nuclear-news

Nuclear news this week

Investigative journalism lives!  In this media climate of the 24 hr news cycle, and of journalists losing their jobs – it can still happen! This week:

McClatchy News Service’s Washington Bureau’s Rob Hotakainen, Lindsay Wise, Frank Matt and Samantha Ehlinger spent a year, over 100 interviews across USA, and analysing over  70 million records in a federal database obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, for this story:

At least 33,480 American nuclear workers dead from radiation-caused illness

The Center For Public Integrity’s  Adrian Levy documented the scandal of India’s nuclear industry , in India’s nuclear industry pours its wastes into a river of death and disease, and also India’s repression of activists who protest about its poor safety record.

The mind boggles – in reading about America’s sick nuclear workers – to think what the situation might be in Russia, or China, where no investigative journalist would get  a chance to study and publicise it!

Study: Environmental Exposures Account for Vast Majority of Cancers.

Global trend towards bankruptcy for the nuclear industry.

CLIMATE.  The Paris Agreement on climate — a good start, but…      SO FAR, nuclear lobbyists have not managed to hijack climate action funding. Nuclear lobby in frantic mode at Paris Climate Summit.  The new climate denialism – that renewable energy “doesn’t work”. Sea level rise threatens nuclear stations and nuclear waste dumps. Corporate Astroturf “Nuclear for Climate” is really a lobby group of 140 pro nuclear societies. USA govt’s Mission Innovation should not send tax-payer money to Bill Gates’ nuclear dream.

GERMANY abandoning nuclear fission, but has developed research nuclear fusion reactor.  Belgium’s nuclear restart causes anxiety in adjacent North Rhine-Westphalia.

USA.  Former Clinton Defense Secretary offers dire warning on nuclear war risk.  Donald Trump shows abysmal ignorance about USA’s nuclear weapons.  Endless delays – that’s the system for Hanford nuclear waste clean-up.  Nuclear Regulatory Commission: obfuscation when it comes to Freedom of Information. Gloomy prediction for USA’s nuclear industry. Strong wind power takes over New York’s electricity as nuclear station shut down. New York Governor Cuomoorders investigation of Indian Point Nuclear Station.  Dangers of USNRC Approval of Broken Nuclear Spent Fuel Rod Storage

Kansas’ nuclear workers with cancer from exposure to radiation. Idaho nuclear workers: 360 killed by by exposure to radiation. Texas nuclear workers sick and dying from exposure to radiation. Mississipi nuclear workers victims of radiation Huge increase in medical insurance claims by nuclear workers.

INDIA‘s secret nuclear weapons building city. Japan-India nuclear deal sounds good, but not likely in practice.

JAPAN. Declassified report shows Fukushima nuclear situation much worse than we were told.  Enormous increase inradiation levels in Fukushima underground ducts.  High level nuclear waste into the ocean: Japanese govt’s latest idea. Cover-up of radiation effects makes Fukushima victims’ lives even worse.

UKRAINE troubles continue with the toxic Chernobyl site

UK Tax-payer funding to go to Britain’s small nuclear reactor companies! Toshiba’s financial travails threaten UK’s nuclear power plans. Britain’s heavy burden – its Trident nuclear programme.

IRAN IAEA concludes its probe in Iran’s history of nuclear weapons research

RUSSIA Missing highly enriched uranium canisters probably came from Mayak nuclear facility

CHINA Concerns about China’s nuclear technology: is it safe?

December 19, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Christina's notes