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Unresolved questions about Iran’s possible push for nuclear weapons

Among the many unresolved issues about Iran’s atomic drive are allegations that the Islamic republic was involved in weaponisation studies — work which included uranium conversion, high explosives testing and the adaptation of a ballistic missile cone to carry a nuclear warhead.

UN atomic agency has doubts over Iran’s nuclear drive, Google hosted news, By Simon Morgan (AFP)  8 march 11, VIENNA — The UN atomic watchdog said Monday it had information that Iran may have been engaged in weaponisation studies more recently than previously thought. Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Restrictions imposed on anti-nuclear former judges, in India

Curbs imposed on movement of two ex-judges opposing n-plant, Sify News 2011-03-06 Ratnagiri (Maharashtra)   (IANS) Toughening its stance against those opposing the 9,900 MW Jaitapur nuclear power plant in this Maharashtra district, the area’s collector Sunday banned two former judges and others from entering the district. Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | civil liberties, India | Leave a comment

U.S. Energy Dept sued over failure to provide nuclear waste dump

it could be several years before a repository is constructed and the federal government can begin accepting waste from nuclear power plants. Until then, the association wants to halt the nuclear waste fund fees that the Energy Department collects for that purpose…….

Utility Commissioners Sue To Suspend Annual Nuclear Waste Fees By Tennille Tracy  NEWSWIRES,WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones) 8 march 11,  A group representing state utility commissioners sued the U.S. Energy Department Monday to try to prevent it from collecting hundreds of millions of dollars in fees to build a nuclear waste dump. Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | Legal, USA, wastes | Leave a comment

Call for grassroots action to dismantle nuclear weapons

“We need a new paradigm of leadership – the leadership exercised by ordinary people who have decided to reject the ‘stability’ of deterrence, which rests ultimately on the threat of mutual annihilation.”

Arab World Protests Could Reignite Anti-Nuke Campaign By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS, Mar 7, 2011 (IPS) – The global civil society campaign for the abolition of nuclear weapons could be politically reignited by the phenomenal successes of the grassroots demonstrations in Egypt and Tunisia, shadowed closely by Libya, Bahrain, Yemen and Jordan. Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | 2 WORLD, Religion and ethics | Leave a comment

China’s $90 billion for weapons, including nuclear, in 2011

Chinese Defense Budget Boost Seen Aiding Nuclear Force, NTI: Global Security Newswire – March 7, 2011 China on Friday announced it had set aside roughly $90 billion in defense funds for 2011, a 12.7 percent boost over the nation’s declared 2010 defense budget, the Asahi Shimbun reported (see GSN, March 3).The People’s Liberation Army’s Second Artillery Corps, which oversees China’s strategic nuclear force, would benefit significantly from the additional spending, one military insider said. “Along with the second artillery (the strategic missile unit), the navy also received preferential budget treatment,” the source said……..NTI: Global Security Newswire – Chinese Defense Budget Boost Seen Aiding Nuclear Force

March 7, 2011 Posted by | China, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Time to cease reliance on nuclear weapons for security

nations should move forward together with a series of conceptual and practical steps toward deterrence that do not rely primarily on nuclear weapons or nuclear threats to maintain international peace and security. The first step is to recognize that there is a daunting new spectrum of global security threats.

Deterrence in the Age of Nuclear Proliferation – WSJ.com, by

By GEORGE P. SHULTZ, WILLIAM J. PERRY, HENRY A. KISSINGER
AND SAM NUNN

6 March 2011, Today, the Cold War is almost 20 years behind us, but many leaders and publics cannot conceive of deterrence without a strategy of mutual assured destruction. We have written previously that reliance on this strategy is becoming increasingly hazardous. Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | 2 WORLD, weapons and war | Leave a comment

The Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty has a proud record of success

Since the treaty entered into force on March 5, 1970, more countries have given up nuclear weapons programs than have started them. The number of nuclear weapons in the world has declined from a peak of 65,000 in 1987 to roughly 22,000 today. And every nation in the world has joined the treaty save three: India, Pakistan and Israel.

The Most Successful Security Pact in History, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Joe Cirincion, 6 Mar 11, Despite the power and allure of nuclear weapons, only nine nations in the world today have nuclear arsenals. Why aren’t there more ?

