Rainbow Warrior in NZ return, 40 years after bombing
The Greenpeace-staffed yacht will dock in the City of Sails for the anniversary in July, completing a similar journey that its precursor vessel undertook in 1985.
The Rainbow Warrior sailed south to New Zealand after helping to ferry a few hundred Marshall Islanders from an atoll polluted by US nuclear testing.
It had planned to join a flotilla protesting French tests, but the ship was blown up by undercover French agents, killing a photographer aboard.
Kiwi Prime Minister David Lange labelled the attack "a sordid act of international state-backed terrorism", for which France later apologised and paid compensation.
The biggest after-effect was confirming New Zealand's status as a non-nuclear state, with huge support for bans on nuclear-powered vessels and nuclear weapons that continue to this day.
"Our ship was targeted because Greenpeace and the campaign to stop nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific were so effective," Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman said.
Mr Norman said the anniversary sail was not purely for commemorations on July 10, instead coming at a "pivotal moment when the fight to protect our planet's fragile life-support systems has never been as urgent or more critical".
Conservationists accuse the Chris Luxon's government with a vast array of environmental degradations: fast-tracked seabed mining and new coalmines, intensive dairy and agriculture harming biodiversity and water standards, and abandoning Jacinda Ardern-era climate plans.
"Here in Aotearoa, the Luxon government is waging an all-out war on nature, and on a planetary scale, climate change, ecosystem collapse, and accelerating species extinction pose an existential threat," Mr Norman said.
The ship visiting is the third iteration of the Rainbow Warrior.
The original lies on the seabed off Matauri Bay, north of Auckland, where it was scuttled to become a dive site and artificial reef.
It will host open days in Auckland when it arrives, following maintenance in Cairns, where it currently is harboured.
Forty years on from its bombing in Auckland - causing an almighty diplomatic rift and cementing New Zealand's anti-nuclear outlook - the Rainbow Warrior is returning.
The Greenpeace-staffed yacht will dock in the City of Sails for the anniversary in July, completing a similar journey that its precursor vessel undertook in 1985.
The Rainbow Warrior sailed south to New Zealand after helping to ferry a few hundred Marshall Islanders from an atoll polluted by US nuclear testing.
It had planned to join a flotilla protesting French tests, but the ship was blown up by undercover French agents, killing a photographer aboard.
Kiwi Prime Minister David Lange labelled the attack "a sordid act of international state-backed terrorism", for which France later apologised and paid compensation.
The biggest after-effect was confirming New Zealand's status as a non-nuclear state, with huge support for bans on nuclear-powered vessels and nuclear weapons that continue to this day.
"Our ship was targeted because Greenpeace and the campaign to stop nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific were so effective," Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman said.
Mr Norman said the anniversary sail was not purely for commemorations on July 10, instead coming at a "pivotal moment when the fight to protect our planet's fragile life-support systems has never been as urgent or more critical".
Conservationists accuse the Chris Luxon's government with a vast array of environmental degradations: fast-tracked seabed mining and new coalmines, intensive dairy and agriculture harming biodiversity and water standards, and abandoning Jacinda Ardern-era climate plans.
"Here in Aotearoa, the Luxon government is waging an all-out war on nature, and on a planetary scale, climate change, ecosystem collapse, and accelerating species extinction pose an existential threat," Mr Norman said.
The ship visiting is the third iteration of the Rainbow Warrior.
The original lies on the seabed off Matauri Bay, north of Auckland, where it was scuttled to become a dive site and artificial reef.
It will host open days in Auckland when it arrives, following maintenance in Cairns, where it currently is harboured.
Forty years on from its bombing in Auckland - causing an almighty diplomatic rift and cementing New Zealand's anti-nuclear outlook - the Rainbow Warrior is returning.
The Greenpeace-staffed yacht will dock in the City of Sails for the anniversary in July, completing a similar journey that its precursor vessel undertook in 1985.
The Rainbow Warrior sailed south to New Zealand after helping to ferry a few hundred Marshall Islanders from an atoll polluted by US nuclear testing.
It had planned to join a flotilla protesting French tests, but the ship was blown up by undercover French agents, killing a photographer aboard.
Kiwi Prime Minister David Lange labelled the attack "a sordid act of international state-backed terrorism", for which France later apologised and paid compensation.
The biggest after-effect was confirming New Zealand's status as a non-nuclear state, with huge support for bans on nuclear-powered vessels and nuclear weapons that continue to this day.
"Our ship was targeted because Greenpeace and the campaign to stop nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific were so effective," Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman said.
Mr Norman said the anniversary sail was not purely for commemorations on July 10, instead coming at a "pivotal moment when the fight to protect our planet's fragile life-support systems has never been as urgent or more critical".
Conservationists accuse the Chris Luxon's government with a vast array of environmental degradations: fast-tracked seabed mining and new coalmines, intensive dairy and agriculture harming biodiversity and water standards, and abandoning Jacinda Ardern-era climate plans.
"Here in Aotearoa, the Luxon government is waging an all-out war on nature, and on a planetary scale, climate change, ecosystem collapse, and accelerating species extinction pose an existential threat," Mr Norman said.
