2011 December 08 « nuclear-news

Cruel, intolerant, culturally backward, violent Saudi Arabia to get nuclear weapons?

Religious pilgrimage turns into nightmare The Age Maris Beck and Daniel Flitton December 8, 2011 ” ….. Mansor Almaribe, a father of five, who was last month charged with blasphemy while on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, has been sentenced to a year in prison and 500 lashes. The Shepparton family said it was a death sentence. Mr Almaribe has diabetes, heart disease and was almost crippled in a 2004 car accident that broke his back in five places. “He won’t make 50 lashes,” son Mohammad, 16, told The Age….

..Mr Almaribe, a Shiite Muslim who was travelling in the majority Sunni kingdom, was found guilty of cursing two companions of the prophet Mohammed aloud in a public place…. a radical had reported Mr Almaribe to police after recognising him as Shiite from the green turban he wore. “He was just praying and reading the Koran to himself in an area known to be frequented by Shiites.”… http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/religious-pilgrimage-turns-into-nightmare-20111207-1ojbc.html#ixzz1g0DiYVsM

Prince Hints Saudi Arabia May Join Nuclear Arms Race, NYT, December 6, 2011 DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A Saudi prince, in a remark designed to send chills through the Obama administration and its allies, suggested that the kingdom might consider producing nuclear weapons if it found itself between atomic arsenals in Iran and Israel. The prince, Turki al-Faisal, who has served as the Saudi intelligence chief and as ambassador to the United States, made the comment on Monday at a Persian Gulf security forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The remark confirmed Western fears about the potential for an arms race in the Middle East if Iran moves to produce a nuclear weapon…..

Prince Turki said at the forum on Monday that an Iranian quest for nuclear weapons and Israel’s presumed nuclear arsenal might force Saudi Arabia to follow suit. Most defense analysts believe that Israel has nuclear weapons, but it has refused to confirm or deny their existence.

“It is our duty toward our nation and people to consider all possible options, including the possession of these weapons,” Prince Turki was quoted as saying…http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/world/middleeast/saudi-arabia-may-seek-nuclear-weapons-prince-says.html

December 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Saudi Arabia, weapons and war | Leave a comment

Bill Gates touting “incredibly safe” nuclear reactor to China

Christina Macpherson's websites & blogs

The word “incredible” has really lost its currency. Derived from Latin – “Credo – I believe”, the real meaning of this adjective is “unable to be believed”. Sadly, everyone now uses “incredible” to mean “very”.

We don’t seem to have a word for “simply not able to be believed”.

However – in the case of Bill Gates’ statement about his gee whiz new nuclear reactors, I think that the word really does revert to its true meaning! Incredibly safe – indeed ! – Christina Macpherson

Bill Gates glowing with optimism about nuclear power for China Seattle Times, by Jon Talton, 7 Dec 11 Here’s the “hmmm” story of the day: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is in China discussing jointly developing with Beijing a “new and safer” nuclear reactor. “All these new designs are going to be incredibly safe,” Gates told the audience in China, according to the Associated Press. “They require no human action to remain safe at all times.” Continue reading →

December 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | spinbuster, USA | Leave a comment

Call to stop Californian company’s radiation testing on monkeys

Activists Protest Company’s Plan To Test Monkeys For Radiation, care 2 by Sharon Seltzer, December 6, 2011 A research company in Pasadena, CA is feeling the wrath of an animal rights group for a series of radiation tests it’s conducting on 32 monkeys. The company wants to determine the effects of potentially lethal doses of radiation on humans after a nuclear disaster.

ChromoLogic, a private diagnostic technology research company is developing a machine to test humans for levels of radiation poisoning after being exposed to a nuclear event such as Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster that occurred in March 2011. On Monday the company began testing 32 Rhesus monkeys for the project.

Animal activists from Stop Animal Exploitation Now! (SAEN) staged a protest outside ChromoLogic’s Pasadena office to halt the tests after a whistleblower leaked they would begin this week. “My goal is to get as many people to know what’s going on and to stop this,” said Josh Gutier, who attended the protest. Julia MacKenzie, SAEN’s L.A. representative said, “I object to them using animals in research and wasting taxpayers’ money.”…: http://www.care2.com/causes/activists-protest-companys-plan-to-test-monkeys-for-radiation.html#ixzz1fz5I0DHs

December 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Religion and ethics, USA | Leave a comment

Nuclear energy production and consumption grinding down worldwide

Much of the decline in installed capacity is the result of halted reactor construction around the world. ….. these numbers can hardly encourage the industry,” said Worldwatch President Robert Engelman.”The high cost of nuclear electricity generation and the widespread public perceptions that it poses unacceptable safety risks make it unlikely this form of power will help slow human-caused climate change or offer an attractive alternative to rising fossil-fuel prices any
time soon.”….

