nuclear-news

latest news on the uranium/nuclear industry

Human error the biggest danger in nuclear technology

In 2007, six nuclear warheads were transported from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, to Louisiana’s Barksdale Air Force Base – by mistake. It’s a pattern of mistakes where there’s zero room for error.

When We’re Our Own Biggest Nuclear Threat Gizmodo Australia, By Brian Barrett  November 23, 2010 Read more »

November 26, 2010 Posted by | general | , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Speculating on other possible nuclear or uranium targets for Stuxnet computer worm

Dragons, Tigers, Pearls, and Yellowcake: 4 Stuxnet Targeting Scenarios, Forbes, Nov. 22 2010 -  by Jeffrey CarrIn all of the thousands of words that have been printed about Stuxnet, and the many interviews given, there’s been almost no discussion of alternative targeting scenarios for the Stuxnet worm…. Read more »

November 24, 2010 Posted by | general | , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Millions spent on lobbying gets results for Body Scanner Radiation company

spent $271,500 on lobbying so far this year too. In return it has received $41.2 million in government contracts for their scanners this year.

Body Scanner Radiation Machine Makers Spent Millions On Lobbying, Wall Street Window,  – Mike Swanson (11/22/10) The truth comes out. USA Today reports that L-3 Communications, which makes the TSA radiation scanning machines at the center of controversy spent millions on lobbying government officials over the past few years to get government contracts to build the machines. Read more »

November 23, 2010 Posted by | politics, USA | , , , , | Leave a Comment

Australian soldiers, Aborigines, civilians exposed to depleted uranium in ’50s nuclear tests

The government is preparing a study of those who may have been affected, including soldiers, and Aboriginal and civilian populations in the area at the time of testing.

Depleted uranium used at Maralinga Paul Langley’s Nuclear History Blog, 23 Nov 10, Australian Government Confirms Depleted Uranium Used in 1950s The Australian Federal Government announced that it will conduct a health study of Australian volunteers who worked at Maralinga, a British nuclear test site. Read more »

November 23, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, depleted uranium | , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

North Korea shows off new nuclear complex

Experts caution, however, that true hydrogen bombs are quite difficult to make, so it seems unlikely that North Korea would succeed in that step anytime soon.

North Koreans Unveil Vast New Plant for Nuclear Use, NYTimes.com, By DAVID E. SANGER  November 20, 2010 WASHINGTON — North Korea showed a visiting American nuclear scientist last week a vast new facility it secretly and rapidly built to enrich uranium, confronting the Obama administration with the prospect that the country is preparing to expand its nuclear arsenal or build a far more powerful type of atomic bomb…….. Read more »

November 21, 2010 Posted by | North Korea, weapons and war | , , , , , | Leave a Comment

USA keen to market nuclear power to Australia

The deal would allow for the United States to export nuclear technology, material and equipment to Australia for atomic power generation

Legislation Would Protect U.S.-Australia Atomic Trade Deal, NTI: Global Security Newswire , Nov. 18, 2010 Recently introduced U.S. legislation would ensure that a civilian nuclear trade agreement with Australia would still enter into force even if its time runs out in Congress, Read more »

November 19, 2010 Posted by | politics, USA | , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Despite its own committee’s warnings, Australian govt quietly does uranium deal with Russia

Joint Standing Committee of Treaties (JSCOT) pointed out that uranium sales to Russia should not proceed unless significant security measures were addressed. Few if any of these measures have been addressed since then.

it seems to be just another case of “business as usual” in Australian politics, in which our country’s resources are sold off to the highest bidder, regardless of the dangerous impacts such sales add to geo-regional security.

New Risks from Australia Russia Uranium Deal – On Line Opinion – By James Norman 19/11/2010 Late last week on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in South Korea, Prime Minister Julia Gillard ratified a deal with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that should send shockwaves through the Australian electorate. Read more »

November 18, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, politics international | , , , , | Leave a Comment

The halt on German nuclear transports to Russia

Thousands attend unprecedented anti-nuclear protests in Germany: Local action achieves global impact. Bellona, 19 Nov 10, GORBLEN, Germany .……..The deal that the Germans were preparing with the Russians involved the transportation of 951 spent nuclear fuel assemblies burnt in a research reactor in Rossendorf, Eastern Germany, from a temporary storage facility in Ahaus, Western Germany, to the chemical reprocessing plant Mayak in Russia for final disposal.On November 13, the German news agency DPA reported that authorities in Hamburg – namely, city mayor Christoph Ahlhaus – had refused to allow the port to be used as a transit point for the delivery.
“In October, another decision to refuse to participate in the transportation of nuclear waste had come from the authorities in Bremerhaven, also a port. Therefore, for the time being, there is no suitable seaport in Germany that would agree to serve as a transit harbour [for the waste]. The German government says shipping the 18 containers with nuclear waste may be postponed until April 2011,” the DPA report said (rendered here from the Russian translation). ……

Thousands attend unprecedented anti-nuclear protests in Germany: Local action achieves global impact – Bellona

November 18, 2010 Posted by | Germany, opposition to nuclear | , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Despite Republicans’ electoral success, nuclear power industry’s future in USA looking grim

Nationwide, ground has been broken for just four reactors, two twin-unit nuclear plants since the 1970s……both are in locations that are insulated from the market, in Georgia and South Carolina. In both locations, the business risk rests with the ratepayers, not with the shareholders…….

