboard the Greenpeace vessel Arctic Sunrise. He and the other 29 activists were detained in September following a protest against Russian oil drilling in the Arctic Sea.

He was the last to be released on bail after 71 days in detention.

Like those already released, Mr Russell will have to post bail of two million roubles ($A66,190).

Greenpeace International will put up the bail with the expectation that Mr Russell will be released by the weekend.

However, he and the others still face charges of hooliganism, downgraded from the initial charges of piracy.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific chief executive David Ritter said this was an enormous relief.

"We will not rest until Col and the rest of the crew no longer face these ridiculous charges for what was a peaceful attempt to hang a banner off an oil platform," he said in a statement.

"The crew was there to raise awareness of the risk of spills to the pristine Arctic and for this they should be congratulated, not punished."

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said the government welcomed the decision to grant Mr Russell bail and looked forward to his early release from detention.

"Australian officials are seeking urgent clarification of the bail conditions that will apply to Mr Russell," he said.

"The government will continue to urge that Russian authorities extend due legal process to Mr Russell during the remainder of the investigation period."

The spokesman said Foreign Minister Julie Bishop would continue to monitor developments in the case.

If necessary, she will follow up her recent representations to her Russian counterparts.

Officials from the Australian Embassy in Moscow are continuing to provide consular support to Mr Russell and are planning to visit him as soon as practical, he said.


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Tears, cheers for shark victim

Shark attack victim Chris Boyd (R) has been remembered in an emotional service in the WA waves. Source: AAP

CHRIS Boyd - the surfer killed by a shark in the waters off Gracetown - has been remembered in an emotional service in the West Australian waves.

Mr Boyd's parents and his partner Krystle Westwood were joined near the spot where he died last weekend by dozens of well-wishers and mourners who remembered the 35-year-old's life.

About 100 surfers paddled out into the ocean at Gracetown Beach, where there were cheers and tears.

Mr Boyd's parents Charlie and Barbara set off a flare in their son's memory, while a wreath sent from his friends at the Coolum Boardriders Club in his native Queensland was laid.

A paddle-out in Mr Boyd's memory is planned in Queensland for December 8.

Through Christian Surfers Australia, an appeal has been launched to raise money to help cover Mr Boyd's funeral costs.

Donations can be made through the Christian Surfers Australia Facebook page.


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Rio approves $400m for iron ore expansion

Rio Tinto has allocated $400 million to increase its iron ore production to 360 million tonnes. Source: AAP

MINING giant Rio Tinto will spend $400 million to expand its Pilbara iron ore production capacity to 360 million tonnes per annum.

Mine production capacity will increase by more than 60 million tonnes a year between 2014 and 2017.

The rapid expansion is expected to be achieved through boosted production at existing mines, productivity gains and the development of the Silvergrass mine.

"The majority of the low-cost growth will be delivered in the next two years with mine production of more than 330 million tonnes in 2015," Rio said in a statement.

Rio plans to reach a run-rate capacity of 290 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) by the end of the first half of 2014 after completing the first phase of its expanded port rail and mine operations.

The second phase of expansion of the port, rail and power infrastructure to get to 360 mtpa is expected to be completed in the first half of 2015.

Rio recently said it was confident of hitting its 2013 iron ore production target of 265 million tonnes.

But Rio has deferred an investment decision on Silvergrass until the third quarter of 2014, and a decision on the proposed Koodaideri mine has been deferred until 2016.

It comes after Rio targeted a reduction of $US5 billion ($A5.49 billion) in its overall operating cost cuts by the end of 2014.

Chief executive Sam Walsh said the expansion of the company's Pilbara operations represented the most attractive investment opportunity in the sector.

"It's in line with my commitment to be totally focussed on only allocating capital to opportunities that will generate the best returns to shareholders," Mr Walsh said in a statement.

The expansion would be delivered at an estimated capital cost of more than $3 billion below previous expectations, he said.

Analysts were expecting $US5 billion to be allocated on an iron ore expansion to achieve 360 million tonnes a year.