Global Nuclear Generation Capacity Falls E News Park Forest 06 DECEMBER 2011 New analysis indicates countries are turning to other energy sources as a result of high costs, low demand, and recent disasters. WASHINGTON–. Due to increasing costs of production, a slowed demand for electricity, and fresh memories of disaster in Japan, production of nuclear power fell in 2011, according to the latest Vital Signs Online (VSO) report from the Worldwatch Institute (www.Worldwatch.org).
…… global installed nuclear capacity—-the potential power generation from all existing plants—-declined to 366.5 gigawatts (GW) in 2011, from 375.5 GW at the end of 2010.

Not surprisingly, this drop in installed capacity corresponds with a decline in global consumption of nuclear energy. Continue reading →

December 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, business and costs | Leave a comment

Japan’s problem of radioactivity in food – cesium 137 found in baby milk powder

Cesium in Baby Milk Powder Shows Nuclear Risk for Japan Food December 07, 2011 By Kanoko Matsuyama and Yuriy Humber Dec. 7 (Bloomberg) — Radioactive cesium was found in milk powder in Japan made by a Meiji Holdings Co. unit, raising concern that nuclear radiation is contaminating baby food.

Meiji the past week found traces of cesium-137 and cesium- 134 in batches of “Meiji Step” made in March, the Tokyo-based company said yesterday. The probe was triggered by a customer complaint last month. ….

The finding highlights the radiation threat to food in Japan nine months after the Fukushima nuclear plant was wrecked by an earthquake and tsunami. ….
In a nuclear accident, radioactive isotopes including iodine-131 and cesium-137, which are normally contained inside the fuel rods, may be released into the atmosphere as gases or particulates if the rods are damaged. These can be inhaled or ingested through contaminated food or water. Children are especially susceptible to radiation poisoning from iodine, which can accumulate in the thyroid gland, according to the World Health Organization.

Cesium-137 that enters the body is distributed throughout the soft tissues, especially in muscle….

Radiation is more dangerous for infants because their cells are dividing more rapidly and radiation-damaged RNA may be carried in more generations of cells, according to Lincoln. The risk for children depends on the quantity of radioactive cesium they consume or are exposed to,…

December 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, Japan | Leave a comment

Warning about computer viruses attacking nuclear plants

CIA suspected for ‘super weapon’ attack on Iranian nuclear plant Herald Sun, December 08, 2011 Computer virus attacked Iranian nuclear plant in 2010 THE CIA is the chief suspect behind a computer virus dubbed the world’s first cyber “super weapon” that attacked an Iranian nuclear plant. Continue reading →

December 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | Leave a comment

Cancers in workers at Israeli nuclear facility

Nuke plant workers exposed to high radiation levels Expert tells court former employees of Dimona nuclear facility who were diagnosed with cancer were exposed to year’s-worth of radiation on a daily basis YNet News, Naama Cohen Friedman 12.07.11, Workers at the Negev Nuclear Research Center were exposed to extremely high radiation levels – some as high as the annual limit – an expert on radiation safety told the court Wednesday.

Dr. Thelma Byrne’s statement was made during a court hearing in a case meant to determine whether former employees of the institute should be recognized as the victims of work-related accidents after they were diagnosed with cancer. The damages suit was submitted by 44 employees of the Dimona-based reactor and the Soreq Nuclear Research Center in
the mid 1990s. Some members of the plaintiff have since died. Continue reading →

December 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, Israel | Leave a comment

Compensation cases continue for radioactively contaminated Hanford victims

The amount of the settlement has not been made public. In July, the thyroid disease plaintiffs who settled received an average of $5,700 apiece, for a total payment of just under $800,000.

Many of the remaining plaintiffs suffer from cancers that they claim were caused by radioactive contamination of the Columbia River. …..