The ship visiting is the third iteration of the Rainbow Warrior.
The original lies on the seabed off Matauri Bay, north of Auckland, where it was scuttled to become a dive site and artificial reef.
It will host open days in Auckland when it arrives, following maintenance in Cairns, where it currently is harboured.
Forty years on from its bombing in Auckland - causing an almighty diplomatic rift and cementing New Zealand's anti-nuclear outlook - the Rainbow Warrior is returning.
The Greenpeace-staffed yacht will dock in the City of Sails for the anniversary in July, completing a similar journey that its precursor vessel undertook in 1985.
The Rainbow Warrior sailed south to New Zealand after helping to ferry a few hundred Marshall Islanders from an atoll polluted by US nuclear testing.
It had planned to join a flotilla protesting French tests, but the ship was blown up by undercover French agents, killing a photographer aboard.
Kiwi Prime Minister David Lange labelled the attack "a sordid act of international state-backed terrorism", for which France later apologised and paid compensation.
The biggest after-effect was confirming New Zealand's status as a non-nuclear state, with huge support for bans on nuclear-powered vessels and nuclear weapons that continue to this day.
"Our ship was targeted because Greenpeace and the campaign to stop nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific were so effective," Greenpeace Aotearoa executive director Russel Norman said.
Mr Norman said the anniversary sail was not purely for commemorations on July 10, instead coming at a "pivotal moment when the fight to protect our planet's fragile life-support systems has never been as urgent or more critical".
Conservationists accuse the Chris Luxon's government with a vast array of environmental degradations: fast-tracked seabed mining and new coalmines, intensive dairy and agriculture harming biodiversity and water standards, and abandoning Jacinda Ardern-era climate plans.
"Here in Aotearoa, the Luxon government is waging an all-out war on nature, and on a planetary scale, climate change, ecosystem collapse, and accelerating species extinction pose an existential threat," Mr Norman said.
The ship visiting is the third iteration of the Rainbow Warrior.
The original lies on the seabed off Matauri Bay, north of Auckland, where it was scuttled to become a dive site and artificial reef.
It will host open days in Auckland when it arrives, following maintenance in Cairns, where it currently is harboured.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
8 hours ago
- Perth Now
‘Immediately': Trump's blunt call as Zelensky arrives in DC
US President Donald Trump is preparing to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and top European leaders for peace talks, levelling a blunt assessment at one country. The historic White House gathering comes after Mr Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Anchorage, Alaska. After a three-hour discussion, Mr Trump emerged saying he would be making some calls. Now, some of the most influential leaders in Europe, along with Ukraine's top representative, are preparing to meet in Washington DC, with the future of Ukraine and peace in the region at stake. Mr Zelensky arrived and was greeted by an enormous security escort that whisked him off to the White House guest house. Taking to Truth Social after the Ukraine President touched down, Mr Trump wrote: 'President Zelensky of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight.' 'Remember how it started. 'No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!' Mr Trump said the meeting at the White House was going to be a 'big day'. 'Never had so many European leaders at one time. My great honour to host them!' he wrote. Mr Trump also took the opportunity to hit back at criticism over his meeting with Mr Putin, which some have labelled a 'major defeat' for the US. 'The Fake News has been saying for 3 days that I suffered a 'major defeat' by allowing President Vladimir Putin of Russia to have a major Summit in the United States,' he wrote. President Donald Trump reaches for a handshake with President Vladimir Putin of Russia as they meet at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. Credit: DOUG MILLS / NYT 'Actually, he would have loved doing the meeting anywhere else but the U.S., and the Fake News knows this. It was a major point of contention!' In the string of posts, Mr Trump said it was a 'great honour for America' to be hosting so many 'great European Leaders at our beautiful White House', also adding that the new American flags he added to the grounds 'look FANTASTIC'. Mr Zelensky will be joined by European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. 'The United States is potentially prepared to be able to give Article 5 security guarantees, but not from NATO - directly from the United States and other European countries,' US special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News ahead of the White House gathering.
West Australian
8 hours ago
- West Australian
Donald Trumps says Volodymyr Zelensky could end war ‘immediately' as leaders arrive in DC after Putin talks
US President Donald Trump is preparing to host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and top European leaders for peace talks, levelling a blunt assessment at one country. The historic White House gathering comes after Mr Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Anchorage, Alaska. After a three-hour discussion, Mr Trump emerged saying he would be making some calls. Now, some of the most influential leaders in Europe, along with Ukraine's top representative, are preparing to meet in Washington DC, with the future of Ukraine and peace in the region at stake. Mr Zelensky arrived and was greeted by an enormous security escort that whisked him off to the White House guest house. Taking to Truth Social after the Ukraine President touched down, Mr Trump wrote: 'President Zelensky of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight.' 'Remember how it started. 'No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!' Mr Trump said the meeting at the White House was going to be a 'big day'. 'Never had so many European leaders at one time. My great honour to host them!' he wrote. Mr Trump also took the opportunity to hit back at criticism over his meeting with Mr Putin, which some have labelled a 'major defeat' for the US. 'The Fake News has been saying for 3 days that I suffered a 'major defeat' by allowing President Vladimir Putin of Russia to have a major Summit in the United States,' he wrote. 'Actually, he would have loved doing the meeting anywhere else but the U.S., and the Fake News knows this. It was a major point of contention!' In the string of posts, Mr Trump said it was a 'great honour for America' to be hosting so many 'great European Leaders at our beautiful White House', also adding that the new American flags he added to the grounds 'look FANTASTIC'. Mr Zelensky will be joined by European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. 'The United States is potentially prepared to be able to give Article 5 security guarantees, but not from NATO - directly from the United States and other European countries,' US special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News ahead of the White House gathering.
