Work on huge Brazil Amazon dam halted by judge
A Brazilian judge has suspended work on a massive hydroelectric dam in the Amazon jungle, saying it would harm fishing activities on the Xingu River. Brazil's government, which strongly backs the $11-billion, 11,000-megawatt project as necessary to fuel the country's growing economy, said it planned to appeal the ruling. Judge Carlos Eduardo Martins said he halted construction of the controversial Belo Monte dam because it would harm fishing by indigenous communities on the Xingu River in Para state...The Norte Energia consortium that is building the dam said it had not been informed of the ruling...But environmentalists and indigenous groups say the dam would devastate wildlife and the livelihoods of 40,000 people who live in the area to be flooded.