Another Partial Settlement in Epic Nuclear Contamination Case, BLT The
Blog of Legal Times, 7 Dec 11 The Hanford logjam is starting to break. According to court records, 383 plaintiffs who suffer from thyroid disease have agreed to settle their claims against the government that radiation from the now-shuttered Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington State made them sick. Continue reading →

December 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, USA | Leave a comment

Georgia’s utility customers will pay up for delays in nuclear plant project

Since Southern Co. subsidiary Georgia Power is a regulated utility, its 2.4 million customers must pay for the project and could be on the hook for reimbursing the company for cost overruns.

The project is being built using borrowed money, so construction delays might increase financing costs and ultimately raise the pricetag for utility customers.

Federal officials have not yet given the project key approvals
necessary to start major construction work,

Watchdog says Southern nuclear plant faces delays Bloomberg, By RAY HENRY, 7 Dec 11 The Southern Co. continues to face “significant challenges” building the country’s first brand-new nuclear plant on time and without exceeding its share of the roughly $6 billion budget, a state watchdog said in a report released Monday. Continue reading →

December 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | Leave a comment

Japan’s Mihama nuclear reactor to shut down following leak

Kansai Electric to manually shut Mihama nuclear unit Mihama 500 MW unit one of only nine reactors still running in Japan TOKYO, Dec 7 (Reuters) – Kansai Electric Power Co will manually halt its Mihama No. 2 nuclear reactor as a safety precaution after it
discovered unusual levels of coolant leaking from a valve inside the containment vessel, Continue reading →

December 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, Japan | Leave a comment

ONGOING PEOPLE’S STRUGGLE IN KOODANKULAM Nuclear Power Plant

Friends of Koodankulam Anti-Nuclear Movement with P.U.C.L. (Delhi) F-24/72, Ground Floor, Sector-3, Rohini, Delhi 110085. 5th December, 2011

STATEMENT ON ONGOING PEOPLE’S STRUGGLE   IN KOODANKULAM IN TAMILNADU AGAINST PROPOSEDNUCLEAR PLANT IN ORDER   TO SAVE THEIR LIVELIHOOD, LIVES AND ENVIRONMENT.

   We, members of Human Rights, Pro-Democratic activists and movements,  have formed a group at Delhi under the name of “FRIENDS OF KOODANKULAM ANTI-NUCLEAR MOVEMENT”   in order to support the anti-nuclear movement of Koodankulam people in Tamilnadu to save their lives, their livelihood and priceless environment.

The people of 32 villages surrounding Koodankulam under the name of People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) are protesting the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) and started their agitation on August 16, 2011 and have been sitting on relay fasting since September 11, 2011.

This struggle is a collective of the communities of the districts of Thirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Tuticorin; this is supported by the people of Tamilnadu. The various peoples’ movements of Tamilnadu have been showing their solidarity by different agitations and demonstrations. Continue reading →

December 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, opposition to nuclear | 1 Comment

Australia – the “Typhoid Mary of filthy energy”?

As Australia continues its journey towards its wind and solar powered clean energy future, it’s all food for thought as we strike agreements with countries such as India to supply uranium for power generation purposes. Let’s not forget the millions of tonnes of coal and other fossil fuels we export around the world each year either.

Can we every really lay claim to being clean and green by shipping the essential ingredients for major environmental disasters to other nations? Is Australia the Typhoid Mary of filthy energy?

Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Could Cost $257 Billion, by Energy Matters, 7 Dec 11 Nuclear power generated electricity may appear cheap, but like fossil fuel electricity generation much of the real cost is hidden in subsidies and other forms of support. Add to that a nuclear accident or even just other associated environmental impacts under normal operations and suddenly any savings quickly evaporate, like water on overheated nuclear fuel rods. Continue reading →

December 8, 2011 Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | 1 Comment

Nuclear weapons proliferator Pakistan wants Australian uranium

Why Australia must not sell uranium to Pakistan, The Conversation, Peter Meyer 7 December 2011 Predictably, Pakistan is seeking equal treatment with India on uranium sales from Australia……The activities of the AQ Khan network in selling equipment and technology to other states show Pakistan to have been an active proliferator (as Adrian Levy and Catherine Scott-Clark point out in their book, Deception: Pakistan, the United States and the Global Nuclear Weapons Conspiracy). And the military establishment under whose wings Khan – the father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme – operated still dominates public affairs in Pakistan, even under an elected government…..