THE British Red Cross has ordered a near total ban of Christmas decorations from its charity shops so as not to offend Muslims, a London newspaper reported today. "We put up a nativity scene in the window and were told to take it out," Christine Banks, a volunteer at a Red Cross shop in Kent county, southern England, told the Daily Mail tabloid. "It seems we can't have anything that means Christmas. We're allowed to have some tinsel but that's it ... We were told it is because we must not upset Muslims," Banks added. Confirming the ban at the charity's 430 shops, a spokesman for the British Red Cross told the paper: "The Red Cross is a neutral organisation and we don't want to be aligned with any political party or particular philosophy". "We don't want to be seen as a Christian or Islamic or Jewish organisation because that might compromise our ability to work in conflict situations around the world." The spokesman added: "In shops people can put up decorations like tinsel or snow which is seasonal. But the guidance is that things representative of Christmas cannot be shown".
Agence France-Presse -------------------------------------------------------------------- [GREENS ON RAMPAGE]
from WA Sunday Times 22nd Dec, 2002
A $15 million expansion of one of the State's most important iron ore mines could be blocked - because of a rare native plant. Portman Mining wants to make the investment to increase the life of its Koolyanobbing project but the Environmental Protection Authority has advised the Government against it, saying it would render the plant critically endangered. Sixty jobs depend on the expansion going ahead. Opposition spokesman for the Goldfields-Esperance region, Matt Birney, said the EPA's advice was "ridiculous" and called on Environment Minister Judy Edwards to ignore it. Esperance Shire chief executive Michael Archer said in a letter to Mr Birney that it would be a "tragedy" for the town and region if the iron ore operation temporarily ceased production. He said up to 60 jobs would be lost along with millions of dollars in infrastructure investment, and the community's confidence would be damaged.