The expansion is subject to government and joint venture approvals.


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Nigella's PA spent $86,000 monthly on card

TV chef Nigella Lawson has been described as a 'habitual criminal' in a London court. Source: AAP

MILLIONAIRE art dealer Charles Saatchi's accountant has told a London court he did not tell his boss and his ex-wife, Nigella Lawson, his suspicions that their personal assistants were spending thousands of pounds of their money as he did not want to bother them with "trivial matters".

Rahul Gajjar said he first became aware that Italian sisters Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo were using credit cards loaned to them by the celebrity couple on themselves at the beginning of last year.

While Francesca's average monthly spend was STG48,000 ($A86,564) and Elisabetta's was STG28,000, the other personal assistants employed by Saatchi spent a maximum of STG8000.

Asked by prosecutor Jane Carpenter why he did not go to Saatchi and Lawson with his suspicions straight away, Gajjar said: "It was on the back burner. We were dealing with more corporate matters - more serious corporate matters - and Mr Saatchi and Miss Lawson normally didn't have time for what we thought were trivial matters."

On Wednesday, jurors at Isleworth Crown Court in west London heard the sisters were alleged to have spent the money on luxury goods and lived the "high life" as "portrayed in glossy magazines".

Gajjar said both defendants had been given credit cards in Saatchi's Conarco Partnership account with Coutt's bank to buy items for the household.

While 35-year-old Francesca's credit limit was STG25,000 in June 2008, it went up to STG50,000 in February 2010 and rose to STG100,000 in June 2011.

Gajjar said he had been employed as finance director of Saatchi Gallery Group, part of Conarco Partnership, since June 2002.

He told jurors the couple, who went through a high-profile divorce earlier this year, had a number of personal assistants who worked "flexible" hours for them.

Asked what their roles were, he told the court: "It could be personal matters, looking after the home. It could be some work-related matters very close to Charles and Nigella."

Saatchi and the TV chef broke up after pictures were published in a newspaper showing him holding his wife of 10 years by the throat.

The court previously heard that Saatchi alleges that Lawson was so high on drugs that she was unaware of what she had or had not permitted the sisters to spend money on.

The Grillos deny the charge against them.

It is alleged that between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2012, they committed fraud, abusing their positions as PAs by using a company credit card for personal gain.


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Man attempts to lure girl in Wollongong

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 27 November 2013 | 21.29

POLICE are appealing for information after an unknown man attempted to lure a 13-year-old girl into his car in Wollongong.

Police say a green older-model sedan with light-blue number plates pulled up beside the girl at 4pm on Wednesday when she was walking on Pioneer Road in Bellambi.

When the girl declined the offer of a lift, police say the driver reached towards her and she ran away.

Officers want to speak with a man they describe as being aged 30-40, with olive skin, a large build, and a flat nose.

Police say the man was unshaven, wearing sunglasses and a black cap with a red logo on the front on Wednesday.


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Nigella Lawson called 'habitual criminal'

TV cook Nigella Lawson was described as a "habitual criminal" in a London court on Wednesday.

Italian sisters Francesca and Elisabetta Grillo are due to go on trial accused of using a company credit card to buy themselves designer handbags and flights while working as personal assistants to Lawson and Charles Saatchi.

But lawyers for the defendants argued today that the case should not go ahead due to the "manipulation of the court process" by the TV cook and the millionaire art dealer, who had a high-profile divorce earlier this year.

On Tuesday, Isleworth Crown Court in west London heard that Saatchi alleges that Lawson was so high on drugs that she was unaware of what she had or had not permitted the sisters to spend money on.

After hearing submissions from Anthony Metzer QC, defending Elisabetta Grillo, 41, and Karina Arden, defending Francesca, 35, Judge Robin Johnson ruled that the trial should go ahead.

"I consider, with the right rulings and the ability to monitor the process of the court during the process of the trial, a fair trial can be achieved and therefore I have refused this application," he said.

Earlier Mr Metzer argued that the case should be dropped as Mr Saatchi and Ms Lawson were at "loggerheads" and the alleged drug use damaged the TV cook's "credibility as an honest witness".

