It looks as if USA and Israel are murdering Iran’s nuclear scientists
The undeclared war on Iran’s nuclear program, PAUL KORING TEHRAN— Globe and Mail May. 25, 2012 Over the past 28 months, assassins have targeted at least five Iranians scientists or 
engineers, men linked by Western intelligence agencies to the country’s controversial nuclear program….
No group or nation has claimed responsibility for any of the attacks on Iranian scientists. The killings are clearly part of a deliberate campaign. Some in the West see them as justified in the broader effort to deny a nuclear arsenal to Iran’s bellicose leaders…… Read more »
Iran: Cautious moves for compromise on uranium enrichment
U.S., allies may drop demand that Iran completely halt uranium enrichment By Sahar Issa — McClatchy Newspapers, May 23, 2012; The United States and five other major powers exchanged extensive proposals with Iran on Wednesday over that country’s nuclear program amid signs that the U.S. and its negotiating partners were dropping demands that Iran completely halt the enrichment of uranium.
Instead, the six powers formally asked Iran to halt enrichment of
uranium to 20 percent purity, a proposal that would allow it to
continue enriching uranium to the 5 percent level Iran says it needs
for electrical power generation.
…….The proposals also contained incentives for Iran, but it wasn’t
clear whether the six powers had offered to ease far-reaching
sanctions that have sharply hurt Iran’s economy or to suspend a cutoff
of purchases of Iranian oil that’s due to go into effect July 1.
Iran, which says that its uranium enrichment program is for peaceful
purposes, cautiously welcomed the six-power proposal.
“The ideas fielded to us speak of the fact that the other side would
like to make Baghdad a success,” Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar
Salehi said in Tehran. “We hope that in a day or two we can bring good
news.”…….http://www.macon.com/2012/05/23/2036306/us-allies-may-drop-demand-that.html
Baghdad nuclear talks offer real hope of progress between Iran and world powers
Iran nuclear talks: why optimism could be different this time, Christian Science Monitor, By Howard LaFranchi, Staff writer / May 22, 2012 The meeting in Baghdad will discuss Iran’s nuclear program. The US and some of its partners are speaking more hopefully about prospects for these talks than at almost any point in the past.
The talks that open in Baghdad Wednesday between Iran and six world powers on curbing
Iran’s nuclear program may well determine whether Israel or the US launches airstrikes against Iranian nuclear facilities. The talks will also be a factor in the US presidential election this year.
But no one should expect to see Wednesday either a comprehensive agreement addressing more than a decade of concerns about Iran’s nuclear development, or a throwing in of the towel (by either side) that paves the way to war.
The more likely scenario, if the talks go well, is the launching of intensive, virtually constant negotiations, which would suggest that agreement on the key issues important to each side is possible and indeed achievable in some reasonably short time frame, some regional
experts say….. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2012/0522/Iran-nuclear-talks-why-optimism-could-be-different-this-time
Iran agrees to let UN inspectors investigate suspected nuclear weapons site
Iran ‘to allow nuclear inspectors’, Herald Sun, AP May 23, 2012 IRAN has agreed in principle to allow UN inspectors to restart investigations into a suspected nuclear weapons test site.
The tentative accord – announced as envoys headed to the Iraqi capital for negotiations – is likely to be used by Iran as added leverage to seek concessions from the West on sanctions.
But US officials have shown no willingness to shift into bargaining mode so quickly, setting the stage for possible tense moments after talks tentatively set for today resume in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone.
Still, Iran’s move raises the pressure on the West for some reciprocal gestures to keep dialogue on track and further highlights Tehran’s apparent aims of opening a long give-and-take process over its nuclear
ambitions.
A major breakthrough in the years-long impasse was not expected in Baghdad, with officials and experts saying both sides will seek to demonstrate enough progress to keep the process moving forward…..http://www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/iran-signals-wider-un-access/story-fn6s850w-1226364055809
Military action in Syria could escalate into nuclear war
Russia says action on Syria, Iran may go nuclear By Gleb Bryanski MOSCOW | May 17, 2012 (Reuters) - Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned on Thursday that military action against sovereign states could lead to a regional nuclear war, starkly voicing Moscow’s opposition to Western intervention ahead of a G8 summit at which Syria and Iran will be discussed.