The main reason: the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | 2 WORLD, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Australian response planned to its “shock jock” climate denialists

A rally to show support for a price on pollution and action on climate change will take place in Melbourne this weekend with more planned around the country next week. They will be organised by the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, GetUp, The Wilderness Society, 350.org, Australian Council of Trade Unions, Australian Conservation Foundation and the Climate Action Network Australia.

carbon tax We’ll Keep Polluting The Air (Waves),  newmatilda.com, By Anna Rose 7 Mar 2011 Say what you like about right-wing shock jocks, they know how to organise a people’s revolt. Anna Rose looks at how the anti-pollution price lobby plans to fight Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Iran to get uranium from Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe to sell uranium to Iran,  Telegraph, bu Aislinn Laing, 6 Mar 11, Zimbabwe is to defy United Nations sanctions in a deal to sell uranium to Iran

Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Zimbabwe‘s foreign minister, said the sanctions – which prohibit member states from providing Iran with raw materials that it could use to make a nuclear weapon – were unfair and hypocritical.

He said that Zimbabwe, which is also the subject of sanctions over human rights abuses perpetrated by President Robert Mugabe’s supporters, would benefit economically from the agreement.

A leaked intelligence report suggests Iran will be awarded with exclusive access to Zimbabwe’s uranium in return for providing the country with fuel……. Zimbabwe to sell uranium to Iran – Telegraph

March 7, 2011 Posted by | Iran, politics international, Uranium | Leave a comment

Virginia’s citizens alarmed at dangers of uranium mining

If Virginia’s statewide moratorium on uranium mining is lifted, who will enforce regulations to protect workers and the public?

Uranium mining and milling is risky business | Richmond Times-Dispatch, by Nathan Lott, 6 Mar 2011, Contrary to the views expressed in a Commentary column last week, the thousands of Virginians who are troubled by proposals to lift a long-standing ban on uranium mining and milling in Virginia are hardly “radical environmentalists.” Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | opposition to nuclear, USA | Leave a comment

Record rain casts doubt on future of Australian uranium mine

the shutdown was a precaution to ensure any more torrential rain didn’t push the tailings dam higher than allowed.

Mine overflow risk DAVID WOOD  ntnews.com.au March 7th, 2011 THE VOLUME of water at Ranger uranium mine’s tailings dam could exceed the approved level if heavy rain continues, Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | AUSTRALIA, environment | Leave a comment

Secrecy surrounds the toxic legacy of Chernobyl nuclear disaster

an estimated five million people were exposed to potentially hazardous levels of radiation in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Doctors claim that cancer rates are far higher than they were before 1986, and that tens of thousands of Ukrainians and people in neighbouring Belarus (worse affected than Ukraine because of the wind direction at the time) may have died prematurely as a result.

Chernobyl: The toxic tourist attraction – Telegraph, Andrew Osborne 6 Mar 11, As Ukraine prepares to mark the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster next month, its legacy remains as divisive as ever, however. Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, Ukraine | Leave a comment

Dangerous radioactivity in mine dumps in South Africa

Reef Chernobyl ‘will cost billions’  – Mail & Guardian Online, Fiona Macleod, 4 March 2011, Dangerous levels of radio­activity in Gauteng’s mine dumps will take decades and billions of rands to clear, Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Missouri needs renewable energy credits from local area

Investments in homegrown renewable energy, such as wind, solar, and biomass can help stimulate the economy by redirecting funds into local economic development — funds that would otherwise leave the state.And the good news: This is already happening…….

Repeal of SCR1 would help producers of homegrown clean energy | Springfield News-Leader , 6 March 11, Missouri and other states across the country are realizing economic benefits by investing in local, renewable energy sources. Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | renewable, USA | Leave a comment

Depleted uranium’s toll on Canadian veterans

he came into contact with sites and weapons that were highly contaminated with
depleted uranium. In a phone interview from his home in Nova Scotia, Dornan explains that he didn’t know depleted uranium was a dangerous substance at the time……Perhaps Veterans Affairs is worried about setting a precedent where other soldiers with cancer might try to seek a disability pension, too…….

Veteran thrown into new battle | Mercedes Stephenson  Toronto Sun, 6 Mar 11, Steven Dornan battled two monsters in Afghanistan: The Taliban and his cancer. Continue reading →

March 7, 2011 Posted by | Canada, depleted uranium | Leave a comment