nuclear-news

Iran bomb-grade uranium not expected before 2013: State Dept
Google News 11 August 09 (AFP)  WASHINGTON
— The State Department’s intelligence bureau has concluded that Iran will not be technically capable of producing weapons grade uranium for nuclear weapons before 2013, the US intelligence director has told Congress.The assessment by the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research was included in written responses to questions submitted to Congress by the Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair.Even though Iran has made significant progress in enriching uranium, the State Department bureau “continues to assess it is unlikely that Iran will have the technical capability to produce HEU (highly enriched uranium) before 2013,” Blair said……………..

The US intelligence community “has no evidence that Iran has yet made the decision to produce highly enriched uranium, and INR assesses that Iran is unlikely to make such a decision for at least as long as international pressure and scrutiny persist,” the document said.

‘EPA not transparent, lacks will to save country from pollution’ “

By Rena Sadeghi
Arab Times Staff 11 August 09 .……. We are concerned with everything related to the environment. We know that Kuwait suffers from all kinds of pollution whether industrial, air or marine pollution,’ stated Dr Khalid Al-Hajeri, environmentalist and head of Kuwait’s Green Line Environment Group…………..

Kuwait has been suffering from radiation pollution, since the US forces used depleted uranium in its wars against Iraq in 1990 and 2003. There are many facts and information regarding the environmental situation and the magnitude of the pollution. The ill-effects that radiation has on the health of people residing in Kuwait are still being concealed despite the society’s efforts to increase awareness on the issue. Living in a clean environment is a basic right mentioned in all international agreements that Kuwait has signed, and no one should violate this right.…………….

The agency’s report also proved that some residential areas were closer to the war zones where uranium was used during the 1990 war. Such a matter must prompt the government to conduct extensive researches to determine the health hazards that might affect residents in these areas, such as the increase in cancer. The report also stressed the need for the government to notify the people where the polluted areas are, which has not happened. According to international laws and agreements, using uranium ammunition for military purposes is an international crime, since they are considered to be weapons of mass destruction, which are banned worldwide in accordance with a decree issued by the United Nations.

Therefore, as part of its mission Kuwait’s Green Line Environment Group (GLEG) has created the first international map to save the environment in war zones. The August 1990 map includes details on the damage caused to the environment by the Iraqi invasion, which is being translated into many languages.