“Hasty military operations in foreign states usually bring radicals to power,” Medvedev, president for four years until Vladimir Putin’s inauguration on May 7, told a conference in St. Petersburg in remarks posted on the government’s website.
“At some point such actions which undermine state sovereignty may lead to a full-scale regional war, even, although I do not want to frighten anyone, with the use of nuclear weapons,” Medvedev said. “Everyone should bear this in mind.”…
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/17/us-g8-russia-idUSBRE84G18M20120517
General Electric, Hitachi, Toshiba keep mum as nuclear risks are socialised, and profits privatised
Fukushima nuclear disaster: who profits and who pays? http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/fukushima-who-profits-who-pays/blog/40463/ by Jan Haverkamp - May 16, 2012 Last week, the inevitable finally happened. The company responsible for the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Tokyo Electric Power Company, or TEPCO, has been nationalised. Japan’s trade and industry minister Yukio Edano announced a de facto state take-over of the company with a further injection of $12.5bn, bringing the total of state capital in TEPCO to $33.2bn. Edano has said that: “Without the state funds, (TEPCO) cannot provide a stable supply of electricity and pay for compensation and decommissioning costs”.
The total direct costs of the Fukushima Daiichi catastrophe for TEPCO, including compensation and clean up, are estimated at over $100bn. Many Japanese, however, experience in their daily lives that the damages are considerably higher because most of their claims and losses go uncompensated and most of their suffering goes unrecognised. The nationalisation of TEPCO, together with a legal practice called “channelling of liability” in which all liability related to the Fukushima nuclear disaster has to be channelled to TEPCO, means Japanese taxpayers and ratepayers will foot most of the bill.
An infuriating aspect of this story is that in a recent presentation by General Electric (GE) about its “success” over the past 50 years, there was not a word about the Fukushima disaster and nothing approaching an apology. Yet the Fukushima disaster was affected by well-known problems related to GE’s Mark 1 design, which was used at all four troubled reactors. Furthermore, GE was involved in maintenance throughout the four decades of the plant’s operation and had 44 on site at the time of the accident. Read more »
Engineers and Scientists speak out on nuclear energy
INES Statement on Nuclear Energy International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility. May 2012 At the INES Council meeting on April 28th, 2012 in Vienna, the following statement was adopted by the INES Council members. ”………..CONCLUSION Given the inevitable link to nuclear weapons, the risks involved and the obstacle that nuclear energy proves to be for renewable energy systems, we consider nuclear power incompatible with peaceful, just and lasting, i.e. sustainable development. Thus we demand:
- much greater expansion of research spending on renewable energy
- systems, redirecting current funding of nuclear energy research to this end
- for the remaining nuclear research (for safety in operation, dismantlement and disposal), make independent reviews and public debate mandatory
- enter a transition period of phase out and dismantlement of nuclear plants and development of renewable energy systems and technologies,
- initiate and hold debates with civil society, developing concepts and recommendations, for research and policies improving efficiency and enhancing reductions in energy consumption Unanimously adopted by
NATO in rather a mess, as USA escalates its nuclear weaponry
Four main issues: Afghanistan, Nuclear Weapons, Russia, Burden-sharing…..
2. Nato-Russian relations and Missile Defence. Nato’s relations with Moscow are bedevilled by US plans to base anti-missile missiles in Romania and Poland. Vladimir Putin, recently re-elected as Russia’s president who has declined an invitation to attend the Chicago summit, claims the missile defence system could be used against Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles aimed at the US. Read more »
Disagreements mar the progress of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
The smooth conduct of the meeting masked the disturbing nuclear discord lurking underneath. Remedial action is needed if the NPT is to retain its authority and continue to deliver the security benefits it has for over 40 years.