He told the court: "The defendants' case is that Nigella Lawson lied to her ex-husband about her drug use and about the expenditure that was incurred by the defendants, both expressly and implicitly, because she was fearful of Mr Saatchi's reaction if he knew about the extent of the expenditure and drug use.

"There was a culture of secrecy within Nigella Lawson's marriage."

He argued that the defendants will not receive a fair trial "as there has been a manipulation of the court process by the two main prosecution witnesses in this case".

He said that if it did go ahead, "it's a convenient forum for Mr Saatchi and Miss Lawson to rehearse disputed issues between them ... in the criminal courts where, of course, the possibility of libel is not possible".

"If Mr Saatchi is telling the truth, then Miss Lawson is a habitual criminal."


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US jobless claims drop as lay-offs slow

THE number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits dropped 10,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 316,000, a sign that workers are in less danger of being laid off.

The Labor Department says the less volatile four-week average fell 7,500 to 331,750. Both the weekly jobless claims and the average have returned to pre-recession levels.

Weekly unemployment claims are a proxy for layoffs. They have fallen in six of the past seven weeks.

As layoffs have dwindled, hiring has picked up.

Employers added 204,000 jobs last month, indicating that companies were undeterred by the 16-day government shutdown. Private businesses added 212,000 new positions, the most since February.

The economy has added an average of 202,000 jobs a month from August through October, up from 146,000 in May through July.


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UK detectives quiz 'slavery victims'

THREE women allegedly held as slaves in London are to be formally interviewed by police for the first time.

Officers have had indirect contact with the trio, who it is claimed were effectively brainwashed into remaining in a political collective for more than three decades, but have had to wait until trauma experts gave them the go-ahead to take their accounts in person.

Commander Steve Rodhouse police did not yet fully understand the "nature of the allegations".

"We are moving to a point where we will be able to interview the victims and our plan is actually to do so today," Rodhouse said on Wednesday.

He said there may have been "many and varied offences" against the women, who were allegedly held captive at various addresses in London, but that their ordeal may not be defined as modern day slavery.

"We need to maintain an open mind on what this particular incident is before we jump to those conclusions and labels," Rodhouse said.

"The crucial issue for us is that, on the basis of the information that we've had indirectly from victims, clearly criminal offences have been committed. What we need to do now is to understand that in much more detail."

A total of 47 officers are now working on the inquiry, launched after one of the women - a 30-year-old Briton, a 57-year-old Irishwoman and a 69-year-old Malaysian - contacted staff from the Freedom Charity last month, and eventually left the house in Brixton, south London, where they said they were being held.

Police agreed to wait until last week to arrest the suspected captors, said to be Maoist activists Aravindan Balakrishnan and his wife, Chanda Pattni.


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Man dies after Bruce Highway crash

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 26 November 2013 | 21.29

A 31-YEAR-OLD Queenslander has died after his vehicle rolled down an embankment on the Bruce Highway.

Police say the accident happened about 40km south of Miriam Vale at 3.50pm on Monday when the driver, a man from Biloela, lost control of the vehicle.

He died at the scene, and two female passengers were taken to hospital in Gladstone with minor injuries.


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Get COAG, ANAO to aid audit: accountants

EDS: not for use before 0001 (AEDT), Wednesday November 27

CANBERRA, Nov 27 AAP - The federal government's national commission of audit must draw on the expertise of two key institutions if it is to achieve the best outcomes, the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia says.

In its submission to the government, the institute says it should seek the assistance of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) and the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO).

Institute chief executive Lee White says Australia's future economic prosperity is dependent on how well the economy adapts to the deep structural policy challenges it faces, including slowing productivity growth.

"COAG has an important role in assessing the impact of policy decisions," Mr White said in a statement on Wednesday.

"It is vital it rises above the political debate and drives reform across all levels of government."

Identifying savings measures and efficiencies was crucial for fiscal sustainability.

He said the ANAO's function provided the parliament with an independent assessment and assurance of public sector financial reporting, administration, and accountability.