SBS Australia
9 hours ago
- SBS Australia
European leaders to join Zelenskyy at White House for Trump meeting
Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with SBS News Podcasts . European leaders are preparing to join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a highly anticipated meeting with United States President Donald Trump. The UK, Italy, Finland and France will attend the meeting with Ukraine's President- in which an end to the war in Ukraine is expected to be discussed. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who will also attend the meeting at the White House, says robust security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe will be key. "First, we must have strong security guarantees to protect both Ukraine and Europe's vital security interests. Ukraine must be able to uphold its sovereignty and its territorial integrity. There can be no limitations on Ukrainian armed forces." It's a position echoed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who says Europe is united in backing Ukraine. He says the outcome of the meeting cannot be one that rewards Russian President Vladimir Putin for his invasion of Ukraine. FRENCH THEN ENGLISH VO "If we are weak today with Russia, we will be preparing the conflicts of tomorrow... So no weakness. Ultimately, what we are saying is that we want peace... But we want a robust peace, a peace that in no way can be a capitulation. A peace that in no way can be at the expense of the security of Europeans." It comes as Ukraine faces pressure from the United States to accept a peace deal, after Mr Trump's face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska ended without achieving a ceasefire. The US President emerged from the meeting more aligned with Moscow on seeking a peace deal instead of first establishing a ceasefire. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says a lasting peace deal is the preferred outcome. "Who would be against the fact if tomorrow we came to you and said, we have a full peace deal and it's done, I think that's the best way to end the war. Now, whether there needs to be a ceasefire on the way there, well, we've advocated for that. Unfortunately, the Russians as of now have not agreed to that. But the ideal here, what we're aiming for here, is not a ceasefire. What we ultimately are aiming for is an end to this war.' While the talks were seen by some to have produced little movement in negotiations, Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, says the meeting made important progress on potential security guarantees for Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has ruled out Ukraine becoming a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. But Mr Witkoff says the peace deal discussed with Russia could include guarantees similar to Article 5 of the alliance's charter, which obliges NATO members to defend a fellow member from attacks. "It means that the United States is potentially prepared to be able to give Article 5 security guarantees, but not from NATO, directly from the United States and other European countries. That is big. I mean, really big.' Mr Macron says the substance of peace-deal security guarantees for Ukraine will be more important than whether they are given an Article 5-type label. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, meanwhile, says such a guarantee suggests the US is serious about finding a security deal that benefits Ukraine. GERMAN THEN ENGLISH VO: "I think it is a really great progress that America is prepared to give such security guarantees together with us Europeans, but the major work on a peace agreement, if there is no ceasefire now, the major work on such a peace agreement now lies ahead of all those involved and not behind us." Mr Zelenskyy has welcomed Trump administration's comments regarding a defence agreement, but says bolstering Ukraine's army must also be a part of any security guarantee. UKRAINIAN THEN ENGLISH VO:"A strong army is the only thing that can provide security guarantees. Only Ukraine can provide this. I believe that only Europe can provide funding for this army, and weapons for the army can be provided by our domestic production and European production, but there are some things that are in short supply and are only available in the United States of America." In a statement issued after the meeting with Mr Trump, Mr Putin said Russia would like to move on to resolving all issues by peaceful means. Sources briefed on Russia's thinking have told Reuters the US and Russian leaders discussed proposals for Russia to relinquish small pockets of occupied Ukraine, in exchange for Ukraine ceding a swathe of fortified land in the east, and freezing the front lines elsewhere. Top U-S officials have also hinted the fate of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region — which incorporates Donetsk and Luhansk, and which is already mostly under Russian control — may be on the line. Mr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, has reiterated his reluctance to cede land to Russia. "Russia is still unsuccessful in Donetsk region. Putin has been unable to take it for 12 years and the constitution of Ukraine makes it impossible. Impossible to give up territory or trade land. Since the territorial issue is so important, it should be discussed only by the leaders of Ukraine and Russia and the trilateral Ukraine, United States, Russia. So far, Russia gives no sign that trilateral will happen." The hope from European leaders is that their presence at the meeting will at the very least help Mr Zelenskyy avoid a repeat of his last meeting in Washington in February, which saw Trump and his vice president JD Vance give the Ukrainian leader a public dressing-down, accusing him of being ungrateful and disrespectful.