Undercurrent of discord at nuclear treaty talks. The Star.com, 16 May 12 The problems of the international nuclear order are frequent subjects of our daily news, yet scant attention is given to the central treaty that governs this sphere of global activity. With 189 signatories, the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) ) is the world’s most widely subscribed to international security agreement and contains the only legally binding commitment by states to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Read more »
UK’s nuclear programme: election of France’s President Hollande increases uncertainty
Now doubt has been cast over the commitment of a joint EDF Energy/Centrica consortium to fulfil its commitment to build two other nuclear reactors at Hinkley Point in Somerset and Sizewell in Suffolk.
EDF is state-owned and while President Sarkozy had a warm relationship with the nuclear sector, his successor, Francois Hollande does not. During his election campaign, M Hollande pledged to close 24 of France’s 58 reactors and to reduce reliance on atomic power.
French threat to UK energy: François Hollande could close nuclear plants By Oliver Wright, 16 May 2012 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/french-threat-to-uk-energy-franois-hollande-could-close-nuclear-plants-16159391.html#ixzz1v5yddT1I Belfast Telegraph, “……Britain’s nascent new nuclear programme is in trouble, due to a combination of the economic crisis, the disaster in Fukushima and changing political winds.
Yesterday, giving evidence to Parliament, the Energy Minister Charles Hendry appeared to be unable to guarantee with certainty that any of the five agreed new nuclear power plants would go ahead…… Read more »
Japanese govt’s nuclear push with Kazakhstan, and the global nuclear industry web
A complex web of agreements across national borders links many of the biggest players in the nuclear industry.
“Japan hasn’t used the Fukushima disaster as an opportunity to push for renewable energy or energy efficiency,” “Instead, it has used the time since the disaster to push for the restart of nuclear reactors.”
How Long Will Japan’s Nuclear Recess Be? Enter KazakhstanTruth Out , 15 May 2012 By Steve Horn, ”……Japan Announces Big Nuclear Deal with Kazakhstan Unmentioned by all but two news outlets was the fact that a day before the announcement, the Japanese government signed a deal with Kazakhstan’s state-owned nuclear giant, KazAtomProm, to begin supplying Japan with more nuclear fuel starting in 2013. Read more »
North Korea’s complicated manouverings on nuclear testing
it is possible that from before its inception, the HEU program was made to be sold. The North is likely to freeze and even dismantle it, on the condition of a big pay off and if they are allowed to maintain their existing stock piles of weapons-grade plutonium
Uranium or plutonium? The Korea Times, By Andrei Lankov 7 May 12, It seems likely that the third North Korean nuclear test will take place soon ― perhaps, in a matter of days or weeks. There are signs of preparation at the test site, and it would fit into a well-established pattern: a test of a long-range rocket is usually followed by a nuclear test. …. Read more »
Iran’s leadership ‘rational’ about nuclear weapons, says Israel’s military chief
Israeli military chief: Iran will not decide to make nuclear weapons Guardian UK by Saeed Kamali Dehghan 25 April 2012 Benny Gantz has told Israeli daily Haaretz that the Iranian leadership is composed of very rational people
Israel‘s military chief, Benny Gantz, has stated he doesn’t believe Iran will decide to make nuclear weapons and that Iranian key decision makers are rational. Read more »
Japan wants India to sign the Nuclear non Proliferation Treaty
Sign nuclear non-proliferation treaty, Japan tells India The Hindu, 30 April 12, SANDEEP DIKSHI Japan on Monday asked India to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) even as the two sides decided to reopen talks on a bilateral civil nuclear agreement…..