"Making greater use of the ANAO would also enable a more robust consultative approach towards the development and critique of public policy," he said.

He said there also needed to be greater transparency around decision making because public sector employees did not always understand the reasons associated with decisions that were made.

The submission also wants a stocktake of committees of which there are thousands, including panels, boards and advisory boards, some of which are duplicated and others that are under-used.

It also sees scope to centralise human resource functions of the 160,000-strong Australian public service.


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Indian parents get life for double murder

AN Indian court has sentenced a married dentist couple to life in prison for killing their 14-year-old daughter and their housekeeper in a case that has dominated headlines and polarised the country.

Rajesh and Nupur Talwar, from New Delhi, reportedly broke down in tears when they were convicted on Monday and vowed to appeal the verdict.

Defence lawyer Rebecca John said after Tuesday's sentencing that the case against the Talwars, based largely on circumstantial evidence, amounted to a "witch hunt" and said "there has been a serious miscarriage of justice in this case".

The couple came under suspicion soon after their daughter, Aarushi, was found dead in her bedroom in May 2008, her throat slit with surgical precision.

Police initially named the Talwars' missing Nepali housekeeper as the prime suspect, until his lifeless body was found a day later on a terrace above Aarushi's room.

The double-murder became one of the most closely-watched whodunits in recent memory in India, with dramatic turns by police and prosecutors seizing national headlines and launching debates over details of the case.

Prosecutors for the Central Bureau of Investigation had asked for the death penalty.

"Such crime comes under the rarest of rare cases," prosecutor Naresh Yadav said.

"So they should be awarded maximum punishment."

The investigation determined both victims had been hit with a golf club and later had their throats slit.

Police offered several possible motives in prosecuting the parents, including an honour killing.

Several other suspects had been questioned by police, and after the case stalled, the Talwars in 2011 demanded a fresh investigation.

The couple was also sentenced to an additional five years in prison for destruction of evidence, while Rajesh Talwar got another year for "furnishing false information to the police regarding the murder of his daughter" by the 45-year-old housekeeper.


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Man dies after Bruce Highway crash

A 31-YEAR-OLD Queenslander has died after his vehicle rolled down an embankment on the Bruce Highway.

Police say the accident happened about 40km south of Miriam Vale at 3.50pm on Monday when the driver, a man from Biloela, lost control of the vehicle.

He died at the scene, and two female passengers were taken to hospital in Gladstone with minor injuries.


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More spy revelations could be on way

Written By Unknown on Senin, 25 November 2013 | 21.30

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott could be constrained in responding to Indonesia over spying claims because of concerns there could be more damaging revelations still to be revealed, it's been suggested.

Josh Frydenberg, parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Tony Abbott, said the Guardian newspaper had stated that just one per cent of the information from US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden was in the public arena.

Similarly, the head of the United States National Security Agency, where Snowden worked, suggested as many as 200,000 files could have gone missing, he said.

"This could be a very slow burn. Today it could be Indonesia," Mr Frydenberg told the ABC's Q and A program.

"I would be astounded if, with only one per cent of that information out there, if there will not be more damaging revelations for Australia and its allies in due course. I don't know."

Mr Frydenberg said as Snowden was now in Russia, the intelligence files he took could now be in the possession of the Russians.

"This may be part of a bigger play out there," he said.

A week ago, the Guardian Australia and ABC reported that Australian intelligence had monitored the mobile phones of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife and other leaders.

These revelations outraged Indonesia which suspended all co-operation with Australia in terms of strategic partnerships, including in combating people smuggling, intelligence gathering and anti-terrorism efforts and halted some joint defence activities.

Mr Frydenberg said it was a longstanding tradition of both sides of politics not to comment on on intelligence matters and Mr Abbott had adopted exactly the right approach in expressing regret but not an apology.

Former US assistant secretary of state Kurt Campbell said this was the very beginning of a whole string of revelations.

"So you just don't know what to expect so you have to be very careful how you handle this," he said.