G.O.P. Gains on Capitol Hill May Not Advance Nuclear Power, NYTimes.com, By MATTHEW L. WALD, November 16, 2010 WASHINGTON THE outspoken supporters of nuclear power are mostly Republicans, and the Republicans are about to take control of the House of Representatives and gain six seats in the Senate. Is this good news for nuclear power? Read more »

November 18, 2010 Posted by | business and costs, USA | , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Guangdong nuclear plant radiation leak reported

Radiation Leak Reported at Guangdong Nuclear Power Plant, Economic Observer News-, By Ruoji TangShare    By Yu Huapeng and Hua Yan, November 17, 2010,Translated by Ruoji Tang  Original Article: [Chinese] On October 23rd, during a routine inspection of the No. 1 reactor at Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, a small leak of radioactive material was discovered, the third leak detected in a Hong Kong Nuclear Investment Company plant since May this year. Yesterday, Daya Bay Nuclear Power Operations Management Ltd. Co. released a report stating that one of the heat removal pipes had been found to be defective but had since been dealt with….Radiation Leak Reported at Guangdong Nuclear Power Plant- Economic Observer News- China business, politics, law, and social issues

November 18, 2010 Posted by | China, safety and incidents | , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Port Hope residents should sue govt over radioactive wastes

OSHAWA — The people of Port Hope should sue the federal government “to the tune of millions of dollars” for the exposure to radiation from Cameco, prominent anti-nuclear activist Dr. Helen Caldicott said during a public speech in Oshawa.

(Canada)  Anti-nuclear doctor advises Port Hope residents to sue over exposure northumberlandnews.com Dr. Helen Caldicott gives impassioned talk to standing-room-only crowd in Oshawa Nov 17, 2010

Jennifer O’Meara Read more »

November 18, 2010 Posted by | Canada, wastes | , , , , | Leave a Comment

Growing strength of new international energy agency

IRENA believes that renewable energy use must, and will increase dramatically in the coming years, because of its key role in:

  • enhancing energy security
  • reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change
  • alleviating energy poverty
  • supporting sustainable development, and
  • boosting economic growth.

IRENA – Building a New Energy Agency RenewablesNovember 15, 2010 by Anja Atkinson On the 24th and 25th October, the International Renewable Energy Agency held it’s fourth session of the Preparatory Commission in Abu Dhabi. All together 300 delegates attended from more than 100 countries. Read more »

November 17, 2010 Posted by | 2 WORLD, renewable | , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

BHP Billiton uranium company to be questioned over radioactive waste dumping plans

BHP Billiton boss faces a grilling  (at its Annual General meeting, Perth Australia, 16 Nov) Sydney Morning Herald, Mathew MurphyNovember 15, 2010 “……The Australian Conservation Foundation is also expected to attack BHP over its $20 billion expansion plans for Olympic Dam, the world’s largest uranium deposit.ACF nuclear free campaigner David Noonan said the group will ask the BHP board if the new open-pit mine is only considered economic because it is designed to leak up to 8 million litres of radioactive waste a day.

”This company plans to dump rather than to dispose of their radioactive wastes, and do not intend to rehabilitate the proposed open pit, intending instead to leave a toxic lake as a permanent scar on the landscape,” he said. …..BHP boss faces a grilling

November 15, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, wastes | , , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment

Uranium company seeks legal right to pollute groundwater

Powertech Uranium Corp sues Colorado over northwestern Weld County site | Greeley Tribune, 14 Nov 10, A Canadian company seeking to mine uranium in northwestern Weld County has filed suit against the state of Colorado, claiming that recently adopted rules for keeping groundwater clean are unreasonable. Read more »

November 15, 2010 Posted by | Legal, Uranium, USA | , , , , | Leave a Comment

Australia’s hypocritical and unsafe uranium deal with Russia

“Australia cannot hope to be a leader on nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament while spreading nuclear risks by trying to become the world’s largest uranium supplier,”

Activists Blast Russian-Australian Uranium Deal, NTI: Global Security Newswire , Nov. 12, 2010 * Activists have sharply criticized a new Russian-Australian uranium export agreement, partly over concerns that nuclear material sent to Russia under the deal could be diverted for weapons production, the Australian Associated Press reported today (see GSN, Nov. 11). Read more »

November 12, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, politics international, Uranium | , , , , , | 1 Comment

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