“We have instructed our negotiators on the way forward,” Mr. Krishna said and added the two countries understood the “concerns” of each other which were related to their historic experiences. Officials explained this to mean that while India says its clean non-proliferation record was good enough to restart civil nuclear talks, Japan feels that since India is not a signatory to the NPT, it should demonstrate its commitment to a ban on testing in words…. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3371546.ece
China opposing North Korea’s nuclear testng
Chinese Official: China Opposes Nuclear Test by N. Korea, Arirang, 29 April 12 Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Cheng Guoping has said that Beijing opposes a nuclear test by North Korea. Cheng who’s accompanying Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang on an official visit to Russia told reporters Saturday that China and Russia agreed to maintain their previous stance on North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.
Saying that the international community must do something to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula, Cheng called for an immediate resumption of the stalled six-party talks.
He reiterated that China will continue to work with the two Koreas to ensure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia…. http://www.arirang.co.kr/News/News_View.asp?nseq=128895&code=Ne8&category=1
1 THIS MONTH
- http://ifyoulovethisplanet.org/?p=5755 Mary Olson on how women are more vulnerable to atomic radiation
http://soundcloud.com/flashpoints/flashpoints-daily-newsmag-05-6Fukushima reactor 4 still threatens the world Dr. Micio Kaku
of the week http://www.youtube.com/user/GoddardsJournal
-
San Onofre: Bad Vibrations http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP7e83MErWw&feature=share - Low-Dose Radiation ☢ NEW A-Bomb Study http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VAncqK6bl0&feature=share
“Pay-to-print”: How Media Corruption Undermines Indian Democracy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbjsQ_dYuJQ&feature=share
VIDEO http://vimeo.com/35212151 Cancer Risk To Young Children Near Fukushima Daiichi Underestimated
- and this VIDEO Kazakhstan’s Nuclear Legacy http://www.euronews.com/2010/04/14/kazakhstan-s-nuclear-legacy/
ACTION
USA EMERGENCY PLANNING PETITION NOW OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS IN FAVOR OF EXPANDING EMERGENCY PLANNING ZONES; IMPROVING REGULATIONS The deadline for public comments is July 16, 2012. You can submit your comments here. more information at http://nuclear-news.net/action/
- Shut down the nuclear restart. Sign now!! http://www.avaaz.org/en/japan_no_to_nuclear_restart_ms/
- Stop Kudankulam - Please sign http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5502/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=10090 –
EVENTS – USA
- May 31 - Portland, Maine, Bonnie Raitt benefit concert for New England Coalition on Nuclear Pollution
The Nuclear Industry and WOMEN- theme for May 2012
Although women have rarely been part of decision-making about nuclear power, they have been at the forefront in opposing it.Women in organisations Strongly present in anti-nuclear activities in peace, environmental, religious and civil liberties, women have also formed their own anti-nuclear organisations . e.g. Women’s International League For Peace and Freedom, Women For Peace. Women Against Nuclear Power, Women Against Nuclear Energy,
“When it comes to opposing nuclear power in Finland, the toughest and most active and conspicuous resistance has been among women. A rather small group of women working as teachers, freelance editors, authors and in rather alternative professions. Women who perfectly well are aware of the fact that they are far too radical to be promoted for high posts within traditional parties or getting well-paying jobs in some big companies. Women who are not trying to reach equality on male values. These women have kept the resistance alive, have invited foreign speakers getting through in the mass media, have arranged post-card campaigns aiming at parliamentarians, have written inserts in daily newspapers, have collected signatures from organizations worldwide against nuclear power, etc.
If women had been asked if nuclear power should be used for energy production or if nuclear weapons should be produced there would hardly be any nuclear power stations in the world and no nuclear weapons. Women represent half of humanity. Our voice must be heard! “- Ulla Klötzer WISE – Nuclear issues information service service
Below, a note on some of the courageous women who have stood out against the nuclear forces and apologies for the thousands of such women who are not mentioned here
Dr Helen Caldicott. - Australia and The World. The single most articulate and passionate advocate of citizen action to remedy the nuclear and environmental crises, Dr Helen Caldicott, has devoted the last 38 years to an international campaign to educate the public about the medical hazards of the nuclear age and the necessary changes in human behavior to stop environmental destruction. Helen Caldicott – About
Jean McSorley. – UK. A prolific writer and activist, Jean McSorley has advised government and environmental organisations, in the UK and abroad, for many years revealing the facts about Sellafield, and other UK nuclear facilities.