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Report warns of fishing in NSW sanctuaries

MORE than six months after the NSW government opened up marine sanctuaries to recreational fishing, a new report is warning the pastime can have as much damage as its commercial counterparts.

The Centre for Policy Development report by former World Bank economist Caroline Hoisington, released on Tuesday, said the state's six marine parks were already delivering economic benefits to local communities, bringing an estimated $2.4 million to places like Jervis Bay.

Meanwhile, in the Solitary Islands off Coffs Harbour there are "preliminary indications" that certain fish, such as red morwong, were appearing in greater numbers in sanctuary zones.

"European studies have shown that for each year a fully protected zone is in place, the number and/or size of commercially targeted fish within the park, compared to immediately adjacent areas, increased by around eight per cent," the report states.

Sanctuary zones are areas within marine parks where fishing has traditionally been off-limits.

But in March the government announced it would be granting an amnesty, allowing line fishing from ocean beaches and headlands in these zones.

The centre's report warns, however, that recreational fishing can have a "significant effect on fish stocks".

For some species, such as the bluespotted flathead, recreational catch is estimated to be well above that of its commercial counterparts.

Ms Hoisington's report argues that parks need to be at least 15 years old before they could be properly tested.

With the oldest NSW marine parks barely 11 years and the youngest only six, it was too early to judge.

"Let's hope that we will collectively give marine protected areas enough time to develop and to show the benefits they can bring," the report states.

It comes after Clean Up Australia founder Ian Kiernan warned against the "winding back" of protections for sanctuaries in a report released last week.


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Extend domestic violence leave: ACTU

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 24 November 2013 | 21.29

THE national union peak body wants special leave for domestic violence victims to be included as a minimum workplace award entitlement from next year.

To coincide with White Ribbon Day, Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Dave Oliver said unions will support a special resolution on the issue at an ACTU executive meeting on Tuesday.

He said 1.2 million workers already have access to domestic violence leave but it should be extended to cover more people.

"Victims of domestic violence are often vulnerable, traumatised and left with little support," he said.

"The last thing they need is to risk losing their jobs."


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Treasurers to discuss online shopping tax

MOVES to slap GST on overseas online shopping purchases worth less than $1000 will be on the agenda when Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey meets his state and territory counterparts this week.

The treasurers will meet in Canberra on Wednesday from 8.30am (AEST) for the Standing Council on Federal Financial Relations, the first since the change of government.

A spokeswoman for Mr Hockey said the meeting will focus on economic growth and ways to increase productivity.

The $1000 threshold at which the GST is collected on goods and services purchased from abroad will be on the agenda.

The treasurers will consider potential options on collecting the GST on online transactions if the threshold was to be lowered.

Australian businesses argue that while online shopping from foreign outlets may comprise a small component of the overall retail sector, it's a fast-growing trend being supported by an effectively GST-free status on less expensive items.

The previous Labor government argued that significant reforms were needed within the tax system to handle the job otherwise the cost of collecting the tax would outstrip the revenue collected.

NSW Treasurer Mike Baird said his state had been pushing for reform on the low-value threshold on GST for online overseas purchases for a long time.

"It is about time we had a genuine discussion on the issues that matter and it's clear that under the new federal government this is what we are going to see," he told AAP.

The treasurers are also expected to discuss infrastructure partnerships and the economic and fiscal outlook.


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Greenpeace to continue oil rig demos

GREENPEACE will continue to stage oil rig protests despite having 30 activists taken prisoner by the Russian authorities, one of the Britons freed from detention says.

Frank Hewetson says, that despite his ordeal, the organisation's method of scaling oil rigs in the Arctic would happen again.

But he says he can't for certain say they will return to Russia

He said he had 23 years of experience and was "pretty good" at carrying out direct forms of action.

He said it had to be done safely, with the right equipment and training.

"I think it will happen again for sure," Hewetson said.

"I'm just not going to comment about whether it will happen in Russia, I just don't have the mental head space to make that sort of decision at the moment.

"But I personally want to go back to part of the Arctic."


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