Her MajestyQueen Noor ofJordan is an international humanitarian activist and an outspoken voice on issues of world peace and justice. Today Her Majesty Queen Noor plays a major role in promoting international exchange and understanding of Arab and Muslim culture and politics, Arab-Western relations, and conflict prevention. Queen Noor | Global Zero
Ulla Klötzer - Finland. A powerful speaker and writer, Ulla Klötzer continues to oppose uranium mining, nuclear proliferation, and to expose the construction of Finlands reactor, Olkiluto OL 3 – the biggest nuclear reactor in the world.
Satomi Oba –Japan. Another leading voice for non-proliferation and disarmament was Japan’s Satomi Oba, former president of Plutonium Action Hiroshima and chair member of the international non-proliferation movement Abolition 2000. For decades before her untimely death in February 2005, Oba organized grassroots events, spoke to international groups and broke ground for other activists
Dianne Stokes – Australia An Aboriginal elder of the Yapa Yapa clan, which owns land at Muckaty in the Northern Territory, has for years continued the fight against the Australian government’s plan to put a nuclear waste dump on Aboriginal land, – resisting enormous pressure from powerful interests and politicians Toxic feelings at proposed nuclear dump – National – smh.com.au
Jean Grossholtz – (USA) Professor emeritus at the Dept. of Women’s Studies, Mt. Holyoke College, Jean helped organize the Women’s Pentagon Action (1980-82) and has long been active in peace and social justice work.
Ellen Diederich –Germany A peace activist for more than three decades, Ellen Diederich is Director of the German-based International Fasia Jansen Women’s Peace Archive, an extensive collection of books, print, audio-visual and artistic resources on women and militarism and women’s action for peace, world-wide, collected over 25 years.
Corazon Valdez Fabros - Philippines A lawyer by profession, Corazon Fabros is Chairperson of the Pacific Concerns Resource Centre (the Secretariat of the Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific Movement) and Secretary General of the Nuclear Free Philippines Coalition, which led the successful campaign to stop the nuclear power plant projects in the Philippines . Currently Philippine Coordinator of the No Nukes Asia Forum and the International Network on Military Activities and Environmental Justice.
Karen Silkwood remembered In 1974, US anti-nuclear activist Karen Silkwood was killed in a car crash many suspect was deliberately caused by the Kerr McGee nuclear company.Karen Silkwood will be remembered as someone who fought an uphill and often unpopular battle against the ruthless nuclear industry. She is an inspiration to all who believe in environmental justice and workers’ rights BY SHARYN JENKINS. Karen Silkwood remembered | Green Left Weekly
Much of the material here was obtained from Women and Life on Earth: English by Anna Gyorgy, Women & Life on Earth Network coordinator, English website editor. Contact: info(at)wloe.org
-
Archives
- May 2012 (262)
- April 2012 (259)
- March 2012 (342)
- February 2012 (304)
- January 2012 (259)
- December 2011 (274)
- November 2011 (331)
- October 2011 (247)
- September 2011 (272)
- August 2011 (249)
- July 2011 (227)
- June 2011 (195)
-
Categories
- 1
- 1 NUCLEAR ISSUES
- business and costs
- climate change
- ENERGY
- environment
- health
- history
- indigenous issues
- Legal
- marketing of nuclear
- media
- opposition to nuclear
- people
- politics
- politics international
- Religion and ethics
- safety and incidents
- secrets,lies and civil liberties
- spinbuster
- technology
- Uranium
- wastes
- weapons and war
- 2 WORLD
- ACTION
- AFRICA
- AUSTRALIA
- Christina background info
- Christina's notes
- Christina's themes
- general
- Reference
- resources – print
- Resources -audiovicual
-
RSS
Entries RSS
Comments RSS
